Your Child at 6 Years 4 Months Old: Child Development and Milestones

Your little one is now 6 years 4 months old! Doesn't every day feel like a brand new day as you grow older together with your child? You're both learning so much together as you walk along this path of parenthood together, and along the way, you're bound to notice just how much your child is developing. 

Now that your child is at 6 years 4 months old, he/she is starting to make better sense of the world around him/her. As a result, it could lead to some fears (or anxiety), from ghosts and a dark room, to  criticism and discipline.

But rest assured parents, this is all part of your little one's development this month. In this article, we'll explore more aspects to your 6 years 4 months old child's overall development. Parents, do note that this is not a diagnostic tool but a guideline. Do not hesitate to speak with your doctor to clarify any doubts at any point in time regarding your child’s development.

Let's take a closer look at the milestones your 6 years 4 months old child may have reached.

6 Years 4 Months Old Development and Milestones: Is Your Child on Track?

Physical Development

At 6 years 4 months old, your child wants to do almost everything alone, and this new-found independence might be hard for you to deal with. After all, it is a reminder that your baby is growing up! Rest assured though, that this display of independence is a sign your little one's development is right on track. 

Part of it is to do with the fact that your child fine and gross motor skills are improving rapidly, allowing him/her to do certain tasks alone. Around now, 6 years 4 months children would be able to dress themselves, catch a ball skilfully, and tie their shoelaces. 

Parents, it would be good to note that your child might start to complain of more physical pains such as tummy aches, leg pains, among others. This is due to the increased awareness of his/her own body. 

At this stage, your child’s average height and weight* should be as follows: 

• Boys
  – Height: 117.8 cm (46.4 inches)
  – Weight: 21.6 kg (47.5 lb) 
• Girls 
  – Height: 117.3 cm (46.2 inches) 
  – Weight: 21.2 kg (46.6 lb) 

Let’s take a look at other physical developments of your 6 years 4 months old child:

• Adeptly handle zips and buttons.
• Brush his/her hair.
• Skip, and catch a large ball.
• Draw more realistic pictures (e.g. is able to recreate a person consisting of a head with eyes, mouth and nose, and a body with arms and legs).
• Show improved balance and coordination.
• Eat meals alone.
• Draw and write with better control.

Parenting Tips:

• Ensure that your child has one hour or more of physical activity clocked in each day.
• Introduce physical activity early. Encourage active play; be a role model to your child through having an active lifestyle yourself. 
• Consider swimming lessons and fire safety training for your child.
• Identify your child's interest in any particular sport through engaging in various sports, then build on that. 

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

If you think your 6 years 4 months old child is falling behind in any aspect of physical development, it's best to speak to a doctor. Meanwhile, be on the lookout for these red flags in your little one:

• Noticeable and consistent loss of skills that he/she once had. 
• Inability to perform basic tasks like wearing his/her own school uniform.
• Bed-wetting: if your child was previously dry at night but now starts to wet the bed again. Bladder and bowel control is usually mastered by this age. 
• Difficulty falling asleep at night or staying asleep.

Cognitive Development

Your child's curiosity about the surrounding world seems to have no limits, and that's perfectly fine as through every single question asked and answered, your little one learns. His/her attention span has also improved, allowing your child to focus better than ever on a task, whether at home or school.

It also helps that your child has an increased ability to relate to perspectives of other individuals that might be different from his/her own. This helps your child to form more sound relationships as he/she learns how to navigate the art of social relationships and interaction. 

Your child also has a good understanding of what's right and wrong. 

Keep an eye out for these developments in your child:

• Increased awareness of right from wrong.
• Shows rapid development of mental skills.
• Learns alternative ways to describe his/her experiences and talks about thoughts and feelings.
• Focuses less on oneself, and shows more concern for others.
• Develops close friendships.
• Has the ability to form more complex thoughts. 
• Demonstrates increased curiosity of the world.

Parenting Tips:

• You could answer your child's many questions with questions of your own to encourage critical thinking.
• Bring your child to interesting places that encourage curiosity and learning, such as the library or museum. Even a walk in a park provides many opportunities for learning about the environment and nature. 
• New challenges might be scary to your child, especially because of fear of failure. Here, it it will greatly help for you to extend your unwavering support. Reassure your child that you are always there for him or her, no matter what. 

When to Talk to Your Doctor? If your child: 

• Exhibits aggressive behaviour, especially related to hitting, kicking or punching others often. 
• Displays very withdrawn, worried, or depressed behaviour.
• Has difficulty communicating and joining other kids during play.
• Does not recognise his/her name when called.
• Finds it difficult to separate from you. 
• Has difficulty following two-part directions like, “Put your bag away and then bring me your soccer uniform.”

Social and Emotional Development

At 6 years 4 months old now, your child places greater emphasis on friendships and it can sometimes be tricky for him/her as he/she learns to navigate tough emotions such as frustration of jealousy. 

On the bright side, you might notice a greater level of patience in your child. In addition, what your child probably yearns for is your approval, and for you to be proud of his/her achievements.

Even with his/her growing independence, love and attention from you is still high up on his/her list!

In general, your little one will achieve these milestones at this age:

Parenting Tips:

• Limit direct commands, and let your child have the ability to make choices for him/herself.
• Don’t shy away from talking about tough topics with your child like peer pressure and bullying, of course in an age-appropriate way. 
• Adopt a side-step approach rather than being confrontational, i.e. change the subject rather than let it escalate into an unpleasant situation. 
• Support your child’s self-esteem, and encourage them to have fun and express themselves.
• Talk about your child’s feelings with him/her and help put words to these feelings.

When to Talk to Your Doctor:

• If your child is very shy or quiet after coming home from school, as this could be a sign of bullying.
• If he/she shows extreme signs of aggression.

Speech and Language Development

At 6 years 4 months old, your child shows the ability to speak relatively fluently and confidently, crafting complete sentences. 

However, it is still noteworthy to know that while your little one might start talking in full and complex sentences, and engage in adult-like conversations, he/she might still find it difficult to describe complex ideas or events. 

At this age is also when your little one starts to express interest in reading and writing so it is a good time for parents to introduce a variety of reading materials. Take your little one to the library for a visual treat while you spend that quality afternoon together. 

Other speech and language milestones your 6 years 4 months old child may have reached by now:

• Crafts simple arguments.
• Follows a series of three commands in a row, for example, "Please wash your hands, put your books away and come down for dinner."
• Starts to see that some words have more than one meaning.
• Uses simple present and past tense in a sentence.
• Expresses interest in reading and writing.
• Starts identifying word patterns.
• Frequently reverses letters and numbers.

Parenting Tips:

Be on the lookout for the following red flags. 

• Has difficulty reading very short words or simple sentences. 
• Stammers or stutters excessively. 

Health and Nutrition: Your 6 years 4 months old

Your 6 years and 4 months old child is growing fast and to ensure healthy and steady growth, it is important to ensure that he/she gets the right types of nutrients. Apart from that, it is also crucial to ensure that your child is getting the sufficient amount of nutrition needed on a daily basis.

Nutrition and physical activity goes hand in hand so parents, be sure to help your 6 years 4 months old child get at least 60 minutes of physical activity a day. 

Especially with a huge range of superfoods available in the market, you can help your child find the best option for his/her needs

Tips:

• Always look for “100% whole grains” rather than “made with whole grains,” products which can have mostly refined grains in them.
• When serving red meat or other sources of iron (leafy greens, tofu, beans), it is recommended to pair it with a food high in vitamin C, such as sweet potatoes or tomatoes—it helps your child's body absorb the iron better. 
• Serve smaller portions to your child and give him/her second helpings only if asked for. 

Kids around this age should ideally consume the following on a daily basis:

The recommended daily dietary guidelines for a 6-year-old is to be at least 1,200 calories, including foods from a variety of nutrient groups such as dairy, protein as well as fruits and vegetables. 

Typically, the calorie intake for boys and girls of this age are as follows:

• Boys: 1782.0 Kcal/day
• Girls: 1672.0 Kcal/day

Dairy group

One of the most important nutrient groups for a growing child is dairy. A child this age requires 2.5 cups of milk or yoghurt in his/her diet—just be sure to choose low-fat options.

You can try a few interesting options and sneaky ways to incorporate dairy into your child's diet. Make milk shakes with fruits or create custards. You can even make salads with cheese and dark-green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, peas and collard greens. 

Sprinkle shredded cheese into veggies, omelettes, and pasta. You can even serve yoghurt as a dip, coupled with sliced fruit. Blend cheese into mashed potatoes or meatballs. And, use milk as an alternative to water while making some hot chocolate goodness. This trick also works well with oatmeal, pudding and pancakes!

Protein group

For kids aged 6 years, the CDC recommends at least 19 grams of protein daily. For parents dealing with a picky eater, do not fret! 

Some great sources of protein that children typically enjoy include home-made chicken and cheese pizza, yogurt parfait with layers of fruit, grilled cheese sandwich, scrambled eggs with cheese, tuna sandwich, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, pasta with chicken or turkey, and meatballs with pasta or in soup. 

Fruit and vegetable group

With just a little bit of creativity, you can make this fun for you and your 6 years 4 months old! Get your little one to help you out at the kitchen as well, and observe how this helps his/her language and maths skill.  

A child this age will need at least 1 cup of fruit and 1.5 cups of vegetables per meal. 

Grains

Your 6 years 4 months old child also needs to be given 4 ounces of grains per day. You can choose to give your kid either ready-to-eat cereals, or one slice of home-cooked bread, or half (1/2) cup of cooked pasta or cooked cereal. So he/she need four times of this divided the entire day. 

From a plethora of choices you can pick either whole grains such as oatmeal, quinoa, whole-wheat bread, popcorn, or brown or wild rice. Just be sure to limit this group to refined grains such as white bread, pasta, and rice.

In a nutshell, here’s what you child needs every day (refer above for what the amounts look like):

• Fruits: three cup for boys; three cups for girls
• Vegetables: two cups for boys; two cups for girls
• Grains: four ounces for boys; four ounces for girls
• Proteins: 36g for boys; 36g for girls 
• Milk: 17-20 ounces for boys; 17-20 ounces for girls
• Water: 1500 ml for boys; 1500 ml for girls (around six cups)

Tips: 

• Introduce fruits and vegetables as snacks. Keep fruit washed, cut up and in plain sight in the refrigerator.
• Serve salads more often.
• Add lots of vegetable to meat and pasta sauces. 

When to Talk to Your Doctor? If your child:

• Is severely under- or over-weight
• Vomits or gags often while eating

Vaccinations and Common Illnesses: Your 6 years 4 months old

Most of your child’s vaccinations have already been covered at this age. Do check with your doctor for common ones your child needs on a more regular basis, like the flu shot.

As your child spends more time in school, he/she could expect to contract more common colds and the flu. There may also be rashes that develop on his/her body which you should keep an eye out for. Encourage your child to tell you if there is any discomfort on his/her body, or if you notice any itching.

Ultimately, it is important for parents to remember that all children experience growth differently. Each and every child is unique. When it comes to milestones, they are just guidelines and not set in stone.

Treating Common Illnesses

To manage the three most common medical issues in kids – fever, cough, and cold – try the following: 

• To treat fever: Its a good idea to try home remedies first, especially if your child has fever up to 38°C (100.4°F). You can use lukewarm water and dab it on his/her forehead. Also try to dress your child in light clothing to allow heat to be diffused. Ensure that your child is still eating properly and is well hydrated. If none of this works, consult your doctor for over-the-counter medication. Do NOT use aspirin in children that could lead to Reye’s syndrome—a life-threatening illness that affects the liver and brain.
• To treat cough: Again, try home remedies such as serving half a teaspoon of dark honey, such as buckwheat. This works effectively because they are high in antioxidants. You can also try feeding your child chicken soup as it is said to have anti-inflammatory properties while also clearing his/her nasal passage. You can also place a cool-mist humidifier in your child’s room, near him/her to help loosen chest and nasal congestion—a great remedy to help tackle coughs at night.
• To treat cold: Typically, cold subsides after a few days. So as a precaution, you can have your child drink warm juice, or decaffeinated tea mixed with honey. Try a dehumidifier for decongestion and prop your child’s head up with a pillow or folded towel which can help him/her to breathe easier.

However, if these home remedies do not work, its best to consult with your doctor. They can prescribe over-the-counter medications that may bring instant relief to your little one. 

When to Talk to Your Doctor

If your child, 

• Has a fever over 39 degrees Celsius 
• Has unusual bruises, bumps or rashes 
• Complains constantly of headaches or other aches 
• Has been vomiting or has diarrhoea for more than two days

References: WebMD, CDC, Webmd, Kidshealth, MSF

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