Every child develops at their own pace, but if your child consistently doesn’t respond to their name by their first birthday, it could be a cause for concern.

Possible reasons why a child won’t respond to their name:

1. A hearing impairment
2. If this is accompanied by a lack of eye contact and other communication delays then it could be a red flag for autism.
3. If autism has been ruled out, it could be a form or receptive language disorder that affects the child’s overall understanding of language.

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There could be a number of causes for developmental delay or a diagnosis of Autism spectrum disorder, learning or intellectual disability. Usually it cannot be attributed to any one factor but more to a combination of:

1. Pre-mature birth
2. Complications in pregnancy or delivery
3. Genetic pre-disposition. In conditions such as autism, global developmental delay, ADHD, learning difficulties etc, there may be a genetic component involved. ( this does not mean that someone in the family has to have the same disorder. The gene could be carried by anyone in the family, but may haveexpressed symptomatically in your child). However, conditions like Down’s syndrome, Fragile X syndrome are mainly genetic.
4. Serious illness at a young age( if your child had meningitis, or any other serious infection before 1-2 years of age they could develop secondary delays because of it)
5. Environmental stressors
6. Immune system dysregulations
7. Lack of oxygen at birth

No, all these conditions are due to neurological (brain) dysfunctions and are not ‘caused’ by exposure to excessive screen time.

1. Cannot walk by 18 months.
2. Cannot speakfew words by 18 months
3. Cannot use two-word sentences by age 2
4. Cannot ask for things they want, just point or take you to the things they want .
5. Cannot imitate actions or words by 24 months
6. Cannot follow simple instructions by 24 months
7. Does not play with explore or play with toys like other children.

For a more comprehensive month-wise checklist, check our blog page or Instagram. 

A developmental paediatrician or a neurologist or a child psychiatrist/psychologist are all qualified to diagnose your child and prescribe therapy or medications.

However, you can come directly to an Occupational or speech therapist with concerns about your child and what interventions can to be to help them achieve appropriate milestones.

At Walnut, we have a basic screening tool to assess their levels and educate you about the next steps. We are also associated with paediatricians and other experts in the field and if required we can refer you to the appropriate professional as well.

If you want to book an appointment call us at:

Medication is used to manage symptoms such as sleep disturbances,poor attention spans, self-stimming behaviours, aggression, anxiety, hyperactivity etc. Autism is a neurodevelopment disorder that affects multiple areas of functioning including social and communication skills, intelligence, inflexibility etc. These have to be improved by training and intervention.

All children throw tantrums. However, for a child with a learning disability, intellectual disability or who is on the spectrum this behaviour has become a language to escape situations where they are expected to do something they can’t. It is important to understand the difference between things they ‘won’t do’ and ‘can’t do’.

For example if your child wants something and doesn’t know how to ask for it the only way they think they can get what they want is by crying or screaming. If in the past, they have gotten what they want by doing this , they will continue this behaviour.

To learn how to manage challenging behaviours look at our blogs and Instagram pages for information, tools and resources.

No, Occupational therapy is derived from the word “OCCUPATION”, which means activities people engage in to occupy your time. A child’s occupation is to play. Occupational therapy uses principles of neurodevelopment, behaviour, cognition etc to teach your child skills through the medium of ‘play’.

The answer is as early as possible. As a parent, if you find some concerning signs, go with your instincts. Don’t wait till your child is older hoping they will catch-up. The prevalence of developmental delays has increased significantly in the last decade. Early intervention is extremely beneficial in facilitating development and preventing secondary problems like behaviour difficulties. Do not ask others’ opinions, directly consult a paediatrician or therapist near you.

Many people due to lack of awareness are sceptical about effectiveness of therapy and possible gains a child can make. It is our recommendation that you attend the therapy sessions with your child. Ask questions about what the therapist is doing and why. Be present in the room and carry on the same practices at home. At Walnut, we want you to be equally involved in your child’s development and are happy to answer your questions if you are not convinced as to what we do and why.