Health Topics for Child Health and Development

UI Children's Hospital

UI Family Care Centers

Divisions Within the Department of Pediatrics

Iowa Registry for Congenital and Inherited Disorders

5-month-old child

Activity increases for a baby during the fifth month of life. Their attention span lengthens to one-and-a-half to two hours with social contact. Self-exploration begins. Babies this age want things close enough to them to feel, hold, turn, shake, and taste. They grasp and suck on fingers, toes, and toys. Howls of frustration may occur if they do not get to explore what they want. New muscular and social skills develop every day. Their energy seems endless, even late at night.

Five-month-old babies are natural early risers in the morning with an eagerness to learn and an immediate desire for attention. Feedings are valuable social times. Although all children are unique, new growth and development milestones will typically occur by the end of 5 months.

The typical 5-month-old's motor skills include:

• displaying vigorous activity of all limbs
• sitting supported for long periods, up to 30 minutes, or sitting alone momentarily
• playing with feet and knees (shows further exploration of body parts) and
• handling, reaching, and fisting with objects

The 5-month-old's language skills include:

• experimenting with own sounds after hearing others
• understanding and responding to own name and
• vocalizing for attention

The 5-month-old's mental abilities include:

• developing eye-hand coordination for grasping and manipulating objects
• turning head to sound or to calling of her name and
• imitating sounds and movements

The 5-month-old's social traits include:

• displaying fear, annoyance, displeasure, frustration, and anger
• clinging when held
• lagging interest in breast-feeding
• being alert at least half of waking hours and
• frolicking when played with

Babyproof the house before your baby really becomes mobile. Never allow the baby to feed himself. Never give a baby a bottle while in the crib.

Last Reviewed 2005

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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