| This DEVELOPMENTAL
CHECKLIST is a simple and quick way
to recognise possible problem areas in a child's development . The checklist
would help you to look at the child as a whole.It is important to look
at different developmental areas such as speech, understanding, play
etc in children at every age.
Watch and listen to the child while playing. You are looking at what the child is usually like. Do not use the checklist when the child is ill, tired or irritable. Each age section lists activities that most children do sometime between the first age and the second age in that section. For example by 12 months, most children will be able to do all the listed activities in the 6 to 12 months section. However, most children will not be able to do these things at 6 months. The same is true of each age section. Therefore do not be concerned if a child at an early end of an age level can not do all of the activities. Since children develop at different rates, do not panic just because a child seems behind on one task. If a child at the upper end of the age level cannot do all the activities, a look by a professional who can give a developmental test is the next step. |
| STAGE |
|
|
|
|
|
| AGE | 0-6 months | 6-12 months | 12-18 months | 1 1/2-3 years | 3-5years. |
| SPEECH | Does child make cooing and babling sounds? | Does child repeat sounds and babble tunefully? | Does child use sounds with meaning and some recognisable words? | Does child use single words and sometimes put 2 words together? | Does child put words together to make sentences. Is she understood by strangers? If "No", describe. |
| UNDER-
STANDING |
Does child understand how basic needs will be met, e.g. crying if hungry or wet? | Does child understand simple instructions when gestures are used? | Does child follow instructions when gestures are not used. e.g. shows parts of her body? | Does child understand simple language like other children of her age? | Can child follow and take part in conversations? |
| GESTURES | Does child smile, frown, laugh? does child reach hand out towards objects? | Does child point to
objects or people that she is interested
in? |
Does child link gestures
with a situation.e.g. waves "bye bye", says
" thank you", claps etc. |
Does child use getures to get other people to do things for her, e.g.points to cup when she wants a drink? | Does child use gestures to get her messages across? |
| PLAY | Is child interested in people and objects? Will she make eye contact? | Does child explore/play with objects? Does she look for hidden objects? | Does child like simple pretend play, e.g. putting spoon in cup, pretenting to feed herself? | Does child build with bricks? Does child copy simple domestic activities? | Does child enjoy games with rules? Does child play pretend games with other children? |
| ATTENTION | Does child look at mother /carer when she speak? | Does child look towards new sounds or things? | Can child sttend to simple tasks and not be disracted by new sounds or things? | Does child attend for longer periods to more difficult tasks,e.g. building bricks, pretend play? | Can child listen and speak to people, while she is doing a task? |
| LISTENING | Does child respond to sound and look to where it is coming from? | Does child recognise differences in sounds and their meaning, e.g. dog barking, bus arriving? | Does child listen when mother/carer speaks to her? | Does child listen more carefully to speech? Does she try to imitate words? | In a noisy placecan child ignore background noise and listen to mother/carer? |
| TURNTAKING
AND IMITATION |
Does child take turns in making sounds with mother/carer,i.e.if mother copies child's sounds will she repeat them? | Does child repeat her own sounds in a playful way? | Does child imitate adult's actions and sounds? Does she want adult to take turns in her game? | Does child try to copy words she hears? | Can child take turns in a conversation? |
| ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING | Can child close lips on a spoon? Does she take food to her mouth? | Does child chew food and drink from a cup? Does child cooperate in dressing? | Does child feed herself? Can she take off simple clothes? | Does she wash her own face and hands?Is she almost toilet trained? | Can she wash and dry herself? Can she dress herself? Does she see to own toilet needs? |
| GROSS MOTOR | Does child bring hands to midline? Does child sit with support? | Can child crawl? Does she pull up to standing? Can she walk with support? | Can child walk?
Does child run stiffy? |
Can child run freely? Can she jump with both feet together? | Can child hop?
Can child jump? Can child skip? |