When you take your child to his or her healthcare practitioner for routine visits, you can expect to have height (or length) and weight checked, and often the child’s body mass index calculated. Depending on the child’s age, his or her head circumference may be measured, and perhaps a complete blood count, urinalysis, blood pressure, and vision screen will be part of the examination.
The results of these tests will tell you how your child is growing and how his or her basic body functions are performing. But what about your child’s development otherwise? His or her social, communication, gross and fine motor and emotional skills may be evaluated by using an Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ), which is a standard set of questions parents answer to determine, for instance, if a child is climbing stairs, stacking blocks, feeding him-or herself, finishing a sequence of numbers, waving “bye-bye,” or speaking in complete sentences. ASQs are tailored to each age and designed to determine if a child is meeting developmental milestones appropriate to the age.
The ASQ is a widely used and highly regarded tool. It is not used to diagnose delays, but rather to determine whether a child may need further screening. Parents complete the questionnaire before a routine visit, and the child’s healthcare practitioner reviews the results during the office visit.
In addition to the ASQ, your pediatrician may use simple in-office tests to determine a child’s development. Handing a six month-old a block to see if she passes it from hand to hand, or asking a 3 year-old to copy a straight line with a pen on paper, for example, can help rule out developmental delays.
When a child exhibits social or communication delays, the behavior may not be easily or authentically replicated in the doctor’s office setting. Your pediatrician may offer a list of behaviors to look for or suggest the parent keep a record of behaviors observed at home to determine if a delay may be present. Parents may also receive additional printed information regarding delays and “red flags” that indicate a potential delay.
Parents can do their homework by completing and ASQ prior to the office visit, keeping a record of any behaviors or skills about which they have questions, and familiarizing themselves with developmental milestones for their child’s age. Parents should also be sure to mention to the pediatrician any concerns they may have about their child’s development and follow any recommendations given in the office visit.