My Baby Lost Skills They Previously Had
The short answer
Temporary regression in skills can be normal during periods of rapid growth, illness, stress, or when a baby is intensely focused on developing a new skill. However, true developmental regression - the sustained loss of previously acquired skills such as words, social engagement, or motor abilities - is always a reason to seek prompt medical evaluation. This is especially concerning if multiple skill areas are affected simultaneously.
Parents everywhere have the same worry. You are doing the right thing by looking into it.
By Age
What to expect by age
0-6 months
At this age, what may appear as regression is often normal variation in emerging skills. A baby who was rolling may temporarily stop when working on sitting, or may seem less vocal during a gross motor development spurt. Brief pauses in skill progression are common and usually not concerning. However, true loss of previously established reflexes (such as loss of sucking reflex) or a baby who becomes increasingly floppy or unresponsive should be evaluated immediately.
6-18 months
Temporary skill fluctuation is common - a baby may stop babbling as much while concentrating on learning to walk, or may seem less socially engaged during an illness. These brief, explainable pauses usually resolve within days to weeks. True regression red flags include: loss of babbling or early words, loss of social skills like waving or pointing, loss of eye contact, or loss of motor skills that were well-established. Regression in the 12-18 month range affecting language and social skills warrants prompt evaluation for autism spectrum disorder.
18-36 months
Some regression is common with major life changes (new sibling, moving, starting daycare) or during illness. A toddler who was potty trained may have accidents, or one who was sleeping well may have sleep disruption. These situational regressions usually resolve once the stressor passes. However, loss of words (especially if a child had 10+ words and loses most of them), loss of social engagement, loss of pretend play skills, or loss of motor abilities are significant warning signs that require immediate medical evaluation.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your baby temporarily does less of one skill while intensely practicing a new one (for example, less babbling while learning to crawl).
- Your toddler regresses briefly during illness, travel, or a major life change and bounces back within a few weeks.
- Your child's skill seems to plateau for a week or two before progressing again.
- Your child has lost a few words or seems less communicative than they were a month ago.
- Your child seems less socially engaged - less eye contact, less interest in interaction, or fewer gestures.
- A skill that was well-established (like crawling or pulling up) has not been seen for several weeks.
- Your child has lost multiple skills across different domains (language, social, motor) simultaneously.
- Your child has lost words and is also showing decreased social engagement and increased repetitive behaviors.
- Your child is experiencing sudden motor regression - becoming weaker, losing balance, or developing new movement difficulties.
- Your child has had a seizure followed by loss of skills (possible Landau-Kleffner syndrome or epileptic encephalopathy).
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
Worrying about your baby means you care. That is a good thing.
Related Physical Concerns
Child Losing Speech or Language Regression
Losing words or language skills that your child previously had - known as language regression - is always worth taking seriously. While some temporary "quiet periods" can occur when a toddler is focused on a new skill like walking, true loss of words (especially multiple words over weeks) should be evaluated promptly. About 25-30% of children later diagnosed with autism experience some form of language regression.
My Baby Isn't Babbling at 9 Months
Most babies are babbling with consonant-vowel sounds like "baba" or "dada" by 9 months. If your baby isn't babbling at all by this age, it's important to check their hearing first and then consider a speech evaluation. Babbling is a key building block for later language, and early intervention can make a big difference.
Early Signs of Epilepsy in Babies
Seizures in babies can look very different from seizures in older children or adults. Subtle signs may include repeated eye blinking or deviation, lip smacking, cycling leg movements, brief stiffening episodes, or clusters of head drops (infantile spasms). Infantile spasms are a neurological emergency that requires urgent evaluation. Not all unusual movements are seizures - babies commonly have benign tremors and startle reflexes - but any movement pattern that seems involuntary, repetitive, and cannot be interrupted deserves medical evaluation.
Should I Use Adjusted Age for My Preemie's Milestones?
Yes — for premature babies, developmental milestones should be assessed using adjusted (corrected) age, not chronological age, until at least 2 years of age. Adjusted age is calculated by subtracting the number of weeks your baby was born early from their actual age. For example, a 6-month-old born 2 months early would have an adjusted age of 4 months, and should be assessed against 4-month milestones. Most pediatricians use adjusted age for developmental assessment through age 2-3, and for growth charts through age 2.
Baby-Proofing a Small Apartment
Baby-proofing a small apartment is absolutely possible and focuses on the same key safety principles as any home: securing furniture to walls, covering outlets, locking cabinets with hazardous materials, and ensuring safe sleep spaces. Small spaces actually have an advantage - there is less area to monitor. Focus on eliminating the most dangerous hazards first: falls, poisoning, choking, and burns.
My Baby Seems to Use One Side More Than the Other
Babies should use both sides of their body fairly equally during the first 18 months of life. While slight preferences can be normal, a consistent pattern of favoring one side - using one arm much more than the other, crawling with one leg dragging, or turning the head predominantly one way - should always be discussed with your pediatrician. Early identification of asymmetry leads to the best outcomes.