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Although many tools are available, a screening test commonly used by primary care
doctors to track a child’s developmental progress from birth through the preschool
years is the Denver II, which is a modified version of the earlier Denver Developmental
Screening Test. This and other similar screening tools help the doctor evaluate
your child’s development in four general areas or dimensions:
• Gross motor skills. These skills involve control and movement of the trunk
and large muscle groups, such as holding the head up, sitting without support,
pulling to a stand, and walking.
• Fine motor skills. These skills involve fine movements of the arms and hands
requiring eye-hand coordination, such as reaching for objects, transferring
objects from one hand to the other, and building a tower of blocks.
• Language skills. These are skills such as making the first speech sounds, understanding
and saying specific words, using gestures and other nonverbal types
of communication, forming sentences, knowing colors, counting, and developing
complex verbal expressions.
• Personal/social skills. These involve activities such as brushing teeth and getting
dressed, smiling, distinguishing parents from strangers, waving “byebye,”
and imitating others.
Your child’s doctor will observe your child and ask you specific questions about
his skills and behaviors to determine your child’s developmental progress. If at any
point you have concerns about your child’s development or behavior, be sure to
bring them to the doctor’s attention. In this situation, it may be helpful to make a
videotape of your child’s behavior at home for the doctor to review.
The lists at the end of this chapter contain some of the specific developmental
milestones that may be used at different ages for screening.
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