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When should I be concerned about my child's communication development?
Mild differences in how quickly a child talks are common and often resolve on their own, but it's worth a developmental check if your child isn't babbling by 9–12 months, has no clear words by 16–18 months, isn't joining two words by age 2, loses skills, or doesn't seem to understand or respond as expected. Communication is more than speech — listening, gestures and shared attention matter too. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should I be concerned about my child's emotional development?
Some worry about a child's emotions is normal; concern is guided by patterns over weeks — unusually intense, lasting feelings that disrupt play, learning, sleep or friendships, withdrawal, or a loss of skills. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should I be concerned about my child's motor development?
Most children reach motor milestones across a wide, healthy range, so small variations are usually fine. Seek a developmental check if your child misses several milestones, loses a skill once gained, strongly favours one side of the body, or feels persistently very stiff or very floppy. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should I be concerned about my child's sensory development?
Sensory differences warrant a developmental check when they are intense, frequent and regularly disrupt daily life — meals, sleep, dressing, play or being in busy places — rather than passing as a one-off. Big reactions to ordinary sounds or textures, strong sensory-seeking, or seeming under-responsive to touch, sound or movement are worth a gentle assessment. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should I be concerned about my child's social development?
Most social-development differences reflect a child's own pace, but a developmental check is worth it when patterns persist over weeks — limited eye contact, not responding to their name, not sharing smiles or pointing, little imitation or play with others, or any loss of skills once gained. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should I consider changing my child's therapy?
Consider changing your child's therapy when progress has clearly stalled for several weeks despite consistent attendance, when current goals are met, when the approach no longer fits your child's life, or when skills aren't carrying over to home and school. Usually this means refreshing goals with your existing team rather than starting over, and the decision is best made with your clinician using a structured re-assessment.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should I consider changing my child's therapy or therapist?
Consider reviewing your child's therapy or therapist when there is no meaningful progress over a sustained period despite consistent attendance, when goals are unclear or never updated, when your child stays persistently distressed, or when communication breaks down. Raise concerns with the current therapist first, as the plan may need adjusting rather than replacing. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen to Assess Your Child's Development
Get your child's development assessed whenever you have a concern at any age, and at routine screening points around 9, 18 and 24–30 months — never wait and see if a milestone seems delayed or skills are lost. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should I introduce a second language?
Introduce a second language as early as you like, including from birth — children are naturally wired for bilingualism, and it does not cause speech delay or confusion. What matters is rich, warm, frequent exposure in the languages you know best. Mixing languages is normal; assess overall communication, in either language, only if milestones are missed.
Read the answer AnswerWhen to See a Doctor Right Away About Your Child
Trust your instinct. Seek urgent medical care if your child has trouble breathing, a seizure, becomes very drowsy or unresponsive, has a high fever with stiff neck or non-fading rash, or loses skills they once had. Most developmental worries allow time for a calm check — but regression and seizures always need a doctor first.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should I worry about my child not walking?
Most children walk by 12–15 months, and up to 18 months is within the normal range. Seek a developmental check if your child is not walking by 18 months, or at any age if there is loss of skills, stiffness, floppiness, persistent tiptoe walking, or strong one-sided preference — these are signs to act on, and most causes respond well to early physiotherapy.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should losing words be checked immediately?
Losing words a child once used should be checked promptly at any age. Seek same-day emergency care if it comes with seizures, sudden onset after injury or fever, weakness, or unresponsiveness. Gradual loss with the child otherwise well needs a paediatric review within a week, plus a hearing check.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should my child be able to climb stairs?
Most children walk up stairs with help by 14–18 months, climb independently with two feet per step by 18–24 months, and use alternating feet by around 2.5–3 years, going down confidently a little later. These are typical ranges, not deadlines. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should my child be able to count?
Children usually begin rote counting (saying numbers in order) around 2–3 years, count small sets of objects by 3–4 years, and understand that the last number tells the total by 4–5 years. These are gentle guides, not deadlines, and everyday counting play is the best support. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should my child be able to dress themselves?
Self-dressing develops gradually: helping to undress by 1–2 years, removing easy clothes by 2–3, dressing with loose clothing by 3–4, and fairly independent dressing including buttons and zips by 4–5 years. There is a wide normal range. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should my child be dry through the night?
Most children are reliably dry through the night between 3 and 5 years, with a wide normal range — about 1 in 5 five-year-olds still wet the bed occasionally. It depends on bladder size, brain–bladder signalling and an overnight hormone, all maturing on their own timetable. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen Should My Child Be Potty Trained?
Most children show readiness for potty training between 18 months and 3 years, with many day-trained around 2½–3 years and night dryness arriving later. Readiness is shown through bladder control, communication and interest — not a fixed age. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should my child be reassessed?
Most children on a Pinnacle therapy plan are reassessed every 3 months, with earlier reviews if goals are met, progress plateaus, or life changes occur. Reassessment compares progress against the starting profile and keeps the plan tuned. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should my child follow two-step instructions?
Most children follow connected two-step instructions between 24 and 30 months, and unrelated two-step instructions by around 3 years — a wide, normal range. This skill rests on memory, listening and language working together, and grows through everyday play. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen Should My Child Hold a Spoon By Themselves?
Most children begin grasping and bringing a spoon to their mouth (messily, with help) between 10 and 14 months, and self-feed fairly independently by around 15 to 18 months, with neat use settling near age 2. These are gentle ranges, not deadlines, and ongoing spills are normal. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen Should My Child Know Colours and Shapes?
Most children match colours by 18 months–2 years, name a few colours by 3 years, and name basic shapes and several colours by around 4–4½ years, with a wide normal range. Recognition always comes before naming. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should my child respond to their name?
Most babies start responding to their name between 6 and 9 months, with consistent head-turning usually established by 12 months. If a child rarely responds by 12 months, a hearing check and developmental conversation are sensible next steps. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should my child say their first word?
Most children say their first meaningful word around 12 months, with 10–14 months being perfectly typical. Long before words, babies build toward talking through babbling, pointing, copying sounds and responding to their name. Understanding runs ahead of speaking, and every child follows their own pace. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should my child sit up on their own?
Most babies sit independently — steady and hands-free — by around 6 to 9 months, building from head control and propped sitting along the way. Milestones are a range, not a stopwatch. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
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