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Developmental Screenings

DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS >> 

Pretend City uses the ASQ (Ages and Stages Questionnaire) to assess if children are on track developmentally based on their skills, interactions and abilities. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends developmental screenings at 9, 18, 24 and 36 months. The ASQ pinpoints the developmental progress in the following areas: communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving and personal-social skills. There is also a screening specifically for social-emotional development. It is used by early educators and health care professionals to celebrate milestones and identify delays.

In as little as 15 minutes, this free questionnaire captures your child’s strengths and areas for further support. Pretend City staff can send articles that can benefit the child and family based on the results.

Screenings will be processed online within three weeks. A FREE admission ticket will be emailed with your results.

*If results indicate a need for further services or a referral, you will be contacted by our partner, Help Me Grow Orange County.

Two types of ASQs are available: the ASQ-3, which evaluates growth and development, and the ASQ:SE-2, which evaluates social and emotional development. You can take one or both. They will each take about 20 minutes to complete.

Click Here for ASQ-3 (Growth and Development)
Click Here for ASQ SE (Social and Emotional)
Click Here for ASQ-3 Spanish (Growth and Development)
Click Here for ASQ SE Spanish (Social and Emotional)

What Can I Expect As My Child Develops?

Below are some developmental screenings the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends looking for:

By 6 Months

  • Rolls both ways (front to back, back to front)
  • Sits without support
  • Responds to own name
  • Explores toys with hands and mouth
  • Looks for partially hidden objects
  • Imitates sounds that you make
  • Transfers objects from one hand to the other
  • Makes “happy” and “sad” noises

By 12 Months

  • Scoots or crawls
  • Walks with or without support
  • Babbles and says “Mama” and “Dada”
  • Responds to simple requests
  • Pokes and points with index finger
  • Uses thumb and index finger to pick up small items
  • Has strong preference for primary caregiver
  • Imitates gestures like a wave or a kiss

By 18 Months

  • Climbs onto and down from furniture with assistance
  • Points to pictures in a book with index finger
  • Stacks items such as books
  • Knows three body parts
  • Uses several words including “no” and “mine”
  • Plays with toys by their function (phone, comb, cups)
  • Tries to activate a toy (winding, flipping switch, pushing)
  • Does things for attention and looks for a reaction

By 24 Months

  • Kicks a ball and can walk on tiptoes
  • Begins to run
  • Uses simple sentences of 2 or more words
  • Follows simple directions (e.g., “hand me your book”)
  • Sorts items by color, shape and size
  • Learning to share and take turns
  • Scribbles and may begin to copy vertical lines and circles
  • Recites repeated phrases from well-known books

By 36 Months

  • Catches a ball against chest
  • Undresses and unties shoes
  • Names actions in pictures (e.g., running, crying)
  • Answers “what” and “where” questions
  • Categorizes by group (trucks, animals, foods)
  • Completes 4 to 5 piece puzzles
  • When looking at books, can tell the difference between words and pictures
  • Starts to make friends

By 4 years

  • Steers a tricycle or pedal car around objects
  • Colors within lines and can draw a face
  • Knows opposites (hot/cold, big/little)
  • Asks “when” “why” and “how” questions
  • Uses regular past tense (“ed”)
  • Correctly counts out 10 items (1-1 correspondence)
  • Recognizes name in print
  • Pretends by role playing

By 5 Years

  • Balances on one foot, skips and jumps forward
  • Cuts out shapes with scissors
  • Understands 13,000 words
  • Answers questions about a story
  • Compares amounts using words like “more”, “less”, “same”
  • Plays simple board games
  • Acts out plays and stories
  • Understands rules

Over 5

  • Hops and gallops in a straight line
  • Uses mature (tripod) pencil grasp
  • Can wait their turn
  • Produces all sounds correctly (by 7)
  • Correctly uses past and future tenses
  • Listens to stories without pictures
  • Identifies start and end sounds in words
  • Adds and subtracts simple numbers
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