News and Knowledge

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched the Milestone Tracker, a free app that enables parents and health care providers to monitor children’s attainment of developmental milestones. Part of the CDC’s “Learn the Signs. Act Early” program, the new app aims to educate families and encourages them to seek the help of a health care professional as soon as possible after noticing that a child is not meeting the milestones expected for their age group.

The app includes milestone checklists for goals related to social/emotional, language/communication, cognitive, and movement/physical development. Photos and videos accompany each milestone from 2 months to 5 years of age in order to provide examples for caregivers. Caregivers can create personalized profiles for multiple children, so families can track multiple siblings simultaneously, and the app includes suggestions and tips to encourage healthy growth and learning. The Milestone Tracker can even alert families as to when they should speak with a doctor about missed milestones, and can provide reminders for appointments and developmental screenings. Families can then view a summary of their children’s progress, which can be easily shared with doctors and other health care professionals.

In a video posted on the CDC’s YouTube channel announcing the app’s release, CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., said, “skills like taking a first step, saying those first words, and waving ‘bye-bye’ are developmental milestones all parents anticipate and celebrate.” She further explained the app’s purpose, saying, “this CDC Milestone Tracker app gives parents tips to help their child learn and grow, a way to track developmental milestones, recognize delays, and the ability to share this information with their health care provider.”

The new app may make it easier for families to monitor their child’s development and access needed services much earlier in a child’s life. In addition to the mobile app, the “Learn the Signs. Act Early” website includes educational resources for early childhood educators, families, and health care providers. You can learn more about the Milestones Tracker on the CDC’s website. The app is currently available for free download from the App Store and Google Play.