Developmental assessments · Birth to 36 months
Understanding starts here.
Compassionate assessments to help you understand your child's development and what comes next.
Need help? Call (844) 700-9889
Not sure where to start? Explore what families notice
No referral neededAssessment in your preferred language
No cost to families
Serving Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.
What have you noticed?
Choose a topic to learn more. It's okay to be unsure.
What have you noticed?
You noticed how your child communicates.
An assessment looks at how your child understands language and uses sounds, words, and gestures, and explains what we find in plain language.
You noticed how your child plays and connects.
An assessment looks at bonding, eye contact, play, and how your child expresses feelings, and explains what we find in plain language.
You noticed how your child moves.
An assessment looks at rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, balance, and hand skills, and explains what we find in plain language.
You noticed how your child responds to sound and sight.
An assessment looks at how your child responds to sound, voices, faces, and movement, and explains what we find in plain language.
You noticed how your child learns and explores.
An assessment looks at learning, attention, memory, and problem solving through play, and explains what we find in plain language.
You don't have to know what to call it.
Tell us what you have noticed. We will help you understand the next step.
What we assess
Understanding your child's development across six areas.
A developmental assessment looks at how a child is growing, learning, communicating, and interacting. Stars looks at these areas together, not one area at a time.
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Speech and language
How your child understands language and uses sounds, words, and gestures.
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Cognitive
Learning, attention, memory, and problem solving through play.
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Motor
Rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, balance, and hand skills.
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Social-emotional
Bonding, eye contact, play, expressing feelings, and settling.
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Adaptive
Everyday routines: eating, dressing, transitions, and early independence.
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Vision and hearing screening
How your child responds to sound, voices, faces, and movement.
How an assessment works
Five steps, explained as you go.
Every family's path is a little different. Here is what happens, in order.
Initial consultation
We begin by understanding your family's priorities and your child's developmental history.
Developmental review
Our team reviews key milestones across several areas of development.
Structured assessment
A structured, play-based assessment gives a fuller picture of your child's development.
Parent discussion
We walk you through what we found in clear, simple language.
Next-step guidance
You receive recommendations and support options. If your child may be eligible for Early Start, the plan is made by the Regional Center and your family, and the Stars assessment helps inform it.
No referral is needed, and you can start with what you have noticed.
Families often request an assessment when their child:
- Is not meeting speech or developmental milestones
- Has difficulty communicating, interacting, learning, or playing
- Was born prematurely or had medical complications at birth
- Has a diagnosed medical or genetic condition linked to developmental delays
- Shows signs related to movement, behavior, social-emotional development, or learning
- Received NICU care or required breathing support after birth
You can still request an assessment even if:
- Your child does not have a diagnosis
- Symptoms seem mild or inconsistent
- You simply feel something does not seem right
Three counties. Assessments in natural environments or assessment centers.
Stars works alongside the San Andreas Regional Center in these counties.
No referral needed. Families can contact Stars directly.
Stars provides developmental assessments for all children under the age of 3 years, when early developmental milestones are forming quickly.
A specialist observes your child's communication, motor skills, learning, behavior, and sensory responses in a calm, child-friendly setting. You are present throughout, and the pace follows your child's comfort and attention.
You noticed something. That is reason enough to ask.
Request an assessment online, or call. A member of the Stars team will talk with you about the next step.
- No referral needed
- Families can contact Stars directly
- Assessment in your preferred language
- No cost to families