The IAHP Developmental Profile

The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential (IAHP)‘s Developmental Profile is to child brain development what the Periodic Table is to chemistry.

Clean. Concise. Well-organized. No-nonsense. And more importantly, “clear and straightforward so that any parent can study it and, what is much more important, use it easily.” (from How Smart is Your Baby, chapter 7)

In their own words,

“The Institutes Developmental Profile is a delineation of the significant stages of development that normal children pass through as they progress from birth to six years of age. It reflects progressive brain development. The Profile was developed after years of research and study of how children develop.”

I can’t copy and publish the chart here for copyright purposes, but the whole chart is available on their website here: IAHP Developmental Profile

When you go to their site and look over the chart, you will see that the chart is divided into six columns.

They are:

1. Mobility competence (gross motor movement)
2. Language competence (speech)
3. Manual competence (use of the hands)
4. Visual competence (seeing)
5. Auditory competence (hearing)
6. Tactile competence (feeling)

The first three functions are motor functions, the last three are sensory functions. Simple, right?

For each of the columns, there are seven different colored rows.

The bottom row, red, represent the child’s brain function at birth. For example, in the manual column is the grasp reflex. In the visual column is the light reflex. In the auditory column is the startle reflex.

The next row, orange, represents the next stage of brain development (achieved in the average child by the age of 2.5 months). For example, in the visual column we will find the ability to see outlines. In the language column, we will find the ability to cry more seriously in response to things that the baby finds threatening.

The rows keep going, to yellow (seven months), green (twelve months), blue (eighteen months), indigo (three years), and lastly violet (six years).

In upcoming posts, I will go over some more details about why the profile is important, how it can be used by parents, why the ages set as averages are not set in stone, how parents are able to influence their child’s brain development with specific activities for each stage and category, and also more background on the profile and its uniqueness and how it can help you understand the incredible design and ability of your child’s growing brain.

Until then, I will give it over to the man himself as he introduces the profile in his own words:

For more info please see:

“…and the child grew, and the LORD blessed him.”

Judges 13:24