Supporting My Child’s Development

Skills such as smiling at a familiar face, babbling, and throwing a ball are signals that your child is developing on track. Although kids develop skills at different times, there are some expected age ranges for reaching these goals.

Our guide for parents, Watch and Help me Grow, provides a timeline of when children generally learn new skills and you can use that as a resource until your child is five years old.

There are also several other web resources where you can track your child’s development, including:

• PBS Parents – Child Development Tracker
• Centers for Disease Control – Parent Milestones Page

Developmental Screenings to Ensure Healthy Development

Ask your child’s medical provider, preschool or child care provider about developmental screenings for your child. If your child’s development is on track, a developmental screening can help you to identify your child’s areas of strength. Your child’s doctor or child care provider can help you find ways to continue to support your child’s development.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that doctors informally monitor children’s development at each well-child visit, and conduct formal screenings at the 9-, 18-, and 24- or 30-month visits.

If the developmental screening indicates a possible delay, it is very important to have your child formally assessed through the Illinois Early Intervention system (ages birth to three), local school district (ages three to five) or medical providers (any age) as quickly as possible.

Research shows that children get along better in school and with other children the earlier they get help with a delay. To learn more about early intervention, and child development, peruse our Parent Resource page.