Developmental Leaps: What They Are and How to Handle Them — Part 1

Have you ever noticed that your child suddenly seems to "regress" — becomes clingier, cries more, or struggles with things that seemed already mastered — right when they were making progress in some skill? This has a name and an explanation. Pediatrician Thomas Berry Brazelton dedicated decades of study, clinical observation, and hands-on work with families to map out children's behavioral and emotional development, from fetal life through age 3, extending in some aspects up to age 6. This map helps parents understand that developmental leaps and regressions are predictable and nearly universal. The doubts you feel are felt by almost every family.

As a pediatrician, I see myself as an active participant in the family during these moments. Every consultation is an opportunity to answer parents' questions and highlight each child's unique traits, forming a harmonious partnership between family and medical care. Being a parent today can bring moments of isolation. In Campinas and the surrounding region, it's common to hear from parents that their closest relatives live far away — which makes the support so necessary during the different phases of developmental leaps harder to find, especially from the third trimester of pregnancy through age 3. That's why the same honest question comes up in so many consultations: "Are we doing enough at this new stage?"