WHAT WE DO
WCDS takes a whole child approach, a global perspective, on learning and growing. We take into account the child’s personality and neurotype, the family values and goals, and each developmental domain as we target specific needs and skills with research-based practices. We support neurodiversity and believe in helping kiddos shine as they are.
WHO BENEFITS FROM DEVELOPMENTAL THEARAPY?
DT is recommended when a challenge or delay causes significant interference in the child’s ability to participate in an aspect of their daily life. You may want to reach out for the following reasons:
*It seems much harder for your child, compared to their peers, during a regular time such as at daycare, family meals/eating, playtime at the park, nap time, in the grocery store, when meeting new kids or family members, or anything else that your kiddo is regularly involved in.
* A child is not meeting common developmental milestones
* Seeking supplementary therapy for a child with any type of diagnosis
* Seeking support for one or more specific challenge (e.g., sleep issues, tantrums, anxiety, focusing, biting, meal time, remembering, making friends, etc.)
* Seeking nanny/caregiver education
* Seeking Autism support that is not ABA. This is not an Applied Behavioral Analysis affiliated or aligned practice.
Child development is an exciting and vastly complex process.
This complexity is why all kiddos develop differently. It’s also what makes it challenging to know when a child is in need of extra support to continue to grow and learn appropriately.
Occasionally these differences in development begin to interfere with your child’s ability to appropriately participate in normal routines within their daily life.
All children experience working through these challenges as they develop. This is commonly known as “meeting milestones”. When a child is not meeting milestones and is having a hard time with their usual activities it’s time to seek support. The “wait-and-see” approach is no longer recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Instead, let’s identify any needs or delays and work to get your kiddo on track while their brain is still rapidly growing.
Developmental Milestones and Possible Concerns If your child exhibits any of the concerns, or they are not meeting other developmental milestones found in this list, contact us for a consultation.
+ 2~ish Months
Important Milestones
- Seems to recognize parents + caregivers
- Begins to smile
- Notices and turns toward noises
- Begins to notice and move own hands
- Watches moving objects
- Starts to calm down/soothe easier
- Fusses when bored (want more entertainment)
- Can lift head while on tummy 1-2 seconds
Possible Concerns
- Any missed milestones
- Unable to be comforted (excessively fussy)
- Frequently arches body OR is frequently limp
- Can only turn head to 1 side
- Sleeping at night for less than 4 hour intervals
+ 6~ish Months
Important Milestones
- Enjoys back and forth play (peek-a-boo, etc.)
- Lifts arms toward preferred person
- Producing varied vocalizations, babbling
- Reacts to music (babbles and/or dances)
- Can move head around when sitting with help
- Can roll from tummy to back + back to side
- Can reach out and grab something they dropped
- Mouths/munches on solid foods
Possible Concerns
- Any missed milestones
- Frequently becomes very upset, gags
- Head is bobbing or tilted when sitting
- Can only roll 1 direction
- Playing with all toys/objects less than 1 minute
- Sleeping less than 14.5 hours per 24 hours
+ 8~9 Months
Important Milestones
- Plays with a non-electronic toy for 2-3 minutes
- Imitates simple activities (banging, swaying, etc.)
- Looks toward family members when named
- Begins to wave bye-bye
- Babbles double consonants (“baba”, “dada”, etc.)
- Sits without support for around 10 minutes
- Can crawl backwards, beginning forward
- Picks up small (cheerio sized) items with each hand
Possible Concerns
- Any missed milestones
- Limited interest in back and forth play (limited smiling, laughing, trying to imitate you)
- Begins to show excessive, prolonged fear to familiar activities/sounds (vacuum, hair washing, phone ringing, animal, doll, other) -Some new fear/awareness is expected
+ 12~ish Months
Important Milestones
- Feeds self with fingers
- Moves (crawls) to get desired objects
- Uses both hands to make a toy work
- Responds to “no” and “come here”
- Says “mama” or “dada” meaningfully
- Can crawl confidently, begins to walk with help
- Can stand alone for at least 3 seconds
- Chews food well and interested in spoon
- Greets others (says “hi” and “bye”)
Possible Concerns
- Any missed milestones
- Frequently on toes when standing
- Bangs head when upset
- Frequent gagging
- Very little laughing during silly play interactions
- Scoots or hops when crawling (need both hands and knees on floor, Tummy off floor)
+ 18 Months
Important Milestones
- Enjoys messy activities
- Enjoys looking at books
- Beginning to play pretend (eat toy food, etc.)
- Can point to 3+ animal pictures when named
- Says 15+ words independently (not imitating)
- Can walk across the room independently
- Can bend and pick up toy off floor without falling
- Can and will scribble with a crayon
- Expects usual routines and rituals
- Begins to take clothes/shoes off
- Can use spoon to scoop and put in mouth
Possible Concerns
- Any missed milestones
- Avoids touching messy things
- Knees are locked when walking
- Unable to function if routine changes
- Biting during strong emotions (even happy)
- Tantrums occur more than 6 times per day and last over 8 minutes
- Rigid, repetitive play (will not try something new with toy)
- Quickly gives up and becomes very frustrated with full tantrum
+ 2 Years
Important Milestones
- Explores with paint, play doh, coloring
- Tries to solve problems (gets ball under couch)
- Explores how to make toys fit inside/together
- Knows most body parts
- Can follow most directions (put your toy on the bed)
- Tells what happened when asked (wheel off!)
- Enjoys and joins in songs + rhymes
- Can imitate scribbling lines and circles
- Has given up bottle
- Enjoys playing near other kids, watches them
Possible Concerns
- Any missed milestones
- Any previously listed concerns
- Excessive need climb up or run into things
- Strong aversion to hugs or other touch
- At least half of walking/running is up on toes
- Difficulty napping or sleeping through night
- Extreme reactions to common noises like vacuum, group singing (covers ears, screams)
- Always worried OR almost no concern about their environment
+ 2 1/2 Years (30 Months)
Important Milestones
- Participates in make-believe (plays house, doctor)
- Recognizes people in pictures
- Can match 3+ shapes, colors
- Can sit and listen to stories for 10 minutes
- Uses 50+ words independently
- Dresses self with some assistance
- Can wash hands (turn on water, get soap, dry)
- Begins to interact and play with peers
- Becomes careful with fragile items
Possible Concerns
- Any missed milestones
- Any previously listed concerns
- Very sensitive to OR barely notices pain
- Cannot put socks or shoes on foot
- Spends more time frustrated than happy
- Unable to sit and eat at meal time
- Very fearful or timid (will not try new things)
- Frequently aggressive toward other children
- Complains about clothing or shoes being too tight or itchy
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Do you have concerns about your child’s development or do they have a need and you are seeking support? Whether it is for something specific or you are seeking general peace of mind, book a free 20 minute consultation to discuss your child’s needs. Consultations and services are for children Birth-Age 8.
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We offer a comprehensive formal evaluation of your child across all developmental domains, including cognition, receptive and expressive language, fine motor, gross motor, social-emotional, self-help, and sensory profile. The assessment takes up to 4 hours to complete, depending on the child. It can be completed virtually via video visit or in person.
Our child development specialist will evaluate and write up a full report detailing the child’s developmental age equivalent, analyze the scores, strengths, areas of challenge, and recommend next steps for each domain.
The assessment and report cost is $250. -
If we determine that your child/family could use some additional support, we will complete a comprehensive assessment and create a plan.
Our sessions will include targeted play therapy utilizing fun, research-based strategies.
The cost of ongoing in person sessions is $125 per session. Siblings are 50% off- free, depending on availability.
In Person Sessions will take place in our office in Central Austin or occasionally at a home or school setting.
Virtual Sessions may take place anywhere.
We are fully vaccinated and will follow CDC recommended COVID-19 precautions and guidelines.
Methods and Philosophy
Play
We understand that children learn through play. Our treatment plans and sessions are conducted with this is mind.
Constructivism
We understand that a child constructs new knowledge through building upon existing meaningful experiences, rather than expecting learning to occur in isolation.
Naturalistic Intervention
We practice creating opportunities for learning and improving skills in settings that naturally occur within the child’s day. This may involve altering the environment, language, and more in order to create space for learning.