ASK PINNACLE · QUESTIONS, EXPLANATIONS & NEXT STEPS
Book Assessment
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Therapy & support
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My child doesn't make eye contact — should I be worried?
Reduced eye contact on its own is rarely cause for alarm — children look away when shy, tired, focused or by temperament. What matters is the bigger picture of social connection: shared attention, responding to their name, pointing, social smiles and back-and-forth. If reduced eye contact persists alongside other communication differences, a gentle developmental check is wise. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child doesn't play pretend — should I be worried?
Pretend play usually emerges between 18 months and 3 years and varies widely from child to child, so its absence alone is rarely cause for worry. What matters is the overall pattern — how a child communicates, connects, imitates and plays in other ways. A developmental check brings clarity if pretend play sits alongside other observations. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child doesn't play with other children — should I be worried?
Solitary or parallel play is a normal stage for many toddlers and preschoolers, not a warning sign on its own — children grow into shared play at their own pace. A gentle developmental check helps when several social-communication signs cluster and persist over time. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child doesn't point at things — should I be worried?
Pointing usually appears between 9 and 14 months and signals a child's wish to share and connect, the foundation of language. If a child is past their first birthday and not yet pointing, look at the whole communication picture — eye contact, name-response, babbling, gesturing — and arrange a friendly developmental check by 15–18 months. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerChild Not Responding to Their Name
A child not responding to their name often has ordinary causes — deep absorption in play, or simply not hearing well — so a hearing check always comes first. Most babies orient to their name by 6–9 months and respond reliably by 12 months; consistent non-response by around 12 months, especially with limited eye contact, pointing or babble, is worth a gentle developmental check. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child doesn't seem to feel pain — should I be worried?
A child who genuinely doesn't seem to feel pain deserves a prompt medical check first, as reduced pain response can be a safety matter and sometimes has a neurological cause. Often there's a reassuring explanation, but a true absence of pain reaction warrants seeing a paediatrician without delay. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child doesn't show me things they like — should I be worried?
"Showing" things you like is one sign of joint attention, usually emerging between about 9 and 18 months — but on its own it rarely tells the whole story. What matters most is the wider pattern of warm connection: eye contact, responding to their name, sharing for joy, and gestures. A check is wise when several social-communication signs are missing together. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child doesn't smile back — should I be worried?
A responsive social smile usually appears around 6–8 weeks and is established by about 3 months. A younger baby is most likely simply not ready yet. If your child is past 3 months and not smiling back, or has lost a smile they once had, a calm developmental check is sensible. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child doesn't talk yet — should I be worried?
A slightly later start to talking is common, and many children are simply on their own timeline — but communication follows well-mapped milestones, so a gentle developmental check is wiser than waiting indefinitely. Look at the whole picture: understanding, pointing, gestures and connection matter as much as spoken words. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child doesn't understand danger — should I be worried?
Understanding danger is a skill that develops gradually — young toddlers are naturally fearless, so this alone is usually not a worry. A check is worthwhile if a child is well past the toddler years with no caution around obvious hazards, doesn't learn from near-misses, or this sits alongside delays in speech, attention or social skills. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerChild Not Waving Bye-Bye: Should You Worry?
Waving bye-bye usually appears between about 9 and 14 months with wide normal variation, so one missing gesture is rarely a concern on its own. What matters more is the overall communication picture — shared attention, other gestures, babble and responding to their name. A check is worthwhile if by 12–15 months a child uses no gestures, isn't babbling, doesn't respond to their name, or loses skills. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child drops things often — should I be worried?
For most children, dropping things often is an ordinary part of developing grip, coordination and attention, and it settles with time. It only warrants a closer look when paired with marked clumsiness beyond peers, weakness on one side, or loss of skills already mastered. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child echoes what others say — should I be worried?
Echoing others' words — echolalia — is a common, normal stage of early language development, often a way children practise speech, communicate intent, or self-soothe. On its own it is usually not a concern. A check is worth it if echoing persists well beyond toddlerhood, replaces meaningful conversation, or comes with other communication differences. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child flaps their hands — should I be worried?
Hand-flapping is very common and usually normal — often a way young children release excitement or frustration before they have words. On its own it is rarely worrying; what matters is the whole picture of communication, connection and play. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child forgets things quickly — should I be worried?
A child forgetting things quickly is usually a normal part of development — young memory is still growing, and attention, tiredness, instructions with too many steps, or not understanding language can all look like forgetfulness. It is worth a closer look when forgetting is frequent, noticeably different from peers, or affects learning and daily routines. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child gags on certain food textures — should I be worried?
Gagging on certain food textures is usually a normal part of learning to eat — the gag reflex protects your child while their mouth learns to manage lumps and crunch. Most children accept more textures with calm, repeated, low-pressure exposure. Seek a check if gagging is frequent, involves coughing or choking, narrows the diet, or persists. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child gets fixated on one thing — should I be worried?
A strong, focused interest in one thing is usually a sign of a curious, passionate mind, not a worry on its own — many children go through such phases. It is worth a closer look only when the fixation is intense, very hard to interrupt, disrupts daily life, or sits alongside differences in talking, play or connecting with others. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child has a very floppy body — should I be worried?
A very floppy body (low muscle tone or hypotonia) is worth checking, but it is a sign, not a diagnosis — causes range from benign to medical. Book a doctor-led developmental check soon, and seek urgent care if feeding, breathing or sudden weakness is involved. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child has a very stiff body — should I be worried?
A persistently stiff body (increased muscle tone) is worth a prompt developmental check, but rarely means something serious on its own. Watch for constant rigidity, stiffness on one side, or delayed movement milestones, and seek urgent medical care if stiffness is sudden or paired with fever or illness. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerFrequent meltdowns — should I be worried?
Frequent meltdowns in young children are usually normal — a sign that language, sensory processing and self-regulation are still developing, not that something is wrong. Staying calm, lowering demands and naming feelings helps most. A check is worth it if meltdowns are very intense, hard to recover from, out of step with age, or come alongside delays in talking, play or social connection. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child hates certain textures — should I be worried?
Disliking certain textures is usually a normal part of how a child's nervous system processes touch, not a cause for alarm. It is worth a developmental check only when texture aversion sharply limits eating, dressing or daily life, or appears alongside other things you're watching. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child hits other people — should I be worried?
Hitting is a very common phase in young children, usually because big feelings arrive before the words and self-control to manage them, and it fades with calm, consistent teaching. Seek a developmental check if it is frequent, intense, worsening with age, or paired with delayed speech or other worries. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child hurts themselves on purpose — should I be worried?
Self-injury in children is usually a signal — of big feelings, sensory needs, frustration, pain or unmet communication needs — rather than a sign something is fundamentally wrong. Calm attention helps more than panic. Seek help promptly if it is frequent, intense, increasing, causes injury, or accompanies low mood. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerMy child is a very picky eater — should I be worried?
Most picky eating is a normal phase between ages 1 and 5, especially if your child is growing well and active. Watch for a shrinking, very narrow diet, gagging or choking on textures, faltering growth, or feeding worries alongside other delays — these warrant a check. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
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