A child’s development is a journey measured in milestones — from their first smile and first word to taking independent steps and solving problems. Regular developmental milestone assessments are one of the most important aspects of pediatric preventive care, enabling early identification of delays that — when caught early — respond dramatically better to therapy.
Dr. Vannala Raju provides structured, validated developmental screening at every well-child visit, using internationally recognised tools to track your child’s progress across all developmental domains.
Developmental Domains We Assess
- Gross Motor Skills: Head control, rolling, sitting, standing, walking, running, climbing stairs.
- Fine Motor Skills: Grasping, pincer grip, drawing, writing, self-care tasks like buttoning clothes.
- Speech & Language: Babbling, first words (by 12 months), two-word phrases (by 24 months), sentence construction, articulation clarity.
- Cognitive Development: Object permanence, problem-solving, memory, pre-academic skills, attention span.
- Social & Emotional Development: Social smile, eye contact, joint attention, play skills, separation anxiety, peer interactions.
- Adaptive Behaviour: Self-care independence, toileting, feeding, and daily living skills appropriate to age.
Red Flags That Warrant Immediate Evaluation
- No babbling or pointing by 12 months
- No single words by 16 months or no two-word phrases by 24 months
- Any regression — loss of previously acquired skills at any age
- Not walking by 18 months
- Poor eye contact, repetitive behaviours, or lack of social interest (possible autism spectrum disorder)
- Persistent toe walking, muscle stiffness, or asymmetric movement (possible cerebral palsy)
Screening Tools Used
- ASQ-3 (Ages & Stages Questionnaire): Parent-completed developmental screening tool validated across 30 languages.
- M-CHAT-R/F: Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers — gold-standard autism screening at 18 and 24 months.
- Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST-II): Standardised assessment for children 0–6 years covering all four domains.
When a concern is identified, Dr. Raju provides prompt referrals to speech therapists, occupational therapists, developmental paediatricians, and child psychologists — ensuring your child receives a comprehensive, multi-disciplinary team approach to reach their full potential.