Developmental Concerns: When to Seek Help

An independent educational resource prepared by Mark M. Simonian, MD, FAAP

Sources checked: August 6, 2026     |     Medical review completed: August 6, 2026

This page is for general education only and does not replace individualized medical advice. This resource does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. For questions about your own child, contact your child's current healthcare professional.

Magnolia Pediatrics, Valley Children's Healthcare

2497 E. Herndon Avenue, Suite 101, Clovis, CA 93611     |     559-538-3070

Children develop skills at different rates, and one missed milestone does not by itself diagnose a problem. Trust your observations, focus on the child's overall progress, and ask early when a skill is not developing, daily activities are difficult, or a child loses a skill they once had.

Urgent Warning Signs - Check This First

Most developmental concerns are not emergencies. A sudden loss of function or signs of a serious illness need prompt medical attention.

CALL 911 NOW

  • A child is not breathing, has severe trouble breathing, is blue or gray, limp or unresponsive, or is having a seizure

  • A child has sudden face drooping, weakness on one side, a sudden inability to speak or understand, or a sudden severe balance problem

  • You believe your child is in immediate danger or cannot be kept safe

GET EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE NOW

  • A child suddenly loses the ability to walk, use an arm or leg, see, speak, or swallow, especially after an injury or with severe headache, repeated vomiting, confusion, fever, or neck stiffness

  • A child has a new, rapidly worsening problem with alertness, strength, coordination, vision, or behavior

CONTACT YOUR CHILD'S HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL TODAY

  • Your child has lost a skill they once had, such as words, walking, play skills, social connection, or using a hand

  • You are concerned about hearing, vision, language, movement, learning, behavior, play, feeding, or self-care

  • Your child is not meeting one or more expected milestones, or a child-care provider, teacher, or family member who knows the child well shares a concern

  • Development is affecting daily life, school or child care, friendships, safety, or family functioning

What Development Includes

Development includes more than walking and talking. It includes how children play and learn, communicate, relate to others, manage emotions and behavior, move their bodies, and build everyday self-care skills. A concern in one area can be worth discussing even when other areas are going well.

Watch, Track, and Act Early

  • At well-child visits, share the skills your child is learning, what is difficult, and any concerns you or others have noticed

  • Use an age-appropriate milestone checklist or the CDC Milestone Tracker to organize your observations. These tools support conversation; they do not diagnose a condition

  • Do not wait for a routine visit if a child loses a learned skill or you have an important concern. Ask for a developmental screening and discuss the next steps

  • Write down specific examples, including when you first noticed the concern and whether it is stable, improving, or worsening

Screening and Early Intervention

Developmental monitoring is an ongoing discussion of how a child is progressing. Developmental screening is a more formal questionnaire or checklist used by trained professionals. Screening may be recommended at regular well-child visits and at any time a parent, caregiver, or clinician has a concern.

  • Ask your child's healthcare professional whether a developmental or autism screening is appropriate

  • If a concern remains, ask about referral for a further evaluation and about your local early-intervention program or public school district

  • For children younger than 3 years, families may contact their local early-intervention program directly. For children age 3 years and older, the local public elementary school district can help identify evaluation and support options

  • A diagnosis is not always needed before asking for an early-intervention evaluation

Support Development at Home

  • Talk, read, sing, and play together every day. Follow your child's interests and allow time for back-and-forth interaction

  • Offer routines and small chances to practice skills, such as dressing, feeding, drawing, talking, movement, and play with other children when appropriate

  • Use the language or languages that are natural for your family. Learning more than one language does not cause a developmental delay

  • Focus on connection and practice rather than comparing your child with another child. Bring questions to the healthcare professional early

Prepare for the Conversation

  • Specific examples of what your child does and does not do, and the age when you noticed the concern

  • Whether a skill was never present or was lost after being learned

  • A short list of questions from family, child-care staff, or teachers; brief videos can sometimes help when safely obtained and shared privately with the clinician

  • Information about hearing, vision, sleep, feeding, medical conditions, medicines, family history, and the languages used at home

Related Guides

  • Temper Tantrums, Aggression, and Big Feelings: When to Seek Help

  • Sleep Problems in Children: Bedtime, Night Waking, and Nightmares

  • Bedwetting in Children: What Is Normal and When to Seek Help

Sources and Medical Review

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Developmental Monitoring and Screening: Read source

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Developmental Milestones: Read source

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Why Act Early if You're Concerned about Development?: Read source

  • HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), Assessing Developmental Delays in Children: Read source

  • HealthyChildren.org (American Academy of Pediatrics), What Is Early Intervention?: Read source