Child Growth and Development Check in Sharjah

What is a growth and development check?

A growth and development check is a planned review in which a pediatrician measures your child and looks at the skills they have gained since the last visit. It answers two questions: is your child growing steadily, and are they learning new skills at a pace that fits their age?

Growth is measured with weight, length or height, and, in babies and toddlers, head circumference. Each measurement is plotted on a growth chart. The curved lines on the chart are called centiles. A child on the 25th centile is simply smaller than most children of the same age and sex, and that can be completely healthy. What matters is the pattern: a child who follows roughly the same centile line over months is growing well, whatever their size.

At Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah, growth and development checks are carried out by the pediatric team, and they are often combined with routine vaccination visits so your child has fewer appointments.

Who needs it

Every child benefits from regular checks in the early years, even when all seems well. A check is also worth arranging when you have a specific question, such as:

• Slow weight gain, or a baby who feeds poorly
• A child who seems much shorter or taller than classmates
• Signs of puberty that seem early, or late
• Late walking, frequent falls or unusual clumsiness
• Late talking, unclear speech, or difficulty understanding instructions
• Concerns about eye contact, play or social interaction
• Concerns about attention, activity or behaviour at nursery or school

Parents often notice things before anyone else. If something about your child's development worries you, bringing it to a pediatrician early is always reasonable. Where attention or social communication is the concern, the pediatrician makes a first assessment and plans the next step, which for conditions such as ADHD or autism usually involves a specialist team.

If your child loses a skill they already had, such as words, walking or eye contact, arrange a review with the pediatrician within the same week. If a young baby is feeding poorly and losing weight, see the pediatrician promptly.

What happens

The appointment starts with a conversation. The pediatrician asks about pregnancy and birth, feeding and sleep, family heights, illnesses, and what your child can do now. For babies born early, development is measured by corrected age, which is the age your baby would be if born on the due date. A baby born two months early is compared with babies two months younger, which often explains why they seem behind.

Your child is then measured and weighed, and the results are plotted on a growth chart alongside any earlier measurements. The pediatrician examines your child and watches how they move, use their hands, play and communicate. Much of this looks like play, with blocks, pictures or simple questions, so most children enjoy it.

The four areas usually reviewed are:

| Area | Examples of what is looked at |
|---|---|
| Movement | Head control, sitting, walking, running, balance |
| Hand skills | Grasping, stacking, drawing, using a spoon |
| Speech and language | Sounds, first words, sentences, understanding |
| Social and play | Smiling, eye contact, pointing, pretend play, sharing |

When speech is late, a hearing test is usually part of the plan, because hearing loss is a common and treatable cause of speech delay. Blood tests are sometimes suggested, for example to check iron or vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is common among children in the UAE, because many spend much of the day indoors away from the heat.

When a more detailed assessment would help, such as speech and language therapy, a specialist developmental review, a hormone assessment for growth or a formal hearing test, the pediatrician explains why and arranges referral to the right service.

Preparing for it

• Bring your child's health record book, vaccination card and any growth measurements from previous doctors, including from other countries. Earlier points on the chart make the pattern much clearer.
• If you know them, note the heights of both parents. A child's expected height is partly set by the family.
• Write down when your child reached key milestones, such as first smile, sitting, walking and first words, and any questions you want to ask.
• Short videos on your phone of the behaviour or speech you are unsure about are very helpful, because children often behave differently in a clinic.
• Choose a time when your child is usually rested and fed, and bring a snack and a favourite toy.

Afterwards

You leave with your child's measurements plotted, an explanation of what they show, and a plan. Often the plan is simply the next routine check. Sometimes it is a repeat measurement in a few months to confirm the pattern, a blood test, or a referral for a more detailed assessment.

Many families in the UAE raise children with two or three languages. Keep speaking the language you are most comfortable in at home. Reading together, talking during daily routines and limiting screen time in the early years all support language development.

Contact the hospital if a new concern appears before the next check, if your child stops gaining weight, or if nursery or school raises a worry. Seek a prompt review for any loss of skills.

Cost and insurance

Most UAE health insurance plans cover pediatric consultations when there is a clinical concern, and many include routine well-child checks. Cover for developmental assessments, therapy referrals and hearing tests varies by plan and may need pre-approval. Dar Al Kamal Hospital, Sharjah can help you confirm your cover on 06 599 7777.