CDC Milestone Tracker App: Track Your Child’s Development

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a free Milestone Tracker app designed to help parents monitor, support, and celebrate their child’s development from age 2 months to 5 years. The tool focuses on how children play, learn, speak, act, and move during these formative years.

Available on iOS and Android devices, the app is provided in both English and Spanish. It utilizes interactive, illustrated checklists to help parents identify and track important developmental milestones.

Core Features and Tracking Tools

The app includes several features to assist parents in monitoring their child’s progress. Users can add personalized information and photos for one or multiple children.

To help parents better identify milestones in their own children, the app provides photos and videos that illustrate what each developmental milestone looks like. While the app is available in Spanish, the Spanish-language photos and videos are listed as coming soon.

The CDC has incorporated specific adjustments for babies born prematurely, as the checklists use corrected age to ensure tracking is accurate for those children.

Beyond tracking, the app offers resources to support growth, including tips and activities tailored to the child’s age.

Integration with Healthcare Providers

The Milestone Tracker app is designed to facilitate communication between parents and medical professionals. A feature titled When to act early informs parents when it is appropriate to speak with a doctor regarding developmental concerns.

The app also includes tools for managing healthcare logistics, such as:

• Tracking doctor’s appointments.
• Receiving reminders about recommended developmental screenings.
• Generating a Milestone Summary of the child’s progress.

The Milestone Summary can be viewed within the app and shared or emailed directly to the child’s doctor and other essential care providers.

I have downloaded the app for my family and recommend it to my patients. It is easy to use, has great videos, and appeals to all audiences, which I appreciate.

Elise Gentile, MS, APRN, CPNP, Advocate Children’s Hospital, Oak Lawn, IL

I love the photos and videos on Milestone Tracker, it helps me to know exactly what milestones my son should be reaching.

Jasmine B., mother of a 1-year-old, Atlanta, GA

Clinical Context and Limitations

The milestones included in the app were selected by subject matter experts based on expert consensus and available data. These milestones represent what most children—defined as 75% or more—can do by each specific age.

The CDC explicitly states that the milestone checklist is not a substitute for a standardized, validated developmental screening tool.