Born Early: What Prematurity Means for Your Child’s Development. Part 1: Babies born a little early

15 November, 2026

This week is World Prematurity Day, so I thought it was the perfect time to write about prematurity. When I began working as a physio in the late 1970s, the way we defined and thought about prematurity looked quite different. Today, “premature” covers a wide range of babies, from those who arrive just a few weeks early to tiny babies born at 25 to 28 weeks who spend months in NICU.

Around 1 in 12 babies in Australia (8.4%) are born premature, so if your baby arrived a little early, you’re certainly not alone. Most of these babies are born between 32 and 36 weeks.

Over my years in this field, I’ve seen a real shift in how we think about premature baby development and how we support these little ones. These days we take prematurity into account even for babies born just a few weeks early. We keep a gentle eye on them, adjust our expectations for where they should be, and think about early support where it might help.

In this blog, I’ll focus on babies born a little early. Next week, in Part 2, I’ll talk about babies born very early.

What Does Prematurity Actually Mean?

A baby is considered premature (or preterm, as you may hear doctors say) if they’re born before 37 weeks of pregnancy.

Table 1: Categories of premature birth
Category	Born at	Roughly how early
Extremely premature	Under 28 weeks	More than 12 weeks
Very premature	28 to 31 weeks	About 8 to 12 weeks
Moderately premature	32 to 33 weeks	About 6 to 8 weeks
Late premature	34 to 36 weeks	About 3 to 6 weeks
Early term	37 to 38 weeks	1 to 3 weeks
Full term	39 to 40 weeks	On time

We now know that even a few weeks early matters. Babies born a little early may be sleepier, may not feed as well at first, and may have some jaundice.

What Is Corrected Age?

You might hear your doctor or child and family health nurse talk about your baby’s “corrected age.” It simply means we count your baby’s age from their due date, rather than from the day they were born.

For example, if your baby is 4 months old but was born 6 weeks early, we’d expect them to be doing the things a baby of about 2½ months is doing.

Some premature babies catch up quickly and reach their milestones as if they’d been born on time, and that’s wonderful. Corrected age just gives us a fairer range to work from, so we’re not expecting too much too soon.

For babies born a little early, we usually use corrected age until they’re about 2. For babies born extremely early, we may keep using it until they’re 3 or 4. These little ones are often followed up by the hospital until they start school, at around 5.

To use the table on the next page, first work out your baby’s corrected age, then find the matching row. Each row shows what many babies are doing in four areas: movement, hands and play, social, and communication. At the bottom of each row, you’ll find a few signs that mean it’s worth having a chat with us. Remember, these are guides, not strict cut-offs. Every baby develops at their own pace.

Table 2: Development by corrected age, 2 months to 2 years
Movement	Hands and play	Social	Communication
2 months
Lifts head briefly during tummy time Moves arms and legs equally on both sides	Opens hands briefly Watches faces and follows a moving toy with their eyes	Calms when spoken to or picked up Smiles at you and looks at your face	Coos and makes sounds other than crying Reacts to loud sounds
Worth a chat with us if: Very stiff or very floppy; not reacting to loud sounds; not looking at faces; feeding is a constant struggle.
3 to 4 months
Holds head steady when held upright Pushes up onto forearms in tummy time Kicks legs	Brings hands to mouth and together Holds a toy placed in their hand Swipes at toys	Smiles to get your attention Chuckles Moves or makes sounds to keep your attention	Coos back when you talk Turns towards your voice Has different cries for hunger and tiredness
Worth a chat with us if: Head is still very wobbly; always turns their head to one side; not smiling at people; not bringing hands together.
5 to 6 months
Holds head steady in sitting May sit alone using hands for balance Rolls from tummy to back	Reaches for objects Brings toys to mouth	Can look at an object and back to you Enjoys peek-a-boo Laughs	Uses voice and movements to show needs Makes different sounds for different activities Takes turns making sounds
Worth a chat with us if: Not rolling; not reaching for toys; uses one hand much more than the other; not laughing or squealing.
7 to 8 months
Sits alone, so hands are free to play Begins to move on tummy to get what they want	Picks up small objects Moves toys from hand to hand	Explores objects and watches your reaction Looks at you when you talk or gesture	Reaches for an object they want Makes lots of different sounds with their mouth Coughs for attention Blows raspberries
Worth a chat with us if: Not sitting, even with support; not moving to get things; not making babbling sounds.
9 to 10 months
Crawls to find objects out of sight Gets up onto feet Explores their environment	Developing a pincer grip and finger isolation Bangs two toys together	Notices what you are looking at Lets you know likes and dislikes Uses whole hand to point	Uses voice to express emotion Uses gesture to get you to do something (e.g. take an object) Babbles (“mamama”, “bababa”) Responds to their name
Worth a chat with us if: Not moving around the floor; not babbling; not responding to their name; not looking where you point.
11 to 12 months
Pulls to stand on furniture Walks holding furniture Climbing	Points with index finger Picks up small things with finger and thumb Tries to use objects properly (e.g. spoon)	Wants to interact with you Gets you to notice what interests them Offers a toy but might keep it Takes turns with sharing	Uses gestures (e.g. pointing) to share interests Follows simple directions (“give me”, “come here”) Waves bye-bye Says “mama” or “dada”
Worth a chat with us if: Not pulling to stand; not pointing or waving; not following simple directions.
13 to 14 months
Takes first steps Gets on and off the floor independently Hands free in standing to show needs	Uses objects functionally (e.g. shares drink with you, feeds you) Puts objects into a container	Shares enjoyment and interest Seeks out new activities as motor skills grow Makes it clear what they do or don't want	Copies gestures (e.g. blowing kisses) Points at own body parts Uses early forms of words Shows a preference when offered a choice
Worth a chat with us if: Not standing; no words or word attempts; not showing or pointing to share interest.
15 to 16 months
Walking in most environments Squats to pick up toys	Pretend play with everyday objects Wants to be involved in daily activities	Checks in with you regularly by look or touch Tries to work out your meaning Can stick with tasks even if upset	Uses gestures to share ideas Has about 5 words Responds when talked to and shares ideas
Worth a chat with us if: Not walking; no words yet; not using gestures.
17 to 18 months
Climbs stairs with hands held Walks in unfamiliar surroundings Trots to keep up	Uses objects to build and create Scribbles Drinks from a cup and tries a spoon Follows directions in play	Uses gestures, looks and sharing to help you understand Plays intentionally with you Can shift attention from own needs to engage with you	Uses words and gestures together Uses at least 10 words with meaning Words begin to replace gestures Gestures for things out of reach (e.g. plane, moon)
Worth a chat with us if: Not walking; no words yet; not pointing with index finger to show or ask for things.
19 months to 2 years
Runs Kicks a ball Walks up stairs holding a rail	Builds a small tower of blocks Turns pages of a book Uses a spoon	Notices when others are hurt or upset Looks to your face in new situations Plays alongside other children	Puts two words together (“more milk”) Has 50 or more words Points to pictures in a book when asked Understood by familiar adults at least half the time
Worth a chat with us if: Not walking steadily; fewer than 50 words or no two-word phrases; not copying actions or words.

Babies Born a Little Early (34 to 36 Weeks)

As a mother of a child who was born early, and a grandmother of one too, I’ve seen the differences first-hand.

Babies born a little early often sleep a bit more, and feeding can be trickier. They may not latch as well, and you may need to wake them for feeds. Some are more prone to jaundice, and they can find it harder to keep their temperature steady, so they may get cold more easily.

So, especially if you’re a first-time parent, you might find yourself trying a few different things before you work out what suits your baby.

For a long time, babies born a little early were thought of as “low risk,” and most were expected to simply catch up. Over the last ten years or so, research has given us a fuller picture. Most of these children do really well, but some show mild differences in learning, attention or behaviour once they reach school. One large UK study of around 7,650 children found that at the end of their first school year, 59% of children born late preterm had not reached a good overall level of development, compared with 51% of children born at full term.

The difference is small, and it doesn’t mean your child will struggle. But these babies don’t usually have any special developmental checks, so it’s worth keeping a gentle eye on them.

If you have any concerns, help is easy to find. You can talk to your child and family health nurse, your GP, your paediatrician, or a local paediatric physio, occupational therapist or speech pathologist.

Supporting Your Baby with the 6 F-Words

At Therapies for Kids, everything we do is guided by the 6 F-Words of Childhood Development. They’re also a lovely way to think about supporting your little one at home.

Function: Focus on what your baby can do and what they’re working towards. The table above can help you see what’s coming next.
Family: You know your baby best. Look after yourself too. It’s natural to feel a little anxious when your baby arrives early.
Fitness: Lots of tummy time and floor play help build strength for rolling, sitting and crawling.
Fun: Play is how babies learn. Singing, peek-a-boo and reading together all count.
Friends: Talking, smiling and responding to your baby’s sounds builds their earliest social skills. Parent groups are a great support for you too.
Future: Small, gentle steps now lay the foundations for school and beyond.

When Should I Seek Help?

It’s worth having a chat with a health professional if your baby:

is having ongoing trouble with feeding
feels very stiff or very floppy
strongly prefers one hand or one side of the body before 12 months
isn’t reaching the milestones in the table for their corrected age
loses skills they used to have

And always trust your instincts. No question is ever the wrong one. Those of us working in children’s health are always here to answer your questions, reassure you, or offer help if it’s needed.

How Can Therapies for Kids Help?

In the first 8 months especially, our paediatric physiotherapists can help you understand your baby’s development and talk through any concerns.

We often see babies who arrive a little early prefer to look to one side. Because they’re a bit sleepier, they may not explore their world as much, and they can settle into a favourite position. Over time, this can lead to tight neck muscles or a flat spot on the head. Our physios can show you positioning and play ideas to help, including what we call “nesting.” This means using gentle support to keep your baby’s body curled and their head in the middle, so they can look at you and bring their hands together to play.

If your baby is having a little trouble with feeding, our speech pathologists and occupational therapists can give you ideas to make feeds easier. As your baby grows, they can also help with play, hand skills and early communication.

What If My Baby Wasn't Premature but Spent Time in NICU?

Even if your baby was born on time, a stay in NICU or special care after birth can mean a little extra watching is worthwhile. This might be for breathing support, an infection, low blood sugar or a difficult birth. Everything in this blog still applies. When you use the table, just use your baby’s actual age rather than their corrected age.

Every Week Counts

Whether your baby arrived a few weeks early or spent time in NICU, every little one deserves the best possible start. Most babies born a little early go on to do wonderfully well. A gentle eye on their development, and support when you need it, can make a real difference.

If you have any questions about your baby’s development, we’d love to hear from you.

Start the Conversation

Next week, in Part 2, I’ll talk about babies born very early and how we support them and their families.

Keep safe, happy, and well,
Deb

Acknowledgement

This blog was developed with input from our occupational therapists and speech pathologists, drawing on resources our team prepared together.

Written by Deb Evans, CEO and Clinical Director, Therapies for Kids. This blog provides general information only and is not a substitute for individual assessment and advice from a qualified health professional.

References

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Australia’s mothers and babies: Gestational age. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mothers-babies/australias-mothers-babies/contents/baby-outcomes/gestational-age
World Health Organization. Preterm birth fact sheet (2023). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preterm-birth
Quigley MA, Poulsen G, Boyle E, Wolke D, Field D, Alfirevic Z, Kurinczuk JJ. Early term and late preterm birth are associated with poorer school performance at age 5 years: a cohort study. Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal & Neonatal Edition. 2012;97(3):F167–F173. https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2011-300888
Cognitive and learning outcomes in late preterm infants at school age: a systematic review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(1):74. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7795904/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn the Signs. Act Early. Milestone checklists (updated 2022). https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/