If you think your child is not meeting the milestones for their age, talk to their doctor. Ask for a developmental screening.
Developmental Screenings:
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Your doctor will ask some questions about your concerns and your child's development to see if they need some extra help.
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They can check for physical, developmental, social or emotional issues.
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They can be done with children as old as 5.
There are several different developmental screening tools doctors can use. They are questionnaires that ask about different categories of your child's development:
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Gross Motor —Large movements like crawling or walking
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Fine Motor —Small movements like grabbing a toy or holding a spoon
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Problem-solving —figuring out how to get what they want
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Personal/Social —How they interact with other people
When should my child get screenings?
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Any time you notice something that worries you
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At least at these ages: 9 months, 18 months, and 24 or 30 months
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Some screening tools suggest these ages: 2 months, 4 months, then every 4-6 months until age 5
Also download the 1-page fact sheet at the bottom of the page. (It will open in a new tab or appear in the bottom corner of your screen.)
Your doctor may say "Don't worry, let's see how it goes." But if you are still worried, insist on a screening. Don't take no for an answer.
You can also take your child to a developmental clinic:
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If you are not satisfied with the results from your child's regular doctor, you can take your child to a special clinic. There are places where they have lots of experience testing children in more depth for developmental issues.
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While your doctor can do a brief developmental screening, these clinics can do a more thorough assessment.
Click on the boxes below to learn more:
There are some clinics in Louisiana that specialize in testing children for developmental delays and other issues.
What do these clinics do?
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They will do a thorough evaluation of different aspects of a child's development and medical status.
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For example: physical, psychological, speech and communication, learning disabilities, autism, etc.
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They will tell you what further tests your child may need, and suggest what to do next.
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They can give you the test results and paperwork with your child's diagnosis (if there is one). You'll need these when you apply for services from the state or your parish school system.
Depending on where you live, you may have to travel a ways, but it may be worth it.
Here are a couple places to try first: (Click on the name to open their website in a new tab. Or call the number.)-
Pediatric Development and Therapy Center, Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group, Baton Rouge: 225-765-6346
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Tulane Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Tulane School of Medicine, New Orleans: 504-988-3533
You can also go to the Resource Directory, put in your zip code and choose Developmental Pediatricians.
Sources: CDC, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)