Understanding Child Development
Children develop in so many ways and at different rates. They are not only physically growing but also learning new skills and developing socially and emotionally.
From the moment that your child is born, they are ready to interact with the world. Brain development is most rapid in preschool children and 90% of brain development has happened by the age of 5. Lots of things will influence how your child develops and no two children are the same.
You can explore an interactive guide to child development from birth to 5 years old - just click on the image to the right. This includes videos and advice to help parents along the way.
Things You Can Do to Help
- Talk and listen. Chat about everyday things - the colour of the sky, what you are having for dinner… Encourage your child to take turns in the conversation
- Play together, follow your child’s lead, and let their imagination run wild
- Share books together. Read the story or make up a story of your own using the pictures
- Give your child opportunities to be with other children. They can learn a lot from each other.
Who Can Help?
The Healthy Child Programme is a service which focuses on the health and development of your child. We will get in touch to review your child’s development at the following key stages:
- At 6-8 weeks
- 9-12 months
- 2.5 years, a joint review with your child’s early years setting also known as "Being 2 in Norfolk - The Shared Review"
- 3.5 year School Readiness Review with a practice nurse.
You can also contact the team at other times if you have any questions or concerns. You can contact the Healthy Child Programme by calling Just One Number on 0300 300 0123 or texting Parentline on 07520631590. Our opening hours are 8am-6pm Monday-Friday (excluding bank holidays) and 9am-1pm on Saturdays.
A member of our 0-19 team is able to complete an assessment of your child and refer to other services as needed, including: community paediatrician, speech and language therapy, hearing assessment, and vision assessment.
Need More Information?
- Ideas for nurturing your child’s development for 0-3 year olds
- Find information about your local library here
- The Book Trust, the UK’s largest reading charity, for information on how to get your family reading
- Information on local baby and toddler groups and family events across Norfolk
- Encouraging reading
- Portage is for families with a child with additional needs
- Speech and Language Service
Other Useful Videos
