Observe whether the child: can turn their head left and right when upright
Three ways this behaviour shows up as a child grows. Each level includes everyday moments to watch for.
Your child is beginning to turn their head while held upright, but the movement may be brief, uneven, or happen mainly when you gently get their attention.
What you might see
Your child can turn their head left and right when upright, showing they can move their head to both sides while being safely supported.
What you might see
Your child turns their head left and right on their own while upright, using the movement to look toward people, voices, or nearby objects in different everyday settings.
What you might see
Small everyday moments where you can notice this behaviour without setting up anything special.
When you hold your child upright with good support, notice whether they turn their head to the left and to the right.
Try speaking softly from one side, then the other, and watch whether your child turns their head both ways.
During a calm alert moment, hold a simple object near one side and then the other, about where your child can comfortably see it.
The dataset source and any supporting developmental research.
Stenhaug, B., Ram, N., & Frank, M. C. (2021). The Stanford SHQ: A measure of early developmental milestones.
This item comes directly from the SHQ prompt asking whether the child can turn their head left and right when upright.
Bayley, N., & Aylward, G. P. (2019). Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Fourth Edition.
Early infant motor assessment commonly includes head control and head movement while the child is supported upright.