Parents and those in a parenting role want to be sure their children are advancing and growing in all the appropriate ways. Aside from the basic things that you can find in parenting books, from other parents, and in the pamphlets they sent home with you from the hospital when your child was born, another way to assess your child’s development is through a developmental  screening. Developmental screenings can take place during regular pediatric well-child visits or at a child development center, resource center, community health department, or school.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends developmental screenings when your child is 9 months, 18 months, and 30 months, or anytime you have a concern about your child’s development. ParentingMontana.org has information, resources, and links to specific developmental screening supports. Montana Department of Health and Human Services and the Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University created ParentingMontana.org to support parents in Montana, but the website is relevant to parents everywhere. The goal of the website is to provide parents with information and tools to promote healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral development in children.

Developmental screenings provide information about how your child is developing based on age appropriate developmental milestones. Physical, language, communication, cognitive, and social and emotional milestones are all components of healthy child development and an important part of your child’s healthcare. Listen here for more information about why developmental screenings are important and how they can assist you in getting proper help if your child needs a little extra support in their development.