Your child’s pattern of development over time is a much more important indicator than the results of screening at a single visit. If your child is ill, tired, hungry, or otherwise distracted when the assessment is performed, the screening results may be inaccurate. That’s why doctors usually don’t get concerned about a delay unless it is present when tested at more than one visit, it is severe, or delays are present in several areas of development. Also keep the following in mind:

• Delay in reaching one or more milestones often doesn’t mean that your child has a problem. Many children don’t progress at the same rate in each of the major developmental categories. For example, a typical child who sits up and walks early might show slower language development than most of her peers. Also, sometimes children seem to focus on a particular aspect of development and let others lag for a while. For instance, a child who is intent on continuing to explore the world at floor level might show little interest in walking.

• Developmental screening test results do not reliably predict a child’s future talents or whether a child is “gifted.” They are most useful for identifying children whose development should be watched more carefully or who should be referred to a specialist for further evaluation.

Take comfort in your child’s developmental progress if he reaches expected milestones, seek help if he seems to be lagging behind, celebrate advancements as they occur—and keep the love, affection, and stimulation flowing!