The following checklist should be used as a guideline to help you determine whether your son or daughter should be evaluated for a developmental delay. This is only a first step in helping you sort out your child’s symptoms and behaviors, using your daily observations. It’s important to remember that all children develop at different rates and they all display problem behaviors at times. What you should look for is an overall picture, or consistent pattern of behaviors or struggles.
These questions apply to a child between the ages of approximately two and four. For each one, you’ll need to answer in one of three ways: Yes, No, or Sometimes.
Social Skills
1. Does your child have at least two tantrums or disruptive outbursts each day?
2. Does he or she appear withdrawn and show little interest in playing with other children?
3. Does the child have unusual behaviors, like fiddling with strings, rocking, head-banging, talking to himself, lining up toys meaninglessly, etc.?
4. Does the child have toileting problems at least once a week, when other children her age seem to have it mastered?
5. Does the child spend a lot of time trying to get attention inappropriately, like through purposeful misbehavior or pestering others?
Did you answer “Yes” or “Sometimes” to any of these? If so, you’ll want to keep an eye on the behavior and bring it up to your child’s pediatrician or anyone evaluating your child.
Communication Skills
6. Does the child use two or three-word phrases to ask for things? (Like “More cookie Mom,” etc. Ages 2 to 3.)
7. Does the child use complete sentences to tell you something that happened? (Like, “The kitty ran away,” instead of “kitty gone.” Ages 3 to 4.)
8. Does he or she ask questions? (Like “Where are my shoes?”)
9. Is he or she able to follow directions, especially when there are two steps or more?
10. Are you able to understand your child when he or she speaks to you?
11. Is he or she able to pay attention in group activities for more than five minutes? (For example, your child is following along with the other children, rather than wandering off and doing something else.)
12. If you asked your son or daughter to describe something, could he or she use two or more sentences to talk about it? (This one applies if the child is four or older.)
13. When you ask your child a question, can he or she answer appropriately?
14. Does your child’s voice volume seem appropriate, rather than unusually quiet or much too loud?
If you answered “No” or “Sometimes” to any of these questions, you’ll want to keep an eye on the behavior and bring it up with any professionals making an assessment.
Motor Skills
15. Does the child stumble a lot, or move in awkward ways?
16. Does one side of his body seem to move differently than the other side, especially when running or climbing?
17. Is he or she unable to draw a figure of a person with arms, legs, and a face?
18. Is he or she unable to use scissors to cut with any accuracy?
19. Is the child unable to hop on one foot?
20. Are his or her hands clumsy, and is the child unable to hold a crayon or pencil with an appropriate grasp? When he or she is coloring, is the other hand clenched in a fist or does it appear tense?
If you answered “Yes” or “Sometimes” to any of these questions, you’ll want to keep an eye on these behaviors and bring them up with any professional making an assessment of your child.
(For more motor difficulty clues, see my blog “Evaluate Your Child’s Motor Abilities: Take the Quiz!”)
Other things to watch for which could explain developmental delays (click on the link to read more):
I think my child might have a developmental delay…what should I do?
If you believe your child might have a developmental delay, it’s important to act quickly. Early intervention can make an incredible difference in your child’s future outlook. If you see the same problem behaviors or difficulties happening repeatedly, it’s time to get a professional evaluation. You can also make a concerted effort at home, using floor-time play, to strengthen those areas where your child falls behind.
YOU are your child’s greatest advocate!
Kristyn Crow is the author of this blog. Visit her website by clicking here. Some links on this blog may have been generated by outside sources are not necessarily endorsed by Kristyn Crow.