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Online Paediatric Service

Developmental
Milestones

Rolling, first words, first steps, pretend play: milestones tell a story. Screening reads it early, when support helps most.

Medically reviewed by Dr. Chitrakshi Tewari, MD (Paediatrics)

Milestones are the skills most children reach by a certain age across speech, movement, social and thinking areas. They are a guide, not a race, but persistent delays are worth checking early, when support works best. Dr. Chitrakshi Tewari offers online developmental screening against CDC and AAP benchmarks, with clear guidance on early intervention where it is needed.

Free interactive tool on this page

Scroll down to the Milestone Check: pick your child's age, tick what they already do, and get a clear picture plus talking points for your next visit. Five minutes, completely private, in English or हिंदी.

Why early matters so much

The first three years are when the brain is at its most adaptable, which is why paediatric guidance worldwide, including the AAP's recommendation of structured developmental screening at 9, 18 and 30 months, emphasises catching delays early. Early support consistently outperforms waiting, and "let's wait and watch" costs exactly the months when help works best.

What screening looks at

Speech and language: babbling, first words, sentences
Gross motor: head control, sitting, walking, running
Fine motor: grasp, scribbling, self-feeding
Social and emotional: eye contact, name response, pretend play
Cognitive skills and problem-solving for age
Hearing and vision behaviours that underpin all of it

How an online screening works

Before the call you complete a short structured questionnaire for your child's age. On video, I watch your child play and interact, ask targeted questions, and where useful ask you to try small activities together on camera. You leave with a clear picture: on track, monitor and recheck, or refer for assessment and therapy, along with concrete activities for home either way.

Trust your gut

Parents' concerns are one of the best-validated early markers of developmental issues. If something feels off, screening is quick and either reassures you or starts help early. Both outcomes are wins.

Sources & further reading

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Learn the Signs. Act Early. milestone checklists.
  2. Lipkin PH, et al. Promoting optimal development: identifying infants and young children with developmental disorders. AAP, Pediatrics, 2020.
  3. World Health Organization, child health and development resources.

This page draws on the standard international sources above. It is educational and does not replace personalised advice from your child's doctor.

Dr. Chitrakshi Tewari, paediatrician
Medically reviewed by Dr. Chitrakshi Tewari
MD Paediatrics (LHMC & Kalawati Saran Children's Hospital, Delhi) · Gold Medalist · Online consultations across India
Interactive · 5 minutes · Private

The Milestone Check

Built on the CDC's Learn the Signs. Act Early. checklists: the things most children can do by each age. Tick honestly, and you will know exactly what to bring up at your next visit. Nothing you enter is saved or sent anywhere.


Prefer to be seen in person? Now consulting in Ghaziabad.

Dr. Chitrakshi holds an in-person OPD at Yashoda Hospital & Research Centre, Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad on Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, 6:00–8:00 PM, for children from birth to 18 years, and for pregnant, peripartum and postpartum mothers. Charges are as per hospital OPD rates. Clinic details & directions

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COMMON QUESTIONS

Questions parents ask

Every child is different. If your question is not answered here, ask it in a consultation, that is exactly what they are for.

Milestones are the skills most children develop by a certain age, grouped into motor (sitting, walking), speech and language, social and emotional, and thinking skills. They are a guide to track progress, not a strict deadline, since children develop at their own pace.
Possible signs include not meeting several milestones for their age, losing skills they once had, limited eye contact or response to their name, delayed speech, or difficulty with movement. A single late milestone is often fine; a pattern is worth screening early.
Trust your instincts and check in if your child is missing several milestones, has lost a skill, or you simply feel something is off. Concerns worth prompt review include no babbling or gestures by 12 months, no words by 16 months, or no two-word phrases by two years.
Act early, since the brain is most adaptable in the first years. Depending on the area, support may include speech therapy, occupational therapy or structured play-based programmes. Dr. Chitrakshi Tewari offers online developmental screening and guides you to the right next steps.
By 18 months, most toddlers use several single words. No words at 18 months deserves a proper screening, including a hearing check, rather than reassurance alone. Many late talkers catch up, but the ones who need help do far better when it starts early.
Screening is not a diagnosis; it identifies children who need a closer look. I guide you to the right assessment (developmental paediatrics, speech therapy, occupational therapy) and help you start parent-led strategies at home immediately, because you don't need to wait for an appointment to begin helping.
Reference lists like the CDC's updated milestone checklists are excellent for awareness. But interpretation needs context: prematurity, bilingual homes and temperament all matter. Use checklists to notice, and a clinician to interpret.
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