The Developing Period 67 



legs from the first, as muscular and bony de- 

 velopment are thereby encouraged. The bones 

 of the leg thus grow and straighten out, but this 

 will be checked if the infant is allowed to sus- 

 tain the weight of the body too soon. The 

 average baby should not be allowed to stand 

 before the twelfth month. Efforts to walk may 

 be encouraged from then on to the fifteenth or 

 sixteenth months. When walking has been es- 

 tablished, the legs should be straight. 



The process of dentition begins early in intra- 

 uterine life. The cutting of the temporary or 

 milk teeth usually begins about the sixth or 

 seventh month and should be completed at the 

 end of infancy. 



It must be remembered that a healthy infant 

 will always grow both in height and weight. 

 While increase in weight is properly regarded 

 as evidence of good development, it is possible 

 that relatively too much starch or sugar in the 

 diet may produce fat at the expense of bone, 

 muscle and gland. Firmness of tissues and 

 proper growth of the long bones must thus be 

 considered in connection with increase in weight. 



