Pediatric Development

The Department of Pediatric Development at Medical Park Hospitals provides specialized services to monitor and support the healthy growth of children from birth to adolescence. Proper attention to a child’s developmental process is essential for them to step into adulthood as healthy and well-adjusted individuals.

Developmental follow-up is important not only for healthy children, but also for those with chronic illnesses, disabilities, or special needs who may show differences from typical development. With expert evaluation, problems that may not be recognized by families can be identified early, ensuring the child completes their development in the healthiest way possible.

What Do Pediatric Development Specialists Do?

Pediatric development specialists work with children aged 0–18 years, including:

• Typically developing children

• Children with special needs

• Children with acute or chronic illnesses

• Children at risk of developmental delays

Their work includes:

• Monitoring all developmental areas: cognitive, language, psychosocial, self-care, and motor skills

• Preparing developmental charts and individualized follow-up plans

• Educating and counseling parents on developmental needs

• Organizing developmental and educational activities for hospitalized children

• Supporting children in developing their verbal, motor, personal, social, visual, logical, and musical abilities

Children with the following conditions may benefit from evaluation:

• Speech and language disorders

• Learning difficulties, reading or writing problems

• Social and emotional adjustment problems

• Intellectual disabilities

• Physical disabilities

• Special or gifted talents

• Behavioral problems such as bedwetting, aggression, antisocial behavior, eating disorders, school phobia, stealing, lying, or attention deficits

Developmental Screening Tests

When necessary, specialists may recommend standardized developmental screening and assessment tests to evaluate a child’s progress and identify potential concerns.

Key Developmental and Screening Tests

• Denver II Developmental Screening Test

  • For children aged 0–6 years

  • Assesses developmental problems across four domains with 116 questions

  • Involves both the child and parents during application

• AGTE (Ankara Developmental Screening Inventory)

  • For children aged 0–6 years

  • Evaluates language, motor, self-care, social, and cognitive skills

  • Contains 154 yes/no questions directed to parents

• Gesell Development Test

  • For children aged 3–10 years (especially preschoolers)

  • Measures motor skills, visual memory, perception, hand-eye coordination

• Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test

  • For children aged 2.5–18 years

  • Assesses language development using picture-based tasks

• Metropolitan School Readiness Test

  • Evaluates whether preschool children are ready for school

  • Measures understanding, reasoning, number and shape concepts

• GİDR (Development Monitoring and Support Guide)

  • Identifies developmental problems and family-related concerns

  • Can be applied verbally or in writing

Attention and Perception Tests

To evaluate attention deficits and visual-motor perception difficulties, specialists may use:

• Bender Gestalt Visual-Motor Test for ages 5–11, measures visual perception and motor integration

• Benton Visual Memory Test for ages 8+, evaluates spatial and visual memory

• Burdon Attention Test for ages 10–20, measures levels of attention and distraction

• Frostig Developmental Visual Perception Test assesses visual perception difficulties linked to learning problems

Intelligence (IQ) Tests

When there are concerns about giftedness or developmental differences, intelligence tests may be applied, including:

• Cattell 2A–3A Intelligence Test for children aged 4+

• Porteus Maze Test for ages 7–14, measures planning and problem-solving abilities

• WISC-R (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children) for ages 6–16, assesses overall cognitive development

• Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test for ages 4–12, measures mental performance using graded questions

Family Support and Counseling

The Pediatric Development Department provides families with:

• Parental education and training to support children at home and school

• Counseling services to guide parents through diagnosis and therapy

• Psychological support for both children and parents coping with developmental challenges

• Ongoing follow-up with progress reports and therapy adjustments

Why Choose Medical Park for Pediatric Development?

• Comprehensive evaluation of all developmental areas

• Access to advanced diagnostic, screening, and intelligence tests

• Multidisciplinary collaboration with the departments of Neurology, Psychology, and Psychiatry

• Personalized therapy programs including speech, occupational, and behavioral interventions

• Family-centered approach with education, counseling, and continuous support

By identifying developmental concerns early and applying the right interventions, Medical Park helps children achieve their full potential and take healthy, confident steps into adulthood.

This content was developed by the Medical Park Editorial Board and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your healthcare provider for personalized care.