{"h1":"Your child's Response-to-Name score: next steps","faq":[{"a":"No. Responding to name is just one early social-communication skill, and a single band cannot diagnose anything. A low band may reflect hearing, attention, or simply being absorbed in play. Only a clinician-led developmental assessment can interpret it in the context of the whole child.","q":"Does a low Response-to-Name score mean my child has autism?"},{"a":"If you have any worry that your child isn't hearing well, ask your paediatrician for a hearing review — that is the priority first step. Then arrange a clinician-led developmental check that looks at social communication, attention and play together.","q":"What should I do first?"},{"a":"Most children begin turning to their name between 9 and 12 months, becoming more consistent by around 12–15 months. Children develop at different paces, so timing varies.","q":"At what age should a child respond to their name?"},{"a":"Yes. Where reduced response to name sits alongside other social-communication signs, gentle, play-based speech and language therapy can strengthen early connection and communication. A clinician will shape any plan around your child's full profile.","q":"Can therapy help if there is a genuine concern?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-0-100-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore: Your Next Steps","entity":{"key":"response-to-name-toddler","kind":"ability","name":"Response-to-Name","slug":null},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Social","value":"social"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Support","value":"support"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Measure","value":"measure"},{"kind":"route","label":"Book-Assessment","value":"book-assessment"},{"kind":"score_band","label":"As 000 100","value":"as_000_100"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Early Clarity","value":"early_clarity"}],"parent":{"key":"abilities","label":"Abilities"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-400-500-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore 400–500 — Next Steps"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-200-300-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore 200–300: Your Next Steps"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-300-400-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore 300–400: Next Steps"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-600-700-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore 600–700: Your Next Steps"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-100-200-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore 100–200: What to Do Next"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-500-600-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore 500–600: What to Do Next"}],"summary":"A Response-to-Name AbilityScore band is an indicator, not a diagnosis — it cannot explain why a child responds as they do. The clear next step is a clinician-led developmental check looking at hearing, attention and social communication together, with a hearing review prioritised if there is any concern. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","answer_md":"*A single number is a starting point, not a verdict — here's exactly what to do next.*\n\n## In short\nResponse-to-Name is one early social-communication skill — does your child turn, look or react when you say their name? A 0–100 band from a screen or app is an **indicator, not a diagnosis**, and it cannot tell you why your child responds the way they do. The clear next step is a proper clinician-led developmental check, where a qualified professional looks at the whole picture — hearing, attention, social connection and play — rather than one isolated score. Many children who score low on this single skill are simply busy, focused or still developing, so please breathe before you worry.\n\n## What this score does — and doesn't — mean\nResponding to one's name usually emerges between **9 and 12 months**, and becomes more consistent by around 12–15 months. A lower band can reflect several very different things:\n- **Hearing** — even a temporary glue-ear or middle-ear infection can dampen a child's response. A hearing check is often the very first sensible step.\n- **Attention and engagement** — a deeply absorbed child may not look up, and that alone is not a concern.\n- **Social-communication development** — when reduced response to name sits *alongside* less eye contact, less pointing or sharing, it is worth a closer, gentle look.\n\nThe number on its own does none of this thinking for you — a clinician does.\n\n## When to seek a check\nArrange a developmental check if, beyond the score, you also notice: little eye contact, not pointing or showing things to share by 12–18 months, not responding to familiar voices, or any loss of skills your child once had. If you have *any* worry that your child isn't hearing well, ask your paediatrician for a hearing review promptly — that is the priority first step.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nAbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional — never from an app, a number or an online form. Our clinician-administered structured assessment looks at the whole child, so a single Response-to-Name band becomes one thread in a complete, caring picture. Learn [how the AbilityScore® is built](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated), explore gentle [speech and language therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) that strengthens early social communication, and start [here](/) to find your nearest centre across our 70+ centres and 700+ therapists.\n\n## Trusted sources\nWHO and CDC milestone guidance describe responding to name emerging around 9–12 months; the American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) recommends developmental and hearing review when social-communication concerns appear; ASHA outlines early social-communication development.\n\n**Next step —** Turn one number into real clarity: [book a clinician-led developmental assessment](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) at your nearest Pinnacle Blooms Network centre.\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-0-100-what-are-the-next-steps","editorial":{"reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T20:12:18.613642+00:00","reviewed_by":null,"developed_by":"SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network"},"alternates":[{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-0-100-what-are-the-next-steps","lang":"en","indexable":true},{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-0-100-what-are-the-next-steps-te","lang":"te","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"abilities","label":"Abilities"}],"meta_title":"Response-to-Name Score: What to Do Next","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Try calling your child's name when they're calm and not deeply absorbed in play — get down to their level, pause, and reward any glance or turn with a warm smile and shared moment, rather than repeating the name many times.","published_at":"2026-06-10T11:42:00.174877+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"understand","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-is-response-to-name-in-child-development","title":"What is Response-to-Name in child development?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-response-to-name-represent-developmentally-and-when-is-a-delay-in-it-clinically-significant","title":"What does Response-to-Name represent developmentally, and when is a delay clinically significant?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"which-icf-functioning-domain-does-response-to-name-map-to-in-early-childhood","title":"Response-to-Name and the ICF Functioning Framework","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Understand the subject","total":3},{"key":"signs","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-a-delay-in-response-to-name-mean-for-my-child","title":"What a delay in Response-to-Name means for your child","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Recognise signs & 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Response-to-Name mean for my child?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-an-abilityscore-of-600-700-in-response-to-name-mean-for-my-child","title":"What an AbilityScore of 600–700 in Response-to-Name means","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Understand assessment","total":17},{"key":"therapy","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-100-200-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore 100–200: What to Do Next","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-300-400-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore 300–400: Next Steps","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-s-response-to-name-abilityscore-is-400-500-what-are-the-next-steps","title":"Response-to-Name AbilityScore 400–500 — Next Steps","reason":"Linked from this 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Any worry about hearing needs a prompt hearing review first.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://www.cdc.gov/child-development","label":"CDC developmental milestones"},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org","label":"AAP HealthyChildren developmental guidance"},{"url":"https://www.asha.org","label":"ASHA early social communication"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T11:42:00.174877+00:00","meta_description":"A Response-to-Name AbilityScore band is an indicator, not a diagnosis. Here are the calm, clear next steps — including a clinician-led developmental check.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}