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Therapy & support
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How Is Selective Mutism Diagnosed in a Child?
Selective mutism is diagnosed by a qualified clinician through history, a speech-language check, a hearing screen and observation across settings — confirming a child who speaks freely in some places but consistently cannot in others for over a month, with other causes ruled out. It is an anxiety-based difficulty, not defiance, and any diagnosis is formed only at a Pinnacle centre under clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerHow Self-Regulation Difficulties Are Diagnosed in a Child
Self-regulation difficulties are not diagnosed from one test. A qualified clinician builds an understanding over time through detailed history, structured observation of how a child manages emotion, attention, sleep, feeding and sensory input, and how patterns show up across home, childcare and play. Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow Sensory-Based Feeding Selectivity Is Diagnosed
Sensory-based feeding selectivity is not diagnosed by a single test. A Pinnacle clinician brings together feeding history, a sensory profile, an oral-motor check and a real mealtime observation, while ruling out medical causes first — to understand the pattern and guide support, never to label.
Read the answer AnswerHow is Sensory Processing Differences diagnosed in a child?
Sensory Processing Differences are identified through a multi-step developmental evaluation, not a single test: detailed parent history, validated sensory questionnaires, standardised assessment and clinical observation, with hearing, vision and overlapping conditions ruled out. A clinician maps the child's sensory profile to guide support. Any clinical AbilityScore or diagnosis is formed only at a Pinnacle centre under clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerHow Separation Anxiety Disorder Is Diagnosed in a Child
Separation Anxiety Disorder is diagnosed by a qualified clinician through structured history, observation and validated questionnaires — looking for separation fear that is excessive for the child's age, lasts at least four weeks, and disrupts daily life. There is no single test, and some separation worry is entirely normal.
Read the answer AnswerHow Social Communication Difficulties Are Diagnosed in a Child
Social communication difficulties are identified through a careful, multi-step clinical process — a detailed family history, a hearing check, structured observation of how a child uses language to connect, and a speech-language assessment — never a single test. Clinicians look for a persistent pattern across settings and rule out hearing loss, language delay and autism. Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. under qualified clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerHow is Specific Learning Disability diagnosed in a child?
Specific Learning Disability is diagnosed through a structured, multi-step clinician assessment — combining developmental history, cognitive testing and academic achievement measures — usually once a child is around 6–8 years old, after ruling out vision, hearing, attention and teaching-related causes. It is never diagnosed from a single test or online form.
Read the answer AnswerHow Is Speech and Language Delay Diagnosed in a Child?
Speech and language delay is identified through a step-by-step process: a developmental history, a hearing check first, and a structured assessment by a speech-language pathologist covering understanding, expression, speech sounds and social use of language. It is never a single test or a label — and at Pinnacle, any AbilityScore® or diagnosis is formed only at a centre under qualified clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerHow Stereotyped Movement Disorder Is Diagnosed in a Child
Stereotyped Movement Disorder is diagnosed clinically by a qualified clinician who observes the repetitive, rhythmic movements, confirms early onset, assesses daily-life impact and self-injury, and rules out tics, seizures and other conditions. There is no single test — diagnosis rests on pattern, persistence and impact, formed only at a Pinnacle centre under clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerHow is Tourette Syndrome diagnosed in a child?
Tourette Syndrome is diagnosed clinically, not by any blood test or scan. A clinician looks for multiple motor tics plus at least one vocal tic, present for over a year, with onset before age 18 — built through careful history, observation and ruling other causes out. Any diagnosis is formed only at a Pinnacle centre under clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerHow Visual Impairment Is Diagnosed in a Child
Visual impairment in a child is diagnosed by an eye-care team — usually a paediatric ophthalmologist or optometrist — through age-appropriate vision and eye-health tests, supported by developmental observation. There is no single test; clinicians combine how a child looks, follows and reacts with formal measures, and parent observations matter. Early diagnosis opens earlier support.
Read the answer AnswerHow much does child developmental therapy cost?
Child developmental therapy cost varies by the type of therapy needed (speech, occupational, behavioural or physiotherapy), session frequency and centre, so the most useful first step is a structured assessment that clarifies exactly what your child needs. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow much screen time is okay for my child's development?
For most children: avoid screens before about 18 months (bar video calls), keep to under an hour a day of co-viewed quality content from 2 to 5 years, and balance screens with sleep, play and family time for older children — how screens are used matters as much as the minutes. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerScreen time for a 12-to-18-month-old
For a 12-to-18-month-old, leading health bodies advise avoiding screen media altogether, with video-calling family as the one exception, because toddlers build language and bonding through real interaction rather than screens. If a little screen happens, keep it short and watch together. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow much screen time is safe for a 18-to-24-month-old?
For an 18-to-24-month-old, avoid solo screen time; if any media is used, keep it brief, high-quality and co-viewed, with video calls being the welcome exception. Real-world play, talking and interaction matter far more at this age. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow much screen time is safe for a 2-year-old?
For a 2-year-old, WHO and AAP both advise no more than about one hour a day of high-quality screen time, watched together with a parent — and less is better. What grows a toddler's brain most is real interaction: talk, play, books and movement. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow much screen time is safe for a 3-to-6-month-old?
For a 3-to-6-month-old, no recreational screen time is recommended — WHO and AAP advise no screen media for babies this young, apart from live video calls with family. Babies this age learn from faces, voices and touch, not screens. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow much screen time is safe for a 3-year-old?
For a 3-year-old, leading guidance suggests about one hour a day or less of good-quality recreational screen time — and less is better. How screens are used matters most: co-view, talk about what you see, keep screens off at meals and before sleep, and let play, movement and conversation fill the day. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerScreen Time for a 4-Year-Old
For a 4-year-old, aim for no more than about one hour of good-quality screen time on a typical day, watched together, with sleep, active play, meals and conversation protected first, and screens off before bedtime. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow much screen time is safe for a 5-year-old?
For a 5-year-old, keep recreational screen time to around one hour a day of high-quality content, ideally co-viewed, with screens off before bed and away from meals — and never as the main soothing tool. Balance matters more than exact minutes: sleep, active play, talking and face-to-face time come first. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow much screen time is safe for a 6-to-9-month-old?
For a 6-to-9-month-old, the recommendation is no screen time apart from live video calls; under-1s learn best from real, responsive interaction with people, not screens. Background TV should be switched off, and mealtimes and bedtimes kept screen-free. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow much screen time is safe for a 6-year-old?
For a 6-year-old, keep recreational screen time to around an hour or less of good-quality content on most days, viewed together where possible, and never letting screens crowd out sleep, active play, meals or family connection. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerScreen Time for a 9-to-12-Month-Old
For a 9-to-12-month-old, the safest amount of screen time is essentially none, apart from live video calls with family. WHO and AAP advise avoiding screens before 18 months because babies learn best from face-to-face interaction and hands-on play. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerHow much screen time is safe for a newborn?
For a newborn (0–3 months) the safe amount of screen time is none — paediatric bodies advise avoiding screens before 18–24 months, apart from occasional video calls. Newborn brains grow through faces, voices, touch and movement, not screens. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
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