Attempts to force infants to learn something before they show an independent interest in it may result in a shaky foundation for that skill. Normal babies learn and develop at their own pace. Still, loving interaction is essential to a baby's development. Many studies of children who have spent their first years in uncaring situations such as institutions have demonstrated the effects of its absence. While no two children are alike in development, the process does follow several general patterns.
Development proceeds from generalized activity of the whole body to specific individual responses.
Large-muscle control proceeds from head to toe. First infants learn to control their head, then they crawl on their belly, dragging their legs by pulling with their arms, and finally they control their legs and feet in walking. Fine-muscle control begins with flexion and proceeds to extension. Movements proceed from symmetry to asymmetry. Some infants and toddlers undergo developmental testing for a specific reason, such as an obvious delay in sitting, walking, or speech.