Development at 7 Months
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Activity 1
Age Appropriate Speech And Language Development
Identifies Family Members When Named
I am now old enough to recognize familiar people. I should begin to recognize familiar faces between 6 and 17 months of age. You can watch me looking or gesturing at the correct member of my family whenever I hear their ‘names’ being called (e.g. daddy, mummy).
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Steps
Feedback
Your child is demonstrating that he recognizes a familiar family member at this stage. His response today will also show that he understands what you are saying to him. Use the same activity to see if he can recognize other familiar people such as his grandparent(s), uncles, etc.
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In any interaction, try to use the names of people participating, instead of just saying you, me, etc.
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If your child is being carried, make it a habit to turn him towards whoever you are talking to instead of carrying him over your shoulder with his back to the communicative partner.
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Play ‘Let’s find Daddy’ or sibling or grandma (whoever). This not only helps to introduce people to him, but also associate the people he sees with the names he hears.
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Activity 2
Age Appropriate Gross Motor Development
Sits Independently For 5 Minutes While Supporting On One Hand
My sitting balance is getting better! In the sitting position, observe if I am able to maintain my balance while using one hand for support only. You may offer me a toy to hold in one hand so that I will only use my other hand for support. I usually develop this ability when I am between 6 and 8 months old.
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Steps
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Place your child in the sitting position.
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Offer him a toy that he can hold in one hand.
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Observe if he is able to sit for 5 minutes using only the other hand to support himself.
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Observe if your child is able to use the other hand to support himself too.
Feedback
Your child is developing good sitting balance in this activity. He is learning to maintain the sitting position while using only minimal support on one hand. Once his balance improves further, he will master the ability to sit independently without any hand support at all! Look at the suggested activities to further develop this skill.
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 Provide your child with many opportunities to improve his sitting balance by engaging his hand in play while he is sitting up. As his balance improves, you may even engage both his hands in play.
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Sit behind your child and help him maintain his sitting balance by providing him with some support at his hips, close to his bottom. As his sitting balance improves, gradually decrease your assistance.
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If your child tends to fall backwards when placed in a sitting position, try the following activities to help him strengthen his abdominal muscles:
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Encourage him to kick his legs up in the air, play with his feet or place his feet in his mouth as he lies on his back. This will help strengthen his abdominal muscles.
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Place foot rattles or tie ribbons and bells around his ankles to encourage him to kick his feet into the air. The items around his ankles will also encourage him to reach out and play with them.
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If your child tends to fall forwards when placed in the sitting position, try the following activities to help him strengthen his back muscles, as well as his arm muscles so that he is able to support himself better on them:
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With your child lying on his tummy, place colorful and noisy toys in front of him to encourage him to push up through his hands to lift his head and upper chest up to look at the toys.
Lie your child on his tummy on an elevated incline (e.g. a cushion/pillow or mummy's chest when mummy is in a semi-reclined position), which may help him push up through his hands to lift his head and upper chest. Bouncing your child while he is lying on his tummy on the therapy ball (gym ball) may help stimulate him to push up on his hands and lift his head and upper chest up. Practice frequently but do not bounce him within an hour after a meal and stop for a rest after 3 minutes of bouncing.
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