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TESTING TIMES

COMPARING your child with others the same age is all part of being a parent, even though these observations are far from reliable and can often cause unnecessary worry.

But a new book, The Baby Development Test, hopes to prevent such comparisons by giving parents tests that show how their kids are developing.

The Baby Development Test contains a series of tests which can help parents assess their child’s development against that of an average child. It also aims to give them a clearer idea of the levels of development to expect in future, helping them to understand how to encourage and stimulate their children.

The book's author, psychologist Dr Dorothy Einon, says: "What I’ve tried to do is use a series of developmental tests which show parents their child is on the right track.

"It’s a way of saying 'your child’s okay', and gives them the information they need to encourage children in the future.

"It checks the sort of milestones that parents like to look at."

The book, which caters for children aged between about six months and five years, begins by looking at physical and mental development in the early years, showing what the average baby or toddler can do at certain ages.

It goes on to examine cognitive skills — learning, memory and thinking — and language, before looking at a child’s knowledge of himself and others and his independence.

“If you want to know how to learn with them, look a bit further into the test and see what sort of things they’ll be doing next, because if you know that, you can help them learn,” Einon says.

And she stresses that if a child doesn’t do well in particular parts of the test, it shouldn’t matter, as some children excel at some things and are poor at others.

“If your child is slow sitting up, they’ll probably be slow walking, but if everything else is okay, there’s not likely to be a problem.”

But there are certain areas where Einon recommends further checks.

“If they’re slow talking, for example, get their ears checked, and if they’re way behind generally, reassure yourself with a developmental check.

“For most children, such checks will pick up any problems early.”

And parents themselves don’t escape the testing. The book includes a section on child-rearing skills aimed at both parents to pick up any differences in their approaches.

“It points out the discrepancies in how parents expect children to behave, and what they consider is the right way to treat a child.

“There isn’t necessarily a right way and a wrong way to parent a child, but what they do need is consistency between both parents.”

Sample questions for toddlers (12-18 months) include:

1. Can your child clap his hands, wave good bye and indicate he wants to be lifted up?
   a) None of these.
   b) One of these.
   c) Two or more of these.
2. Can your child
   a) Put an object into a container?
   b) Build a tower of two cubes?
   c) Build a tower of three cubes?
3. Can your child
   a) Imitate an action you show him?
   b) ‘Brum’ a car?
   c) Feed a doll?

The average 12-month-old should get an 'A' for most questions, the average 15-month-old should get more B's, and the average 18-month-old is expected to gain mostly B's with some C's.