Development Goals

Question 1

What are the 4 domains of development?

Answer 1

Gross motor, Fine Motor, Language, Social

Question 2

In terms of gross and fine motor (tasks), what is the progression of tasks that a child should complete? There are a lot but just name some of the main points along the way

Answer 2

Follows eyes past midline (6 weeks)
Smiles (6 weeks)
Sits with support (2-7 months)
Sits without support (5-8 months)
Crawls (6-9 months) 
Pulls to standing position (6-10 months)
Walks holding on (7-13 months)
Drinks from cup (10-15 months)
Waves goodbye (8-12 months)
Climbs stairs (14-20 months)
Scribbles (1-2 years)
Uses a spoon (14-24 months)
Clothing (21-26 months)
Buttons (30-42 months)
Jumps on spot (20-30 months)
Tricycle (21-36 months)
Bowel control (18 months – 4 years)
Bladder control (8 months – 4 years)
Clear hand preference (2-5 years)

Question 3

In terms of social and language milestones what is the progression of tasks that a child should complete? There are a lot but just name some of the main points along the way

Answer 3

Social smile (6 weeks)
Cooing (3 months)
Turns to voice (4 months)
Babbles (6-9 months)
Mamma/Dadda with no meaning (8-9 months)
Mamma/Dadda with meaning (10-18 months)
Understands several words (1 year)
Speaks single words (12-15 months)
Points to body parts (14-22 months)
Able to name one body part (18 months)
Combine 2 words (14-24 months)
Speaks 6 or more words (12-20 months)
Able to name 5 body parts (2 years)
Has 50 word vocabulary (2 years)
Uses pronouns (2 years)

Question 4

What should a child be able to do at 6 weeks?

Answer 4

GM: limbs flexed, head lag, prone chin lifting
FM: follows person with moving eyes, hands predominantly open
Language: Vocalises
Social: smiles at mother, watches face

Question 5

What should a child be able to do at 6 months?

Answer 5

GM: Good head control, roll over, sit when held
FM: moves object hand to hand, reaches for object with palmar grasp, can grasp rattle
Language: responsive to word “no” and changes in tone, turns to sound
Social: friendly to everyone, has likes and dislikes, talks to mirrors

Question 6

What should a child be able to do at 12 months?

Answer 6

GM: Sits unsupported, lying to sitting, pulls self up on furniture (cruising)
FM: pincer grip
Language: Mamma/dada without meaning and knows the meaning of many words
Social: stranger danger

Question 7

What should a child be able to do at 15 months?

Answer 7

GM: Sitting to standing alone, walks (unstable), crawl upstairs
FM: Pincer grasp of pellet, point to what they want. Tower of 2 bricks
Language: listens and enjoys songs, says Mamma/Dadda with meaning
Social: understands many phrases, indicates wants

Question 8

What should a child be able to do at 18 months?

Answer 8

GM: steady gait and can run short distances
FM: scribbles with crayon. Turns 2/3 pages
Language: can point to 2/3 parts of the body
Social: drinks from cup

Question 9

What should a child be able to do at 2 years?

Answer 9

GM: Up and down stairs. Climb furniture. Throw and kick ball
FM: Tower of 6 bricks. Vertical line. Shapes in slots.
Language: asks for food/drink. 2/3 word sentences
Social: feeds self with spoon

Question 10

What should a child be able to do at 3 years?

Answer 10

GM: Walks upstairs with alternating feet. Stand on one foot. Tricycle.
FM: Tower of 9 cubes, copies circle,
Language: Knows nursery rhymes. Count to 10. Two colours. Uses 3 word sentences.
Social: can undress and dress. Needs help with buttons and which shoe, imaginative play, 2 step commands

Question 11

What should a child be able to do at 4 years?

Answer 11

GM: walks down stairs using alternating feet. Hop on 1 foot
FM: copies square
Language: Gives 1st and 2nd name
Social: Can attend all toilet needs, dresses with supervision

Question 12

What should a child be able to do at 5 years?

Answer 12

GM: hops on 1 foot
FM: draws person in 3 parts
Language: Knows some colours, knows age
Social: dresses without supervision

Question 13

What are the 6 main red flags to be concerned about generally when assessing development?

Answer 13

Developmental Regression: when a child is going backward in one or more aspects of their development

Prematurity: if child born at less than 28 weeks or BW less than 1500g

Conditions associated with high risk of developmental delay including chromosomal abnormalities, significant hearing and/or vision loss, dysmorphism or when abnormal neurological examination

High index of suspicion based on observations, failed screening tests or major psychosocial/family risk factors

Major parental concern despite normal observation

Suspicion of autism

Question 14

What are some red flags to be concerned regarding developmental delay in each of the 4 domains?

Answer 14

Gross Motor: not walking at 18 months
Fine Motor: Handedness at less than 10 months
Language: less than 3 words at 18 months
Social: Not smiling at 3 months, not pointing at 15-18 months

Question 15

How do you calculate developmental milestones in a preterm baby?

Answer 15

It is important to correct the age of a preterm baby to term and then calculate the developmental milestones according to that corrected age. This should be done up til the child is 2 years old.

Question 16

What are some biological and environmental risk factors which can lead to a potential delay in normal development?

Answer 16

Biological: prematurity, low birth weight, birth injury, vision or hearing impairment or chronic illness.

Environmental: Divided into immediate family or community. Immediate family includes low parental education, parental mental illness, social isolation, poverty etc. Community includes poor housing, poor quality services, lack of access to services etc.