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Cognitive
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Signs & concerns
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Signs & concerns
What does it mean if my child is not yet showing working memory?
In toddlers aged 1–3, working memory is only just beginning to emerge and develops gradually and unevenly — so not yet seeing it clearly is usually typical, not a diagnosis. Look for small sparks like following a simple instruction or finding a hidden toy. Seek a general developmental check only if you also notice no words by 18–24 months, no pointing or name response, or loss of skills.
Read the answer AnswerEarly ADHD Indicators for Paediatricians
Watch for age-excessive inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that persist for six months and impair function across two or more settings. Diagnosis is rarely secure before age five; first exclude hearing, sleep and developmental contributors, and refer on cross-setting impairment with parent and teacher concern.
Read the answer AnswerEarly indicators of dyscalculia for paediatricians
Watch for persistent difficulty with number sense — counting, subitising, magnitude comparison and arithmetic-fact retrieval — that sits below age expectation and isn't explained by limited schooling or global delay. A formal dyscalculia label is generally not applied before ~6–8 years, but early markers warrant monitoring and educational support.
Read the answer AnswerEarly indicators of dysgraphia for paediatricians
Watch for written output disproportionately poor for the child's age and intelligence — illegible, laboured handwriting, inconsistent letter formation, spelling worse on paper than orally, and writing avoidance. Dysgraphia is meaningfully identified from around age 6–7 once formal writing instruction is established; only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerWhat early indicators of dyslexia should a paediatrician watch for?
Watch for a persistent gap between strong verbal ability and weak phonological skills, letter-sound mapping and word reading — disproportionate to age and effort. Preschool red flags (poor rhyme awareness, slow letter learning, slow rapid naming) and family history raise probability and warrant screening; formal diagnosis firms up around 6–8 years.
Read the answer AnswerEarly indicators of Intellectual Disability for paediatricians
Watch for global delay across language, motor, social and adaptive domains rather than an isolated lag — slow skill acquisition over serial visits or any regression warrants developmental assessment. "Global developmental delay" is the working term under 5; disorders of intellectual development are confirmed once standardised cognitive and adaptive testing is reliable.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Indicators of the School Readiness Gap
Watch for clustering across domains — limited expressive language and instruction-following, immature pencil grasp and fine-motor difficulty, poor attention and self-regulation, and weak cooperative play — in the 3–5 year window. Gaps persisting across home and preschool, or strong parental concern, warrant structured profiling rather than waiting.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Indicators of Specific Learning Disability
Refer when a child shows persistent, domain-specific difficulty with reading, writing or arithmetic markedly below age expectation despite adequate instruction and intact hearing, vision and intelligence. Diagnosis is meaningful from ~6–8 years; preschool precursors (weak phonological awareness, letter-learning difficulty, family history) warrant monitoring and early support.
Read the answer AnswerEarly signs of ADHD on a home visit
ADHD is not diagnosed on a home visit or in toddlers. From age 4–5, frontline workers should note a persistent pattern of inattention, overactivity and impulsivity that is greater than same-age peers, appears across home and school, and disrupts daily life — then route to a developmental check, never label.
Read the answer AnswerEarly signs of dyscalculia on a home visit
Dyscalculia is difficulty with numbers and arithmetic well below age expectation, meaningful to flag from about 6–8 years. On a home visit watch for unreliable counting, finger-reliance for simple sums, confusing number symbols and number anxiety — in a child who is otherwise bright. Refer when difficulties persist across home and school.
Read the answer AnswerEarly signs of dysgraphia for frontline health workers
Look for a clear gap between what a child can say and what they can write — awkward pencil grip, poorly formed and uneven letters, inconsistent spelling, leaving out words, and avoiding writing while other learning seems fine. These signs matter most from about 6–8 years; note them and route for a developmental check, as only a clinician can confirm dysgraphia.
Read the answer AnswerEarly signs of dyslexia a frontline health worker should watch for
During a home visit, look for spoken-language and pre-literacy signs rather than reading itself: trouble learning rhymes, muddling word sounds, slow letter learning, and family history. Dyslexia is usually confirmed only at ages 6–8 once reading is taught, so the stance for younger children is watch, support language and route for a developmental check — never label a pre-schooler.
Read the answer AnswerWhat early signs of Intellectual Disability should a frontline health worker look for during a home visit?
On a home visit, look for a child consistently slower than peers across several areas at once — motor milestones, babble and words, understanding instructions, play and self-help. Intellectual development disorder (ICD-11 6A00) is suspected when delay is broad and persistent, not a single skill. You don't diagnose — you spot the pattern and route promptly to a developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Signs of a School Readiness Gap on a Home Visit
During a home visit, look for clusters of difficulty in a child near school age — trouble following simple instructions, unclear speech, very short attention, little pretend play, no pencil control, and difficulty playing with others or managing self-care. These point to a school readiness gap and warrant a developmental check, not a label.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Signs of Specific Learning Disability on a Home Visit
On a home visit you cannot diagnose Specific Learning Disability — it is usually confirmed only after schooling begins (age 6–8). Note early markers in talking, pre-literacy and pre-number skills, plus persistent parent or teacher concern, rule out hearing and vision, and refer a cluster of signs for developmental assessment.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest a child has ADHD?
Classroom signs that may suggest ADHD cluster as inattention (drifting off task, missing instructions, losing things) and hyperactivity-impulsivity (out of seat, blurting, interrupting). They matter when persistent, present across settings, and out of step with age. Teachers observe and flag — only a clinician assesses.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia shows in class as difficulty with number sense, counting, recalling maths facts and reading place value — often alongside strong reading or language skills. Persistent patterns across a term, resistant to extra help, are worth screening; only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest dysgraphia?
Dysgraphia shows in class as written work far below a child's spoken ability — messy, slow, effortful handwriting, poor spacing, inconsistent letters, frequent spelling errors, and a wide gap between what a child can say and what they write. Persistent patterns across weeks and subjects are worth flagging; only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest a child has Dyslexia?
Dyslexia shows in class as slow, effortful word reading, inconsistent spelling, letter reversals past the usual age, and written work much weaker than a child's clear spoken ability — not from low effort or intelligence. A persistent cluster despite good teaching is worth a screen; only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest Intellectual Disability?
Intellectual Disability may show in class as consistently slower learning across many areas, difficulty with reasoning, simpler language, and needing more help with everyday and social skills than peers. These are observations to share, never a diagnosis — confirmation comes only from clinical assessment.
Read the answer AnswerEveryday Classroom Signs of a School Readiness Gap
A School Readiness Gap shows in everyday classroom signs — trouble settling into routines, following multi-step instructions, sharing and turn-taking, holding a pencil, or recognising letters and numbers — that lag noticeably behind same-age peers across weeks and activities. It is not a diagnosis; persistent clusters warrant a gentle developmental check, never a label.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest a child has Specific Learning Disability?
SLD appears in class as persistent, unexpected difficulty with reading, writing or maths in an able, hard-working child — a gap between potential and performance that doesn't close with ordinary teaching, once vision, hearing and attendance are ruled out. Teachers can flag the pattern; only a clinician confirms SLD.
Read the answer AnswerWhat cognitive signs should a teacher notice and flag?
In cognitive development (ICF mental functions, b1), teachers should notice and flag patterns such as short attention span, difficulty following multi-step instructions, trouble remembering routines or recently taught material, slow cause-and-effect or problem-solving, and difficulty with sorting, counting or matching compared with same-age peers. These are observations to document and share with parents, not diagnoses. A hearing and vision check and a general developmental screen are sensible first steps.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of a nervous system difficulty affecting development
The nervous system guides how a child moves, senses, communicates and learns. Signs worth gently watching include unusual floppiness or stiffness, slow or uneven movement and milestones, poor alertness or feeding, not responding to sounds or faces, and delays in babbling, words or play. None of these alone means a diagnosis. Sudden jerking, staring spells, stiffening or loss of previously held skills need prompt medical review. Observe, note what you see, and arrange a developmental check for clear guidance.
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