All young children are distinctive, special individuals. As your child grows up into the unique person they are, you can also expect them to develop important physical, language, learning, and emotional coping skills that help them navigate life.
Developmental screenings are the best way you can ensure your child meets their expected growth milestones and receives any interventions they need early, to get them back on track quickly.
Board-certified pediatrician Rainilda Valencia, MD, working with Micaela Marin-Tucker, PA-C, and Megan Reynolds, C-PNP, at Valencia Pediatrics in Victorville, California, shares what you can expect when your child comes to a developmental screening.
By taking your child to the recommended developmental screenings at 9, 18, 24, and 30 months of age, you ensure they’re developing skills important to early childhood as well as their older years. Developmental screenings are more in-depth and comprehensive than the assessments performed at a well-child exam.
At these checkups, our team focuses specifically on your child’s cognitive, physical, gross motor, and other developmental skills to check that they are meeting key milestones in their expected age range.
If Dr. Valencia identifies any potential developmental delays or concerns, catching them at a developmental screening allows her to come up with a plan that addresses the issues early, at a young age.
A developmental screening is different from a well-child exam and is customized for your child. In general, though, this is what you can expect when you attend a screening with your child:
Hearing your input about your child is very important to our team. You’re with your child daily, and you can let us know when you’ve noticed your child meeting key developmental milestones.
The beginning of the screening is also an opportunity for you to raise any questions about your child’s development. Feel free to write down your questions to ask us and bring them with you.
At the developmental screening, Dr. Valencia and our team members spend considerable time observing and interacting with your child. These tests determine if your child is developing in the ways expected of a child their age.
These tests and observations give us important information about how your child moves, interacts with others, and behaves. These evaluations are non-invasive, and our team ensures your child feels comfortable and supported throughout the tests.
After observing your child, Dr. Valencia updates you on the results and whether we have identified any potential areas of developmental concern. If your child shows any possible signs of a developmental delay, she develops a recommended treatment plan to quickly address it.
During this time, we also offer guidance on what you can do to help keep your child’s development on track. This includes sharing how you can watch for any potential developmental concerns, and when to let us know about any possible issues you see.
Developmental screenings are as important to your child’s early pediatric care as well-child exams. To book a developmental screening to see if your child is on track, call us today at 442-204-0019.
