An expected finding for a 5-month-old infant is which of the following?

• A. Roll from back to abdomen
• B. Sit unsupported
• C. Roll from abdomen to back
• D. Begin to crawl

Answer: (C)

Gross motor development in infancy follows a typical progression, with movements becoming more coordinated as strength and control improve. By about five months, many infants have enough neck and trunk strength to roll from tummy (abdomen) to back, using weight shifting and arm leverage to initiate the roll. This direction—tummy to back—tends to appear earlier than the reverse, so it’s a common and expected milestone around this age.

Rolling from back to tummy is usually seen a bit later, once more shoulder and trunk control has developed. Sitting unsupported generally isn’t reliably achieved until around six to eight months, and beginning to crawl occurs even later, typically around eight to ten months or beyond.