Mimicry: A Crucial Milestone for 18-Month-Olds
One of the key developmental milestones for an 18-month-old is the emergence of mimicry skills – the ability to imitate the actions and sounds of others. At this stage, children start to exhibit more advanced forms of mimicry, building upon their earlier attempts such as mimicking facial expressions or clapping their hands.
Now, toddlers are exploring multi-step actions through mimicry. They may engage in activities like pretending to sweep the floor, mimicking the act of rocking a baby to sleep, or imitating adult conversations while pretending to talk on a phone.
Preemie Development at 18 Months
A preterm baby, defined as a child born more than three weeks early, may have a different developmental timeline compared to full-term babies. However, with adjusted expectations and an adjusted age, these babies can catch up with their peers. Adjusted age is calculated by subtracting the number of weeks or months a baby was born early from their chronological age. Research has shown that by the time preterm babies reach an adjusted age of two, they tend to reach developmental milestones similar to those of toddlers of the same chronological age.