Make the First Five Count: A Child Development Screening Tool

Make the First Five Count with Early Childhood Development 

The #1 Screening Tool Trusted by Pediatricians

Easterseals offers parents and caregivers free access to the confidential online Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition™ (ASQ-3). The ASQ-3 is a set of questionnaires that helps you track your child’s development from one month through age 5. Trusted by pediatricians (Lipkin, et al., 2020) and used for more than 20 years, this screening provides a quick look at how children are doing in important areas, such as communication, physical ability, social skills, and problem-solving skills. ASQ-3 can help identify your child’s strengths as well as any areas where your child might need support.  

Five Areas of Development

These are the five developmental areas screened with ASQ-3, and what you might consider doing to support your child as they age:  

1. Communication: Your child’s language skills, both what your child understands and what they can say. Talk, sing, read, and listen to your child every chance you can to encourage language and reading development. 
2. Gross Motor: How your child uses their arms and legs and other large muscles for sitting, crawling, walking, running, and other activities. Encourage your child to move—movements both big and small are important for physical growth. 
3. Fine Motor: Your child’s hand and finger movement and coordination. Consider drawing or coloring or playing with blocks or puzzles to help with hand-eye coordination and dexterity.   
4. Problem Solving: How your child plays with toys and solves problems. Play with interactive games, building blocks or other construction sets, and puzzles to encourage creativity and cognitive skills.   
5. Personal-Social: Your child’s self-help skills and interactions with others. Build strong relationships with your child to make them feel safe to develop trust, explore, and learn. Healthy social and emotional development can help your child cope with emotions and navigate peer relationships. 

Understand Child Development to Support Your Child's Growth

Knowing more about developmental milestones empowers you to provide the right support and activities for your child. Identifying potential delays early ensures timely access to resources that foster growth. Easterseals supports families nationwide to give every child the best start in life. 

Trust Your Instincts 

You know your child best. If something doesn’t feel right, share your concerns with a healthcare provider. As a parent or caregiver, you are often the first and most consistent observer.  

The most important thing to note is that if you are concerned or if you believe your child needs support in some of these areas, talk to your pediatrician. 

—Paula Pompa-Craven, Chief Clinical Officer at Easterseals Southern California 

Sharing your observations with your child’s healthcare provider is a crucial step in identifying potential issues early. Providers can offer insights, conduct evaluations, and connect you with resources or specialists if needed. Early intervention can make a significant difference, giving your child the support they need for future success.  

Early Identification & Treatment are Keys to Your Child’s Bright Future 

More than a million new neural connections in the brain are formed every second in the first few years of life (Harvard). That rapid growth during this period means that your child’s brain is highly adaptable and responsive, and those early years can lay the groundwork for cognitive, emotional, and social development.  

Early identification of any potential developmental delays, health issues, or learning challenges can allow for timely support and significantly improve outcomes. 

Early therapies for speech, motor skills, or social-emotional development can help your child build confidence. Similarly, addressing health concerns with hearing or vision can prevent them from impacting your child’s learning and daily life.