Sometimes children grow so quickly it seems as if it happens overnight — and amazingly, it actually does. Our bodies grow and rebuild themselves during sleep, which is only one reason that sleep is so important to good health. Aside from this daily growth pattern, there are three main growth periods during childhood. Rapid growth occurs throughout the first year of life; more gradual growth happens during young childhood; and there is another growth spurt during adolescence.

This spurt pattern is also characteristic of other types of growth, such as emotional, social, and intellectual. While you'll notice daily incremental changes in your child's development, you will also experience dramatic changes that seem to occur in a moment. One morning he babbles at the breakfast table; the next morning, he says “Juice!” This growth pattern is completely natural and healthy.

As babies gain mastery over a skill, whether it's walking or playing with a new toy, they often temporarily “lose” a skill they had previously gotten down pat. For example, when they start piling up blocks, they might suddenly stop walking and start crawling again. Or as they start stringing words together, they might start crying when you leave the room, something they hadn't done for the past three months. Don't worry about this.

The learning process is overwhelming for any child, both mentally and physically, especially when you consider that every skill is a new one. In fact, some parents use regression — falling back into old patterns — as a sign that their baby is about to start developing a new skill. Knowing that allows the parent to be more patient and sensitive to the baby's mood changes.