What to Ask Developmental Pediatrician

One of my sweet friends was approached by her child’s teacher about having her son tested for delays.  She was thrown so off guard and had no idea where to start or what to do. The first thing to do, is to arrange an appointment with a developmental pediatrician. The developmental pediatrician can tell you if you need a referral for an evaluation with a therapist (speech, occupational, or physical).

Upon making the appointment to see the pediatrician, make sure you form a list documenting your child’s milestones thus far. You know your child best, so this part should be easy. Things I documented:

·        I wrote down every word that came out of my child’s mouth for a week

·        I kept a food journal

·        I documented movement and concerns

·        I recorded my child’s responses to others and the environment (noise, light, textures)

Then, write down questions you have about your child’s development. I have included some of the questions I had in the past as examples:

·        Your child’s speech: When should my child being expressing themselves through movement such as pointing and waving? How many words should my child be saying at that age? How well should I understand my child? When should my child be able to eat certain foods? When should my child stop drooling? When should my child be able to chew?

·        Your child’s motor development: When should my child be able to roll over, stand, take a step, walk, run? When should my child stop toe walking? How far should my child be able to go without being held? When should my child be able to hold a writing device, or draw a line, circle, letters, and numbers? When should my child have better balance?

·        Your child’s social development: How should my child be interacting with others?

After you prepare yourself for the visit, you have to go through the hard part of waiting and the doctor’s response. The doctor may not have all the answers yet. You may need further testing. No matter what happens, know that you are not alone. There are many people out there that are going through this journey too and are willing to walk beside you. The journey isn’t easy, but there is support. Good luck!