Developmental Guidelines: What Most Babies Do at 4 Months

Social and Emotional

• Smiles spontaneously, especially at people
• Likes to play with people and might cry when playing stops
• Copies some movements and facial expressions, like smiling and frowning

Language/Communication

• Begins to babble
• Babbles with expression and copies sounds he hears
• Cries in different ways to show hunger, pain, or being tired

Cognitive (Learning, Thinking, Problem-Solving)

• Lets you know if she is happy or sad
• Responds to affections
• Reaches for toy with one hand
• Uses hands and eyes together, such as seeing a toy and reaching for it
• Follows moving things with eyes from side to side
• Watches faces closely
• Recognizes familiar people and things at a distance

Movement/Physical Development

• Holds head steady, unsupported
• Pushes down on legs when feet are on a hard surface
• May be able to roll over from tummy to back
• Can hold a toy and shake it and swing at dangling toys
• Brings hands to mouth
• When lying on stomach, pushes up to elbows

Red Flags For 4 Month Old Babies

• Doesn’t watch things as they move
• Doesn’t smile at people
• Can’t hold head steady
• Doesn’t coo or make sounds
• Doesn’t brings things to mouth
• Doesn’t push down with legs when feet are placed on a hard surface
• Has trouble moving one or both eyes in all directions

Have a question? Want to learn more? Leave a comment at the bottom of this blog or email reachforthestars@achievebeyondusa.com and we will do our best to follow up with you.

About Achieve Beyond

Achieve Beyond is an agency founded by Dr. Trudy Font-Padron in 1995 and remains a family-run company. Achieve Beyond is a leader in providing pediatric therapy, autism, and early intervention services in New York City, Long Island, Hudson Valley, Texas, New Jersey, Virginia and Metro DC. They are dedicated to providing quality evaluations and therapeutic/educational services to children ages birth to 21 years of age.