Return to Articles

2.21.2024

Learn the Signs – Act Early

A silhouette-type image of a young girl holding an adult's hand with the sun in the background.

As a parent, you already have what it takes to help your young child learn and grow. Understanding key developmental milestones will help you look for signs of delays or potential concerns to discuss with your healthcare provider, early childhood program, or other early childhood partner. If concerns arise, you may be advised to have a developmental screening completed with a trained early childhood professional. 

Developmental milestones are skills and behaviors that babies and young children experience at certain ages as they grow. Parents, grandparents, early childhood providers and other caregivers can participate in developmental monitoring to observe how your child grows and changes over time and to determine whether your child meets the typical developmental milestones for their age.

You can review the developmental milestones on the First 5 Nevada website or you can download the CDC’s Checklist. Both resources offer a list of key milestones based on the age of your child, issues to discuss with your child’s healthcare provider, and tips for helping your child grow and learn.

The CDC has also developed a free Milestone Tracker App that is available on iOS and Android devices. 

Developmental screening takes a closer look at how your child is developing.
Your child will get a brief test, or you will complete a questionnaire about your child. The tools used for developmental and behavioral screening are formal questionnaires or checklists based on research that ask questions about a child’s development, including language, movement, thinking, behavior, and emotions. 

Developmental screening can be done by a doctor or nurse, but also by other professionals in healthcare, early childhood education, community, or school settings. Developmental screening is more formal than developmental monitoring and is normally done less often than developmental monitoring. 

Your child should be screened if you or your doctor have a concern. However, developmental screening is a regular part of some of the well-child visits for all children even if there is not a known concern.

If you have any concerns about your child’s development, talk to your child’s healthcare provider or early childhood provider right away. The sooner you act, the sooner you and your child can receive the resources and support they need to grow and thrive!

Resources:

 

All content in this article was adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Learn the Signs, Act Early Program. 

Special Needs and Early Intervention

Related News

Young girl holding vegetable at table with young boy eating a sandwich, in a classroom setting
Get Involved Parenting and Family Support Special Needs and Early Intervention
Family Leadership Council Announces Name Change
Read More

The Nevada Early Childhood Family Leadership Council has joined forces with First 5 Nevada and is now the First 5 Nevada Family Leadership Council! Learn more about this group and how you can get involved to improve Nevada’s early childhood programs and services.

Women in a doctors office setting checking a little baby boys heart, with another adult figure sitting with the child
Parenting and Family Support Special Needs and Early Intervention
Transforming Children’s Behavioral Health Care
Read More

Nevada Medicaid is investing more than $200 million over the next two years to improve coverage and access to behavioral health services for children and their families.

Baby boy smiling and laughing, sitting on a desk with adults smiling at table
Get Involved Parenting and Family Support Special Needs and Early Intervention
Calling Parents and Caregivers to Share Your Story!
Read More

Do you have a child under 8 years old with a disability? OR do you speak a language other than English? You are invited to participate in this feedback session about early childhood care and education, community resources and initiatives for families.


Sign Up for the First 5 Nevada Newsletter

Questions, inquiries, or need help?

This campaign is supported with funding from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Child Care and Development Fund through the America Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) administered by the Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services Child Care and Development Program (Federal Grant #2021, G990232) and the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five Initiative (PDG B-5) (Federal Grant #90TP099) administered by the Nevada Department of Education, Office of Early Learning and Development, subawarded to The Children’s Cabinet. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Departments, Division, Office nor ACF.

© First 5 Nevada | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Website by Purdue Marion & Associates and 37 Gears