Frequently Asked Questions

Most institutes and therapy centers in Lahore keep parents in the waiting room, creating a gap between clinical sessions and home life. The Milestone Centre was founded specifically to close that loophole. As one of Lahore's few centers built on radical transparency, we invite you into the process, provide direct Parent Therapeutic Training, and offer comprehensive psychological counseling for the entire family, not just the child.

The Milestone Centre works with both neurodivergent and neurotypical children. For neurotypical kids, we offer an Early Years Program designed to build foundational abilities beyond just academics so children develop a well-rounded base, not just early reading or counting. We also run a dedicated School Readiness Program, which prepares children for the actual demands of starting school. So, whether your child has a diagnosed need or you simply want to give them a strong, well-rounded start, there's a program built for them.

No. Our expertise extends beyond pediatric neurodevelopmental therapy. We also offer Academic Remediation, Psychological Assessments, and Counseling services for adolescents and adults.

Trust your instinct if something feels "off." Common signs worth acting on: missed milestones (not walking by 18 months, not talking by age 2), losing a skill they once had, limited eye contact or response to their name, difficulty focusing or sitting still, excessive energy that seems hard to regulate, meltdowns or oppositional/defiant behavior that seem disproportionate, extreme reactions to textures/sounds, or struggling academically despite genuinely trying. If a couple of this sound familiar or teachers/family have mentioned it too, that's reason enough to book an assessment. It doesn't commit you to a diagnosis; it just gives you clarity, and earlier evaluation generally means better outcomes if support is needed.

The Milestone Centre offers autism and other diagnostic assessments in Lahore using standardized, internationally recognized tools such as ADOS-2, conducted by PACP-registered clinical psychologists.

These terms get used interchangeably, but they answer different questions. A developmental assessment looks at whether a child's milestones (cognitive, speech, motor, social) are on track for their age. A diagnostic assessment is more specific as it uses standardized tools to determine whether a child meets criteria for a condition such as intellectual disability, autism, ADHD, or a learning disability. A psychoeducational assessment is more academically focused as it looks at how a child learns, identifying specific learning difficulties (like dyslexia, dysgraphia, or dyscalculia) by combining cognitive testing with academic achievement testing. At The Milestone Centre, we help families understand which type of assessment they actually need before booking one.

Earlier is almost always better. If you notice your child isn't meeting milestones, sitting, walking, talking, responding to their name, by the typical age range, it's worth getting a developmental screening rather than assuming they'll "catch up on their own." Early intervention (before age 3-5) tends to have the strongest long-term impact.

A common point of confusion. Speech is the physical production of sounds like articulation, voice, and fluency (like stuttering). Language is about meaning and communication, divided into Receptive Language (understanding others) and Expressive Language (sharing thoughts using words, sentences, or gestures). A child can have clear pronunciation and still have a significant language delay.

Yes! That's essentially what a psychological assessment is for. Rather than focusing on a single diagnostic label or academic skill gap, it looks at the bigger picture: what's driving your child's behavior, how they're functioning day-to-day (self-care, independence, social interaction), their emotional and personality profile, and how all of these connect.

Assessment costs vary depending on which tools are used and whether a single specialist or a multidisciplinary team is involved. We recommend contacting The Milestone Centre directly for a current fee breakdown, since we tailor the assessment battery to each child rather than charging a flat, one-size-fits-all rate.

Speech and language delay is one of the most common concerns Pakistani parents bring to us, and earlier evaluation generally leads to better outcomes. As a general guide, limited words by 18 months, no simple phrases by age 2, or a regression in language at any age are reasons to get a speech-language evaluation rather than "wait and see."

Yes. True feeding difficulties are rarely just a behavioral choice. They're usually a mix of sensory aversion (texture, smell, or temperature genuinely feels threatening) and oral-motor weakness (difficulty chewing or swallowing safely). Our occupational therapists use gentle, play-based desensitization to expand your child's food repertoire without forcing or traumatizing them.

It's never too late, and you're not alon. Many neurodivergent children master toilet training later than peers. At The Milestone Centre, we look at readiness skills, not age. Our behavior therapists and occupational therapists design a fully customized, stress-free Behavioral Toilet Training Protocol for your child's unique profile.

We understand why this is often the first question parents ask, and we won't give you a false yes or no. Some nonverbal children go on to develop spoken language, especially with early, intensive speech therapy; others communicate meaningfully through alternative means such as AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices, sign, or picture systems, which are just as valid a form of communication. Our speech-language pathologists assess your child individually and build a plan around their actual profile.

We expect it. Our clinicians are trained behavior specialists, and we don't expect any child to walk in and follow rules perfectly. Meltdowns and resistance are valuable data as they show us exactly where your child is struggling. We respond with patience and specialized de-escalation techniques. Your child is safe to have "bad days" here.

We don't use standard worksheets. For children with specific learning difficulties, our specialists use evidence-based frameworks, including the Orton-Gillingham approach, that engage sight, sound, and touch simultaneously. We break reading, phonics, and writing into small, stress-free steps until the concept maps securely in your child's brain.

This depends on your child's specific goals and diagnosis, and we determine it after assessment rather than applying a blanket rule.We're happy to discuss general frequency ranges (e.g., for speech, OT, or ABA-informed behavior therapy) once we know more about your child.

There's no universal timeline. It depends on the child, the condition, consistency of attendance, and home carryover.

Every child's progress is different, there's no fixed timeline. Some skills come more easily, while others take more time and repetition. As attention and concentration improve, children tend to learn faster, and progress is even stronger with consistent parent support and follow-through at home. We reassess regularly and adjust the plan based on your child's actual progress.

This is one of the most common and most painful questions parents ask us, and it deserves an honest answer rather than a comforting one. "Normal" isn't really the goal we work toward, because every child's brain develops differently, and progress looks different for each one. What we can tell you is that with the right, consistent therapy, most children make meaningful gains in communication, independence, emotional regulation, or academics. We won't promise a timeline or an outcome we can't guarantee, but we will commit to working alongside you, tracking real progress, and being honest with you at every step.

Yes. We regularly work with families who received an initial diagnosis overseas and are now based in Lahore or returning to Pakistan. We review prior reports and build a continuation plan so your child doesn't lose momentum.

For families outside Lahore, or those who need flexibility, we can discuss which services are suitable for online delivery. Reach out to us directly to confirm availability for your specific need.

Support does not have to end at a certain age. While pediatric programs are more established, we also work with teens and adults navigating a late diagnosis, workplace or university accommodations, and independent living skills, an area still developing in Pakistan but very much part of what we offer.

Yes and this is exactly why we built our center. We provide specialized Parent & Family Counseling to help you carry the emotional weight, manage caregiver burnout, and learn practical home-behavior strategies specific to raising a neurodivergent child in Pakistan. You do not have to process this alone.

Yes. Many parents don't realize that therapy and schooling need to be coordinated, not separate. We can liaise with your child's school, writing reports for teachers, recommending classroom accommodations (extra time, seating, sensory breaks), and where needed, supporting the case for an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or similar support plan. We help translate clinical recommendations into practical, realistic requests a school can actually implement.

This is one of the most-searched and most difficult questions for parents here, because inclusive-education options in Lahore vary widely in quality. Rather than a general list, we help families assess specific schools against their child's actual needs. Some mainstream schools have learning-support departments, some specialize entirely in neurodivergent students, and some are better suited to mild vs. more significant support needs. Ask us directly and we can talk through options relevant to your child's profile.

This is one of the most common private fears parents carry, often silently. Current research points to a strong genetic and neurological basis for conditions like autism and ADHD. They are not caused by parenting style, screen time, vaccines, or anything a parent did or didn't do. We address this directly in our parent counseling sessions because guilt, left unaddressed, gets in the way of a family's ability to move forward.

This is an extremely common and painful situation for parents in Pakistan specifically, where behavioral differences are sometimes read as a discipline or upbringing failure rather than a neurological or developmental one. We coach parents on calm, boundary-setting responses, and we're happy to have a joint session with extended family to explain the child's needs directly from a clinical source, which often lands differently than a parent repeating it alone.

Look for registration with recognized bodies; for clinical psychologists, PACP (Pakistan Association of Clinical Psychologists) registration; for ABA/behavior therapists, credentials tied to recognized behavior-analysis certification pathways and for speech/occupational therapists, relevant degree and licensing verification. Don't hesitate to ask a center directly for their team's credentials because a reputable center will share this without hesitation.