ASK PINNACLE · QUESTIONS, EXPLANATIONS & NEXT STEPS
Adaptive
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Therapy & support
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Therapy & support
How do I explain Prematurity-Related Developmental Risk to my child?
You can explain prematurity to your child gently and by age — for little ones, a warm story about arriving early and doing fun catching-up games; for older children, honest, strength-first reassurance that their brain learns at its own pace. Lead with belonging and tone, not fear. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Rett Syndrome to my child?
Explain Rett Syndrome to your child simply, honestly and at their level — name it gently, focus on what it means for everyday life, lead with their strengths, and reassure them they are loved exactly as they are. Match your words to their age, invite questions, and revisit the conversation over time. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain School Readiness Gap to my child?
You don't explain a "School Readiness Gap" to a young child as a label — you talk warmly about how everyone learns at their own pace and how you're practising fun school skills together. Name the skill not the gap, make it a team effort, and celebrate small wins. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Selective Mutism to my child?
Explain Selective Mutism to your child in simple, blame-free words: their voice works fine, but a big worried feeling sometimes makes talking hard in certain places, and it is not their fault. Use a calm tone, name the feeling not the child, remove pressure, and reassure them you are a team. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Self-Regulation Difficulties to my child?
Explain self-regulation difficulties to your child with simple, blame-free, body-based language — name big feelings, normalise them, use pictures like a fast or slow engine, and make learning calming tools a shared journey. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Sensory-Based Feeding Selectivity to my child?
You explain Sensory-Based Feeding Selectivity to your child with simple, blame-free words — that their senses find some textures, tastes or smells very strong, so certain foods feel tricky right now, and you'll explore new foods together slowly and without pressure. Use feeling words not failure words, make it a playful team adventure, and celebrate tiny steps. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Sensory Processing Differences to my child?
Explain Sensory Processing Differences to your child in warm, simple, strengths-first language matched to their age: their brain notices some sensations more or less strongly, and that is just how their body works, with clever tools and caring grown-ups to help. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Separation Anxiety Disorder to my child?
Explain Separation Anxiety to your child in simple, honest words: name the worried feeling, normalise it, reassure them it is not their fault, and promise — and keep — that you always come back, paired with a small predictable goodbye routine. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Social Communication Difficulties to my child?
Explain social communication difficulties to your child in simple, strengths-first, blame-free language matched to their age — name what feels tricky, reassure them they are not broken, and frame therapy as helpful tools. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Specific Learning Disability to my child?
Explain Specific Learning Disability to your child in simple, strengths-first language: their brain learns some things differently, it is nobody's fault and has nothing to do with being clever, and there are tools and helpers to make learning easier. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Speech and Language Delay to my child?
Explain speech and language delay to your child in simple, kind, age-appropriate words: their talking is still growing at its own pace, needing help is normal, and you and their speech helper are working on it together. Lead with strengths, avoid words like 'wrong' or 'behind', and stay calm and hopeful. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Stereotyped Movement Disorder to my child?
Explain Stereotyped Movement Disorder to your child in simple, kind, blame-free words suited to their age — that their body sometimes likes to make comforting repeated movements, that it is okay and not their fault. Lead with reassurance and acceptance, and seek a check if movements cause harm or distress. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Tourette Syndrome to my child?
Explain Tourette Syndrome to your child in simple, blame-free words: their brain sometimes sends a quick signal that makes a movement or sound called a tic happen, it isn't their fault, and it doesn't change who they are. Use age-appropriate comparisons like a sneeze, reassure them tics aren't dangerous or contagious, and keep the conversation open. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I explain Visual Impairment to my child?
Explain visual impairment to your child in simple, honest, age-matched words, naming the difference calmly and focusing on what their eyes can do and the tools that help, while inviting their questions and revisiting the conversation as they grow. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I find a good provider of feeding therapy for my child?
Choose a feeding therapist who is a qualified speech-language pathologist or occupational therapist with paediatric feeding training, works within a team alongside a paediatrician and dietitian, uses gentle low-pressure responsive methods, assesses carefully and coaches parents. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I find a good provider of occupational therapy for my child?
A good occupational therapy provider for your child has qualified, registered paediatric therapists, a proper initial assessment, child-led play-based sessions, clear goals with progress tracking, and genuine parent coaching. Look for transparency, experience with your child's age and needs, and a multidisciplinary team. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I know if my child has ADHD or Childhood Anxiety?
ADHD and childhood anxiety can look alike — restlessness, poor focus, easily upset — but stem from different causes, and many children show features of both. Parents notice patterns; only a qualified clinician can make sense of them. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I know if my child has ADHD or Oppositional Defiant Disorder?
ADHD centres on attention, impulse control and activity level, while Oppositional Defiant Disorder centres on a lasting pattern of anger, defiance and arguing — and the two can overlap. You cannot tell which it is from a checklist; the picture comes from observing patterns across settings over months and a clinician's assessment. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I know if my child has ADHD or Sensory Processing Differences?
ADHD and sensory processing differences can look alike — a restless, easily overwhelmed child — but they come from different roots and can overlap. ADHD relates to attention, impulse and activity across settings; sensory differences relate to how a child responds to specific input like sound, touch or movement. You cannot tell them apart at home, and you don't need to — noting patterns and seeing a qualified clinician is the way forward. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerAutism Spectrum vs ADHD: How to Tell
Autism Spectrum and ADHD can look alike and often overlap; only a qualified clinician can tell them apart through a structured assessment. Broadly, autism centres on social communication and sameness, while ADHD centres on attention, impulse and restlessness. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I know if my child has Autism Spectrum or Global Developmental Delay?
Global developmental delay describes a young child significantly behind across several developmental areas at once, while Autism Spectrum is about how a child communicates and relates socially alongside focused interests and sensory differences; the two can overlap and only a qualified clinician can tell them apart. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I know if my child has Autism Spectrum or Sensory Processing Differences?
Autism and sensory processing differences can look alike, but autism affects social communication and connection alongside sensory differences, while sensory processing differences alone mainly affect how a child takes in everyday sensations. A home checklist cannot tell them apart; a structured clinician-administered assessment gives a clear answer. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerAutism Spectrum vs Social Communication Difficulties
Autism Spectrum and Social Communication Difficulties both affect how a child uses language and connects socially, and they overlap so much that they cannot be told apart at home. The distinguishing feature is that autism also involves repetitive behaviours, focused interests and routine or sensory needs, while Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder affects social language use without these. Only a qualified clinician can tell them apart, and supportive therapy helps either way. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow do I know if my child has Autism Spectrum or Speech and Language Delay?
A speech and language delay usually means a child still connects warmly — pointing, sharing, making eye contact — but is slow to talk, whereas Autism Spectrum involves a wider pattern across social communication, play and behaviour. The two overlap and a child can have both, so the right step is a qualified clinical assessment rather than self-diagnosis. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
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