From first smiles and sounds to sitting, crawling, walking and talking, your baby will experience incredible growth during the first few years of life. While every child develops at their own pace, developmental monitoring helps parents and pediatricians make sure that growth is progressing as expected.
So, how often should your baby receive a developmental screening?
The short answer: your pediatrician monitors development at every well-child visit, with more formal screenings recommended at specific ages.
Development Is Part of Every Well-Child Visit
At Children’s Medical Group (CMG), our board-certified pediatricians are trained to recognize age-appropriate development and identify signs that a child may need additional evaluation or support.
During routine wellness visits, your pediatrician monitors development through observation and examination, conversations with parents and caregivers, and questions about the milestones your child is reaching at home.
This ongoing relationship allows your pediatrician to follow your child’s progress over time — one of the many reasons it’s important to keep up with regularly scheduled well-child visits.
When Are Formal Developmental Screenings Recommended?
In addition to routine developmental monitoring, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends standardized developmental screenings at:
- 9 months
- 18 months
- 30 months
- Autism-specific screenings are also recommended at 18 and 24 months.
At CMG, parents may receive screening questionnaires at recommended ages to help their pediatrician get a more complete picture of their child’s communication, movement, behavior, social interactions and overall development.
What If My Child Hasn’t Reached a Milestone?
Developmental milestones are helpful guides, but they aren’t simply a checklist every child must complete on the same timeline.
If your child hasn’t reached a particular milestone, it doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong. Your pediatrician will consider it within the context of your child’s overall health and development.
And you don’t have to wait for a formal screening to ask questions. If you have concerns about your child’s speech, movement, behavior, learning or social development, bring them up with your pediatrician at any time.
Growing With Your Family
At CMG, we have the privilege of watching children grow from infancy through childhood, adolescence and into early adulthood. Regular well-child visits allow us to get to know your child, follow their development and support your family through every stage.
Have questions about your child’s development or need to schedule a wellness visit? Contact Children’s Medical Group to schedule an appointment with one of our board-certified pediatricians.