Children develop at different rates, but developmental milestones help us follow how your child is learning, communicating, moving, and interacting with others over time.
Developmental screening
Development is reviewed at every well-child visit. We also use standardized developmental screening questionnaires at recommended ages and autism-specific screening at 18 and 24 months.
These screenings are not diagnostic. They help identify children who may benefit from a closer developmental evaluation or additional support.
When to bring up a concern
Please let us know if:
- Your child has lost a skill they previously had
- Your child is not meeting expected developmental milestones
- You have concerns about speech or language, movement, learning, behavior, social interaction, or sensory differences
- A teacher, daycare provider, therapist, or other caregiver has raised a concern
- You simply feel that something about your child's development is not progressing as expected
You do not need to wait until the next well-child visit. Developmental concerns can be scheduled as a separate appointment so we have enough time to discuss them.
Getting additional support
When additional evaluation or support would be helpful, we can help connect your family with appropriate resources, such as Early On Michigan, your local school district, speech or occupational therapy, or a developmental specialist.
For a detailed age-by-age milestone checklist, we recommend the American Academy of Pediatrics and CDC.