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My child won't sleep through the night — should I be worried?
Night waking is one of the most normal parts of early childhood and is rarely, on its own, a cause for concern — settling back to sleep is a skill children build gradually. Worth a closer look only if it comes with snoring and breathing pauses, loss of skills, or daytime difficulties. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerBeing a Good Friend to a Classmate Who Learns Differently
Being a good friend to a classmate who learns differently means being patient, kind and curious — treating them as a whole person, noticing their strengths, asking how they like help rather than assuming, and including them in everyday play and groups. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerNewborn Showing Signs of Cerebral Palsy — What to Do
In newborns, cerebral palsy is rarely confirmed early — what matters is noting any concerns about muscle tone, asymmetry, feeding or unusual movements and getting a prompt paediatric review. Birth-related risk factors mean closer follow-up. Early monitoring and, where needed, early therapy give your baby the best start, but noticing signs is not a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerNewborn Signs of Down Syndrome — What Should I Do?
If your newborn shows possible signs of Down syndrome, ask your paediatrician for a karyotype blood test, which is the only way to confirm it. Once confirmed, arrange recommended newborn checks (heart, hearing, vision, thyroid, feeding) and begin gentle early intervention. Children with Down syndrome learn, play and thrive with warm, early, strength-based support.
Read the answer AnswerMy partner and I disagree about our child's needs — what can we do?
When parents disagree about their child's needs, the most helpful step is to gather shared, objective information together rather than debate who is right. A neutral, clinician-led developmental assessment gives both parents the same picture to plan from. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy second child is slower than my first — should I worry?
Children develop at their own pace, and a second child being slower than the first is usually normal variation rather than a problem. What matters is steady progress and meeting broad age milestones, not sibling comparison. Seek a developmental check if your child loses skills, stalls, or your instinct says something is different. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerAutism and bilingualism — can a child learn more than one language?
Yes. The evidence shows bilingualism does not cause, worsen or add to language delay in children with autism — they reach broadly the same milestones as monolingual peers. Keeping the home language supports family connection and identity. What matters most is rich, warm interaction, not the number of languages. Any diagnosis or AbilityScore is formed only at a Pinnacle centre under clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerShould I expect setbacks during therapy?
Some ups and downs during therapy are completely normal and not a sign of failure. Children develop in spurts and pauses, and brief plateaus often come right before a leap forward. What matters is the overall direction over weeks and months, not any single hard day. Progress is tracked the same structured way each visit at a Pinnacle centre under clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get a second opinion on my child's diagnosis?
Seeking a second opinion on a child's diagnosis is normal, sensible and often wise — a good clinician welcomes it. It helps most when findings don't match what you see at home, the first assessment felt rushed, or you need confidence before starting therapy. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my 12-to-18-month-old assessed for development?
A developmental check between 12 and 18 months is a normal, reassuring part of good parenting — not a sign something is wrong. It confirms your toddler is on track or flags an area to support early, when help works best. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my 18-to-24-month-old assessed for development?
A gentle developmental check between 18 and 24 months is a normal, reassuring step — whether or not you have worries. This is a milestone-rich window for words, pointing, pretend play and walking, and an early check confirms your toddler is thriving or catches any small gap early, when support works best. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my 2-year-old assessed for development?
Two years is an ideal age for a developmental check — whether for reassurance or a specific worry — because the toddler brain is most adaptable and any support is earlier and lighter. A check reviews communication, play, movement and social-emotional growth as patterns over time, never a single missed milestone. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my 3-to-6-month-old assessed for development?
For most babies aged 3 to 6 months, a developmental check is a normal, reassuring part of care rather than a worry — there is no meaningful test for autism or ADHD at this age, so a clinician simply observes how your baby moves, looks, listens and connects. Routine paediatric reviews are usually enough; seek a check sooner if you notice no smiles or eye contact, no following of sound or objects, very stiff or floppy posture, or any loss of skills. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my 3-year-old assessed for development?
A developmental check at age three is a worthwhile, proactive step for any child — reassuring you when all is on track and flagging any area needing early support when it is most effective. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my 4-year-old assessed for development?
A developmental check at age four is a positive, sensible step — you needn't wait for a problem. It confirms your child is on track across speech, play, attention and school-readiness, or catches small gaps early when support is gentlest. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my 5-year-old assessed for development?
Yes — if you have any worry, a developmental check at five is a wise, low-stakes step, especially as your child approaches formal schooling when speech, attention, motor and social skills all matter. A check is not a diagnosis but a clear, reassuring picture of growth. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my 6-to-9-month-old assessed for development?
A developmental check at 6 to 9 months is a normal, reassuring part of well-baby care — celebrating what your baby can already do, catching any early gaps while the brain is most adaptable, and giving you simple ways to help at home. It is screening, not diagnosis. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my 6-year-old assessed for development?
At six, a developmental check is a sensible, positive step whenever you have questions about your child's speech, learning, attention, movement or social skills — it confirms strengths and catches small gaps early while school skills are forming. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I Get My 9-to-12-Month-Old Assessed for Development?
A developmental check between 9 and 12 months is a sensible, reassuring step, especially if anything is on your mind. At this age nothing is being labelled or diagnosed; a clinician simply watches whether your baby is reaching expected milestones in communication, movement, play and connection, and offers gentle early support if needed. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I get my newborn assessed for development?
A healthy newborn (0–3 months) does not usually need a separate developmental assessment — routine paediatric checks, newborn hearing screening and growth monitoring are what matter most at this age. Raise any specific worry, or a history of prematurity or difficult birth, with your paediatrician promptly. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I put my child on a special diet for ADHD?
A restrictive special diet is not an evidence-based treatment for ADHD. A balanced diet, regular meals, good sleep and limited ultra-processed snacks help every child, but the strongest support comes from behavioural and developmental strategies. Never start an elimination diet or supplements without clinician guidance, as restrictive diets risk nutritional gaps in a growing child.
Read the answer AnswerShould I speak my mother tongue or English at home?
Speak your mother tongue at home with confidence — bilingualism does not cause speech delay or confusion. What matters most is rich, warm, daily interaction, which happens best in the language you feel at home in. English will come through school and play. A clinical AbilityScore® is formed only at a Pinnacle centre under clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerShould I stop my child from flapping their hands?
In most cases you don't need to stop hand-flapping — it is a common, natural way children express excitement or self-soothe, and stopping it can remove a helpful coping tool. Notice when and why it happens, keep your child safe, and seek a developmental check only if it appears alongside other things you'd like understood. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerShould I stop one language if my child is not talking?
No — do not drop a language because your child is not talking. Bilingualism does not cause or worsen speech delay, and removing a home language usually means less communication, not more. Keep both languages rich, and have the delay itself assessed across both languages together.
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