7 Months Old: Milestones And Red Flags

At 7 months old, your baby is really starting to develop at a rapid pace. Not only are they becoming more mobile, but they’re probably getting more vocal, experimenting more with imitating sounds and babbling. “Every baby develops at their own pace, but the 7-month mark is typically when parents start to notice a lot of changes across the board,” says paediatric cardiologist Dr. Alisa Niksch.

Here are some milestones babies of this age should reach, and specific things that could be cause for concern.

Milestones

“A 7-month-old should be sitting up, initially with their hands on the floor in front of them to support their body and then as time progresses without any support,” says Dr. Barbara Christakis, MD, FAAP, paediatrician with Bluebird Kids Health. “Although they may topple at times, they should be able to support their bodies for a bit.”

They should also be reaching for items with one hand, and are often able to bring those items to their mouths as well as move them from one hand to the other, she explains.

“Typically, they are starting to respond to their name in some way,” she adds. “They often start babbling consonants (like “baba”, “mama”), although for some babies this may come a bit later.”

Dr. Niksch adds, “At this stage, babies become more social by engaging in interactive play and responding to the emotions of those around them.”

Quick 7-month milestones

• Sitting up with limited support
• Hand-eye coordination to bring objects to their mouths
• Moving items from one hand to the other
• Responding to their name
• Baby babble

Red flags to look for

Movement

Movement, as this age, should come fairly easily. “One thing to look out for at this age is the inability to move in the way we expect, but not all babies are moving in the same way at this age,” Dr. Christakis says. Some may be crawling by 7 months old, while others are not. “But if a baby is not sitting up with minimal support or rolling over, then that is something that should be discussed with your child's paediatrician and may require additional support from physical therapy or further evaluation.”

Stiff or floppy muscle tone, the inability to sit with help, or not being able to bear weight on their legs could also be cause for concern. One-sided body movement should also be checked.

Facial and object recognition

“Other behaviours to look out for are whether the baby recognizes familiar faces and shows interest in finding hidden objects, as this is the age they’re starting to develop memory and object permanence,” Dr. Niksch says. “With concerns of this nature, I always recommend parents talk to their paediatrician as soon as they notice something off.”

Delayed hearing development

Responding to their name and other familiar sounds is an important developmental marker at this age. However, if they are not reacting, or if they are perhaps not trying to mimic noises and engage in babble, you may want to contact their doctor about this and have their hearing checked.

Fun age-appropriate exercises

Because babies at 7 months old are so engaged, there are lot of fun ways to get them focused, playing and working on developmental skills.

“Peek-a-boo is a great game for building object permanence, though babies really start understanding peek-a-boo consistently at about 9 months,” says Dr. Niksch. “Since many 7-month-olds start becoming interested in their reflections at this stage, playing with a mirror can make it more exciting.”

Music is also a great learning tool at this age. “For 7-month-olds, I love starting to interact through music and movement with interactive children's songs like the ‘Wheels on the Bus’ and the ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’,” Dr. Christakis says. “Children at this age love songs and repetition. It's a great way to get a smile out of them and to encourage movement by showing them how your hands move along to the song, and then helping them move their bodies in the same way. Ms. Rachel does a great job of this if you're looking for some inspiration for how you should do this!”

Finally, “Throughout all activities, talking to the baby and responding to babblings helps build language skills,” says Dr. Niksch.

What parents should do if they are unsure

If you're not sure whether your baby is on track, try looking for patterns over a few days instead of focusing on one moment. Babies can have off days, and development often shows up gradually.

If a milestone seems delayed, or your baby has a clear red flag such as poor head control, no response to sound, very limited vocalizing or limited engagement, bring it up with your doctor, nurse practitioner or other healthcare provider.

You can also review Health Canada’s developmental screening guidance if you want a better sense of how developmental concerns are assessed over time.

You can also support development in simple everyday ways: make time for floor play every day, talk and read to your baby, respond to their sounds and smiles, and give them safe opportunities to reach, grasp and explore.