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Book Assessment
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Therapy & support
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Therapy & support
What Does a Child's IQ Actually Measure?
A child's IQ score estimates certain thinking skills — reasoning, memory, language and processing speed — compared with peers of the same age, but it does not measure creativity, character, talent or future success, and cannot diagnose anything on its own. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a first visit to a child development centre involve?
A first visit is a warm conversation and gentle play-based observation, not a test. You share your concerns and history, a clinician observes your child through a structured AbilityScore® assessment, and together you agree next steps — usually lasting 45–90 minutes.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a positive M-CHAT result mean for my child?
A positive M-CHAT-R/F is a screening flag, not an autism diagnosis — it means your child showed enough early signs to warrant a fuller developmental assessment. Many children who screen positive are not autistic, as the tool is deliberately sensitive. The right next step is a clinician-led evaluation. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Typical Therapy Week Look Like?
A typical therapy week is usually 2 to 4 sessions of around 45 to 60 minutes in the domain your child needs, plus a few simple home activities folded into daily routines. The exact schedule is set after a structured assessment and adjusts as your child grows, with consistency mattering more than intensity.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does adulthood look like for a child with developmental needs?
Adulthood for a child with developmental needs is a wide spectrum of real possibility — work, study, relationships, community and independent or supported living. Outcomes are shaped strongly by early support, life-skills planning and opportunity, not by a label. The foundations are laid far earlier than most families realise.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Early Intervention Costs and What Affects the Price
Early intervention cost varies with the mix of therapies, how often and how long sessions run, the format, your location and centre, and periodic re-assessment — so there is no single fixed price. A clinician-led assessment maps exactly what your child needs and gives a transparent, personalised plan and cost. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does Everyday Therapy involve at the centre and at home?
Everyday Therapy combines goal-focused, play-based sessions at the centre with simple practice woven into daily home routines like mealtimes, play and bedtime, with parent coaching so progress continues between visits. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child bangs their head?
Head-banging in babies and toddlers is usually a harmless, self-soothing rhythm that fades with age, though it can also signal pain, frustration or — alongside other signs — a developmental difference worth checking. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child bites other people?
Biting in babies and young toddlers is common and usually normal — a way of coping with teething, big feelings, overwhelm or not yet having words. It typically fades as language and self-regulation grow. Seek a check if biting is frequent, intense, continues well past age three, or appears with other developmental concerns. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child can spin without getting dizzy?
A child who can spin without getting dizzy often has a vestibular system that under-registers movement, so they crave more of it — usually a normal sensory pattern, not a diagnosis. It is worth a gentle check only when paired with constant movement-seeking, delays in talking or coordination, or distress. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child can't climb stairs?
Trouble climbing stairs usually reflects developing gross-motor strength, balance and coordination rather than anything serious. Most children climb with support around 14–18 months and alternate feet by about 3 years. If your child is well behind these stages or has lost a skill, a gentle developmental check helps. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child can't dress themselves?
Dressing is a complex skill built from fine and gross motor control, body awareness, motor planning, sequencing and sensory comfort. If a child finds it harder than peers, it usually means one of these underlying skills needs more support — and with playful, graded practice it can be built. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child can't focus on anything?
A child who can't focus on anything is showing an observation, not a diagnosis — attention develops gradually and short spans are normal in younger children. When focus seems markedly shorter than peers or affects daily life, a gentle developmental check helps. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child can't hold a pencil or crayon?
A child who can't yet hold a pencil or crayon is most often simply earlier on the normal path of fine-motor development — grip matures gradually, with a mature tripod grasp often not settling until 4–6 years. A gentle developmental check helps if grip is markedly behind peers, tires quickly, or sits alongside other hand-task difficulties. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child can't sit still?
A child who can't sit still is usually doing what young children are built to do — moving and learning through their bodies, as sustained sitting attention develops slowly with age. Occasionally lots of movement links to attention or sensory differences, best understood over time and across settings, never from one observation. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child can't use scissors?
Difficulty using scissors usually means fine-motor skills — hand strength, bilateral coordination and eye-hand control — are still maturing; most children master snipping by 3–4 and cutting on a line by 4–5. It is one observation, not a diagnosis. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child covers their ears at loud sounds?
Covering the ears at loud sounds is usually a sign of sound sensitivity — the brain registering certain noises as overwhelming — and on its own does not mean autism or a hearing problem. It is common in young children and often settles with patience and the right support. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child doesn't babble?
Babble is an important early communication milestone — most babies move from cooing at 2–3 months into repeated babble like "ba-ba" by 6–9 months. A quiet baby isn't automatically worrying, but if babble hasn't appeared by around 9–12 months, a friendly developmental and hearing check is the right next step. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child doesn't copy what I do?
Copying actions, sounds and gestures is how children learn socially, and it usually unfolds gradually across the first two years rather than all at once. A child who doesn't copy yet may simply be learning on their own timeline, deeply focused, or not yet motivated — but reduced imitation alongside limited eye contact, pointing, gestures or words 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 AnswerWhat does it mean if my child doesn't enjoy cuddles?
A child not enjoying cuddles is usually part of their natural temperament or sensory preferences and does not mean they love you less — many children bond through play, words or simply being near you. What matters is the whole picture: whether they seek you out, share smiles and turn to you when upset. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child doesn't follow simple instructions?
A child not following simple instructions can reflect their developmental stage, hearing, understanding of language, attention, or simply an instruction with too many steps — most causes are not alarming and respond to support. It warrants a hearing and developmental check when persistent, beyond age expectations, and present across settings. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child doesn't like being touched?
Disliking touch usually reflects tactile sensitivity — the nervous system reading everyday touch as more intense than it is. On its own it is rarely worrying, and occupational therapy offers gentle, playful support. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child doesn't make eye contact?
Reduced eye contact in a child can mean many things — shyness, deep focus, tiredness, sensitivity to faces, or sometimes part of a wider social-communication pattern — but on its own it is never a diagnosis. What matters is the whole picture of how your child connects, plays and communicates. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child doesn't play pretend?
Pretend play usually emerges between 18 months and 3 years and reflects imagination, language and social thinking developing together. On its own, not yet playing pretend is an observation, not a diagnosis — it is most meaningful when looked at alongside language, pointing and shared attention. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
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