Developement Screening

A Developmental Screen is a short checklist of some of the most important skills that a child should be able to perform by a particular age. A Developmental Screen is not a diagnostic tool and it is not meant to be a formal assessment of a child’s skills, but rather a quick survey to determine any areas that may require some extra help. The development screening is based on assessment of these skills in different domains- motor, language, cognitive, personal social.

• Help parents to learn about their child’s development.
• Identify developmental areas that may need extra attention.
• Provide an opportunity to plan intervention strategies including referrals to qualified professionals, if required.
• Promote early detection

Thumb sucking

Babies have natural rooting and sucking reflexes, which can cause them to put their thumbs or fingers into their mouth — sometimes even before birth. Because thumb sucking is soothing to babies, some may eventually develop a habit of thumb sucking when they're bored, tired or anxious. Many thumb and finger suckers stop the habit on their own by age 6 or 7 months. Sometimes, however, children suck their thumbs or fingers — especially during times of stress — throughout the toddler and preschool years. Thumb sucking isn't usually a concern until age 4 or 5, when the habit may start to affect the roof of the mouth (palate) or how the teeth line up. At this stage you can take an expert consult for helping your child to break the habit . Putting too much pressure on your child to stop thumb sucking may do more harm than good.

Temper tantrums

Temper tantrums are a normal part of growing up. A tantrum is the expression of a child's frustration with the physical, mental or emotional challenges of the moment. Physical challenges are things such as hunger and thirst. Mental challenges are related to a child's difficulty learning or performing a specific task, or difficulty using words to express thoughts and feelings. Emotional challenges are more open to speculation. The best way to respond to tantrum is to ignore the tantrum. If you lose your cool or give in to your child's demands, you've only taught your child that tantrums are effective. If the tantrum escalates or your child is in danger of hurting himself or herself, remove your child from the situation. When the child calms down, discuss with your child the type of behavior you would have preferred.. Time out can be tried for a full blown tantrum. Most children outgrow tantrums by age 4 or 5. If your child is still having tantrums, the tantrums seem especially severe or the tantrums have pushed you beyond your ability to cope, share your concerns with your child's doctor.

If you're unable to understand any of your 2-year-old's words, a prompt evaluation would be warranted.

The average 2-year-old:

Speaks about 50 words, but understands even more Links two words together Uses simple adjectives, such as "big" and "happy" Speaks clearly enough for parents to understand some of the words

The average 3-year-old:

Speaks 250 to 500 or more words Speaks in three- and four-word sentence Uses pronouns (I, you, we, they) and some plurals States first name By age 4, most kids speak clearly enough for strangers to understand. In the meantime, encourage toddler speech development. Read to your child. Talk to your child. Sing songs together. Ask your child questions, and acknowledge your child's responses — even if he or she is hard to understand.

If children's nutrition is a sore topic in your household, you're not alone. Many parents worry about what their children eat — and don't eat. However, most kids get plenty of variety and nutrition in their diets over the course of a week. Some useful tips which will be of help for your picky toddlers:

• If your child isn't hungry, don't force a meal or snack. Likewise, don't bribe or force your child to eat certain foods or clean his or her plate.
• Stick to the routine Serve meals and snacks at about the same times every day. Allowing your child to fill up on juice or milk throughout the day might decrease his or her appetite for meals.
• Your child might need repeated exposure to a new food before he or she takes the first bite. Encourage your child by talking about a food's color, shape, aroma and texture — not whether it tastes good.
• Make it fun.
• Set a good example-If you eat a variety of healthy foods, your child is more likely to follow suit.
• Minimize distractions-Turn off the television and other electronic gadgets during meal.

If you're concerned that picky eating is compromising your child's growth and development, consult your child's doctor. Remember that your child's eating habits won't likely change overnight — but the small steps you take each day can help promote a lifetime of healthy eating.