Childhood Development
Developmental Delays
All parents anticipate and track their child's development, and the majority of the time children meet their milestones on time. However, some parents get concerned when their child doesn't do something by the age he or she is "supposed to." It's even worse when a friend or relative is telling you all the amazing things his or her child is doing that yours is not.
Is your child eligible for early intervention services in Virginia?
A child and family may receive early intervention supports and services if the child is: up to three years old and has certain levels of developmental delay, differences in development and/or a diagnosed condition.
Childfind Program (Ages 2 – 21)
Do you suspect your child has a disability?
Infant Toddler Connection (ITC) serves children birth through 2 years of age.
If your child is of school age (5-21) and is home-schooled, attends a private school within the boundaries of Fauquier County, or attends a Fauquier County Public School call the public school in which you are districted.
Developmental Milestones
Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye bye” are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and move (crawling, walking, etc.).
Print the milestone checklists (PDF)
Click the button below to see photo and video examples of important developmental milestones.
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Use the library as an aid in completing the milestone checklist for your child’s age.
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Complete an interactive milestone checklist that features videos and images from this library with CDC’s new Milestone Tracker app.
Developmental Resources
early literacy
Young children are very observant, and you may be struggling to address difficult conversations with them. It is during these times of anxiety when children are most in need of a secure environment and opportunities for one-on-one engagement with a loved one. Please see below some of our favorite resources to add to your activities at home.
Experiencing and engaging in language-rich interactions helps children develop communication skills, patience, empathy, and literacy—all of which are critical to success in school and beyond.
When we read with our young ones, we help grow their curiosity and memory. Stories transport them to places and times they have never experienced, enhancing their understanding of the world.
Reading together should be the most magical, memorable, and enjoyable part of a child’s—and a caregiver’s—day. Snuggle close and look at the book together; act out the voices and the noises in the stories and ask older children to answer questions or retell the story. Reading together will create memories—and impart benefits—that last a lifetime.
fine motor skills
MamaOT.com is a place dedicated to encouraging, educating, and empowering those who care for children by sharing helpful insights & fun, practical ideas.
gross motor skills
Watching your baby learn to crawl and move independently can be a truly memorable time. Take advantage of this brief period; before you know it, your little one will be pulling up, standing, and walking. Not every infant crawls in the traditional manner.
Tummy Time Tools helps you make sure your baby gets enough time on his tummy each day. This is done through activities such as handling, carrying, diapering, positioning, feeding and playing with your baby. All of these should take place while your baby is awake and supervised.
speech & language
Children develop certain skills at different times as they move through the early stages of learning language. On the average, children learn to read by age seven, but learning to read is dependent upon their acquisition of a good foundation of skills.
This is a collective resource of norms for speech-language development. Questions are often asked regarding typical age of sound acquisition and development of language. These resources will assist in answering those questions and providing resources to parents and colleagues.