The Ounce Scale Overview

When you spend time watching a baby, you can see that he or she is a special person. Most babies develop in similar ways. For example, babies usually crawl before they walk, and babble before they talk. But each baby does these things at his or her own pace and in his or her own special way.

Of course, babies don't fit neatly into groups. A baby may act differently at different times of the day, if he's tired or hungry, or if his parent is around. It's not always easy figuring out what a new baby wants. But if you watch carefully, you will begin to see patterns in the way the baby acts. The Ounce Scale will help you know what to expect.

The Ounce Scale is a development assessment tool that allows you to evaluate a child's milestones in social, cognitive, and physical growth. It is divided into eight age groups and each age group provides examples and indicators that will help you understand what is typical in a child's development at that age.

Each age group below contains three parts:

• The Observation Records provide a means for recording detailed feedback on a child's behavior.
• The Standards for Developmental Profiles is a set of reference sheets that list examples and details of developmental norms for each age group.
• The Family Album is a set of illustrated packets that offer explanations for a child's behaviors and provide space for the family's memories of his or her developmental milestones.