Developmental Screening — Anoki

Developmental Screening

Routine checks to ensure your child’s development is right on track

Early childhood is a time of rapid growth. A developmental screening is a quick, proactive way to verify your child is hitting their milestones and to catch any subtle delays before they become bigger challenges.

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A pediatrician performing a routine developmental screening on a happy toddler

Screening vs. Evaluation: A screening is a brief check to see if learning or development is on track. If a screening identifies an area of concern, or if you already suspect a specific delay, a more in-depth Developmental Delay Evaluation is then recommended.

See Developmental Evaluation →

Peace of mind for proactive parents

You don't need to have a specific worry to book a screening. In fact, routine screenings are the best way to reassure yourself that your child's physical, cognitive, and social skills are progressing beautifully. If a little extra help is needed, catching it early makes all the difference.

Validated

Screening Tools

Preventative

Care Focus

9, 18, 30 Mos

Key Screening Ages

MBBS, DCH, DNB

Pediatric Qualifications

What we check

Five key areas of development

During a screening, we take a quick but comprehensive look at how your child navigates the world around them.

Gross Motor Skills

Checking large muscle movements like sitting unassisted, crawling, pulling to stand, walking, and jumping.

Fine Motor Skills

Looking at hand-eye coordination and small movements, like picking up a piece of cereal, stacking blocks, or scribbling.

Communication Skills

Monitoring babbling, pointing, early vocabulary, and whether they understand and respond to simple directions.

Problem Solving

Observing how they interact with their environment, search for hidden toys, and figure out how objects work.

Personal-Social Skills

Checking for healthy eye contact, reciprocal smiling, self-feeding, and how they play alongside or with others.

Emotional Regulation

Briefly noting how they handle transitions, novel environments, and basic emotional reactions for their age.

The recommended timeline

When screenings should happen

While basic surveillance happens at every visit, formal screenings are recommended at these specific ages.

9 Months

Early Foundations

Focusing on early communication, sitting, crawling, and recognizing object permanence (looking for a dropped toy).

18 Months

The Critical Window

A major milestone check focusing on walking, early vocabulary, following directions, and specific autism screening (M-CHAT).

30 Months

Complex Play

Focusing on advanced motor skills, forming complex sentences, peer play, and emerging independence.

[Note: Screenings can be performed at any age if a parent or caregiver raises a specific concern.]

What happens

Your child's screening, step by step

Parent questionnaires

You may be asked to fill out a structured questionnaire (like the ASQ) answering simple questions about what your child can do at home.

Play-based observation

Dr. Sushma will spend a few minutes interacting with your child, using toys or simple tasks to naturally observe their skills in action.

Milestone checklist

A quick, structured review of their current physical, cognitive, and social abilities against established developmental norms.

Reviewing results together

Dr. Sushma will discuss the findings clearly with you, celebrating their progress and pointing out any areas to watch.

Next steps

You’ll leave with peace of mind, simple play activities to encourage new skills, or, if needed, a plan for a deeper developmental evaluation.

Before your visit

What to bring

Helping us get an accurate picture

Completed questionnaires

If the clinic provided you with an ASQ or M-CHAT form to fill out at home, please remember to bring the completed copy.

A well-rested child

Try to schedule the screening for a time when your child is typically awake and alert, not right before nap time or when they are hungry.

A record of past milestones

If you've kept notes or a baby book on when they achieved past skills (like rolling over or their first word), please bring it along.

Your minor doubts

Screenings are the perfect time to ask about those small, lingering questions you might have about a specific behavior or movement.

If a screening flags a concern

A screening is not a diagnosis. If a screening indicates that your child is missing key milestones, it simply means we need to take a closer look. Dr. Sushma will seamlessly guide you into a more comprehensive Developmental Delay Evaluation, and if necessary, consult with our Pediatric Neurologist to ensure your child gets the exact support they need.

Developmental Evaluation →

Your Pediatrician

Dr. K. Sushma

MBBS, DCH, DNB Pediatrics · Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Dr. Sushma believes in proactive, preventative care. She uses standardized screening tools to give parents objective peace of mind, catching subtle developmental nuances early when simple home-based strategies can often make the biggest impact.

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Common questions

Questions parents often ask

Why screen if my child seems perfectly fine?

Many developmental delays are incredibly subtle in the early years and can easily be missed in a busy household. A formal screening ensures nothing slips through the cracks, giving you objective confirmation that they are on track.

What tools do you use for screening?

We use globally recognized, standardized tools such as the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) for general development, and the M-CHAT for specific autism screening around 18-24 months.

What happens if my child "fails" the screening?

A screening is not a pass/fail test. If the screening flags an area of concern, it just means we need to gather more information. It often leads to a few simple strategies to practice at home or a referral for a deeper developmental evaluation.

Can't I just use a milestone app at home?

Apps are great for general guidance, but they lack clinical context. A screening by a pediatrician pairs standardized questions with an expert's clinical observation of your child's muscle tone, eye contact, and overall health.

How long does a screening take?

The screening itself is usually quite quick—often integrated into a routine well-child visit or scheduled as a dedicated 20-30 minute session to allow time to discuss the results.

Ensure their foundation is strong from the start.

Book a developmental screening with Dr. K. Sushma at our Pragathi Nagar clinic.

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