If You Remember Nothing Else
- Milestones are what most children do by an age, so "not yet" is a reason to ask — not a diagnosis.
- Losing a skill a child used to have is always a reason to be seen, at any age.
- Check hearing first when talking is late.
- Words in any language count. Learning two or three languages does not cause delay.
- Do not wait and see. When a child needs support, the earlier it starts, the more it helps.
How to Read the Result
Children develop at their own pace, and a child can be ahead in one area and later in another — a fast walker may be a slower talker. The milestones here are set at the age by which about three in four children do them, so most children who are "not yet" on one item turn out to be fine.
Ask anyway. A development review tells the child who is on their own timetable from the child who needs help, and hearing "all is well" is far better than losing months. Mention it at the next visit, or book a visit with general paediatrics. If your child needs more, the paediatrician refers them to the development team at Limi Children's Hospital.
Born Early?
Until the age of two, compare a premature baby with the checklist for their corrected age — their age now, minus the number of weeks they were born early. A baby born 8 weeks early who is 6 months old should be compared with a 4-month-old.
Signs to Act on at Any Age
Ask for a Review Soon
Book a visit, do not wait
- Loses skills they used to have — words, walking, playing
- Does not respond to sounds, or to their name by 12 months
- Rarely looks at faces or shares enjoyment
- Uses one side of the body much more than the other
- Very floppy or very stiff
- No words at all by 16 months; no two-word phrases by 2 years
- You, the nanny or the crèche are worried
Come In Now
These are not development questions
- Sudden loss of skills with drowsiness, vomiting or a fit
- Sudden weakness of an arm, leg or the face
- A baby whose head is growing very fast, with a bulging soft spot
Usually Fine
Keep an eye, mention at the next check
- Walked late but everything else is on track
- Bottom-shuffled instead of crawling
- Understands a lot but says less, and is catching up quickly
- Shy with strangers
Two or Three Languages at Home
Many Abuja homes use English with Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Pidgin or another language — sometimes several. Children learn more than one language well, and it does not cause speech delay. Two things help:
- Count words across all languages. A child who says "water" and "omi" and "ruwa" has three words.
- Speak the language you know best. Rich, natural talk in your strongest language builds more than hesitant talk in a language you are less sure of.
If a child is late across all the languages they hear, that is worth a review, whatever the reason. Read more in speech and language: what to expect.
Everyday Ways to Help
- Talk through the day. Name what you are doing, cooking, buying and seeing.
- Read and sing — any book, any song, any language. Point at pictures and wait for your child to point too.
- Follow their lead. Play with what interests them, and add one word to what they say: if they say "car", you say "red car".
- Give floor time. Tummy time for babies when awake; space to crawl, pull up and climb safely.
- Turn off the background TV. Screens that are always on reduce the talk children hear. Under 2, keep screens for video calls with family.
- Let them try. Feeding themselves, dressing, pouring — the mess is the learning.
What a Development Review Is
A development review is an unhurried appointment where a paediatrician watches your child play, talks with you about how they are at home and at crèche or school, checks hearing and vision, and examines them. When your child needs more, the paediatrician brings in speech therapy, physiotherapy or another of the hospital's 30+ specialties, all under one roof. You leave with a plan, not just a label. How the development service works.
Questions Parents Ask
My 14-month-old is not walking yet. Should I worry?
Many healthy children walk between 12 and 18 months. If your child is pulling to stand and cruising along furniture, they are on their way. Ask for a review if they are not walking by 18 months, or are not bearing weight on their legs by 12 months.
Will a baby walker help my baby walk sooner?
No. Walkers do not speed up walking and cause many injuries from falls and tipping over. Floor time is better.
People say boys talk later than girls. Is that true?
Boys are, on average, slightly later to talk, but the difference is small. A boy who is behind on the talking milestones needs a review, just like a girl.
Can phones and TV cause speech delay?
Heavy screen use in young children is linked with slower language, mostly because it replaces talking and play. It is not the only cause, so a child with late speech still needs a review.
Will anyone else see my answers?
No. The checker works entirely on your phone and nothing is sent or saved.
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn the Signs. Act Early. Milestone checklists, revised 2022.
- Zubler JM, Wiggins LD, Macias MM, et al. Evidence-informed milestones for developmental surveillance tools. Pediatrics, 2022.
- World Health Organization, UNICEF, World Bank Group. Nurturing care for early childhood development. 2018.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Media and young minds (policy statement). Pediatrics, 2016.
Written for parents and carers in NigeriaClinically reviewed by Limi Children’s Hospital cliniciansLast updated September 2026Next review due September 2027