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Motor
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Signs & concerns
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Signs & concerns
What early signs of Motor Planning Difficulties should a frontline health worker look for during a home visit?
Motor planning difficulties show as a child struggling to figure out and carry out new movements despite normal strength — clumsiness, late milestones, trouble copying actions, and difficulty with buttons or cutlery. A persistent cluster across tasks warrants referral; only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Signs of Persistent Toe-Walking on a Home Visit
On a home visit, watch for a child over age 2 who walks on toes or balls of the feet most of the time, on both legs, with tight calves or heels that can't reach the floor. Occasional toe-walking in new walkers is normal; persistent toe-walking — or toe-walking with speech, social, stiffness or weakness concerns — warrants a developmental and medical check.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Signs of Stereotyped Movement Disorder for Frontline Workers
During a home visit, watch for repetitive, rhythmic, purposeless movements — flapping, rocking, head-banging, self-biting — that persist, interfere with daily life, or cause injury. Occasional rocking is common; refer when movements are frequent, cross settings, or self-harming. Observe and route, never diagnose.
Read the answer AnswerEarly signs of Tourette Syndrome on a home visit
Watch for tics — sudden, repeated movements (eye-blinking, head-jerking, shoulder-shrugging) and sounds (throat-clearing, sniffing, grunting) that persist for weeks, often starting ages 4–8. One-off twitches are normal; refer when tics are frequent, persistent and noticed across many days. Reassure families and refer urgently if you suspect seizures.
Read the answer AnswerClassroom signs that may suggest cerebral palsy
In class, cerebral palsy shows in how a child moves, sits, grips and tires — stiff or floppy limbs, an uneven walk, pencil and button struggles, faster fatigue — not in their intelligence. A consistent pattern across the day is worth sharing with the family for a developmental check; only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest Developmental Coordination Disorder?
In class, DCD shows as movement harder than expected for age — awkward pencil grip and messy handwriting, trouble with buttons, scissors and cutlery, frequent trips and bumps, slow copying from the board, and avoidance of PE — despite real effort and ordinary intelligence. The signal is a consistent pattern across tasks and settings; only a clinician can confirm it.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest a child has Fine Motor Delay?
Fine motor delay shows in class as difficulty with small precise hand movements expected for age — awkward pencil grip, messy writing, trouble with scissors, buttons, zips and shoelaces, and tiring or avoiding hands-on tasks. A persistent pattern across weeks, not a single off day, is worth flagging to parents for a developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest a child has Gross Motor Delay?
In the classroom, gross motor delay can show as fatigue, slumping or sliding off the chair, frequent trips and clumsiness, late or awkward running, jumping and stairs, and hanging back from active play. A consistent pattern across weeks — not a single off-day — is the signal to share with the family and suggest a developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest a child has Hypotonia (Low Muscle Tone)?
Hypotonia in the classroom often shows as slumping, quick fatigue, a loose pencil grip, clumsy movement and W-sitting — high effort with lagging output. It isn't laziness or low ability. A pattern that persists across activities is worth flagging to parents for a developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest a child has Motor Planning Difficulties?
Motor planning difficulties show up in class as awkward, tiring handwriting, trouble with scissors and shoelaces, clumsiness in PE, slow changing and transitions, and difficulty with multi-step instructions — with strong ideas but laboured doing. These are patterns to notice, not diagnose.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest persistent toe-walking?
Persistent toe-walking shows in the classroom as a child past about two who habitually walks on the balls of their feet with heels rarely touching down — during walking, queuing or play — often with tight calves and quick tiring. It's frequently harmless but a consistent pattern is worth a gentle physiotherapy and developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest a child has Stereotyped Movement Disorder?
In class, stereotyped movement disorder may show as repetitive, rhythmic movements — hand-flapping, body-rocking, head-banging, finger-flicking — done the same way each time, often during excitement, boredom or stress. Flag those that persist for months, interrupt learning or risk injury. These are observations, not a diagnosis; only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerWhat everyday classroom signs might suggest a child has Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette Syndrome appears in class as involuntary motor tics (blinking, head jerks, shrugging) and vocal tics (throat-clearing, sniffing, sounds or words) that wax and wane, worsen with stress, and aren't defiance. Teachers should note patterns and route persistent tics to a clinician — only a clinician can confirm the cause.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor difficulties might a teacher notice in a young child?
Teachers may notice motor difficulties as gross-motor clumsiness — trips, falls, trouble with stairs, running, catching or balance — and fine-motor struggles with pencil grip, writing, buttons, scissors and beading. When these appear across activities and over weeks, share specific examples with the family and suggest a developmental check; only a clinician can assess further.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 12-to-18-month-old reach?
Between 12 and 18 months most toddlers progress from cruising to walking well, stoop and stand again, climb low furniture, and develop a neat pincer grasp, stack 2–3 blocks, scribble and begin spoon-feeding. Milestones arrive across a range — steady progress matters most. Arrange a gentle check if a child is not walking at all by 18 months or loses a skill.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 18-to-24-month-old reach?
By 18–24 months most toddlers walk steadily and begin to run, squat and stand, climb onto furniture, walk up stairs with help, and kick or throw a ball; fine-motor skills include stacking blocks, scribbling and using a spoon. Milestones span a range — a gentle check helps if a child is not walking at all by 18 months or loses skills.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 2-year-old reach?
Most 2-year-olds walk and run, climb on and off furniture, kick a ball, manage stairs with help, scribble, build a 4–6 block tower and self-feed with a spoon. These are typical ranges, not a pass/fail test — a few weeks either way is usually fine, and a check is worthwhile if walking, balance or hand use lags.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 3-to-6-month-old reach?
Between 3 and 6 months, most babies gain steady head control, push up on forearms in tummy time, reach for and grasp toys, bring hands to the midline, and begin rolling. These are gentle guidelines, not deadlines, and babies vary widely.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 3-year-old reach?
By age 3, most children run and stop with control, climb, walk up stairs with alternating feet, kick and throw a ball, pedal a tricycle, build a tower of around six blocks, turn pages singly, and copy a circle. A few weeks' variation is normal; steady progress matters most, and a gentle check helps if a child cannot run or climb, shows no interest in drawing or stacking, or loses a skill.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 4-year-old reach?
Most 4-year-olds can hop on one foot, climb stairs with alternating feet, catch a bounced ball, pedal a tricycle and draw a circle or cross. These are typical patterns across a normal range, not a pass-or-fail test. If several skills are clearly out of reach, a gentle developmental check is the right next step.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 5-year-old reach?
By five, most children hop, skip, climb and catch a ball, and their hands manage a pencil with a mature grip, drawing a person, cutting on a line and beginning buttons and laces. Milestones are a guide, not a deadline — gentle variation is normal, and a developmental check helps if skills consistently lag.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 6-to-9-month-old reach?
Between 6 and 9 months most babies learn to sit without support, roll both ways, push up on their arms, pass toys hand to hand, and begin to scoot, rock or crawl. Milestones come in a range, not on a fixed date. If a baby isn't sitting with support or bearing weight on their legs by 9 months, a friendly developmental check is worthwhile.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 6-year-old reach?
Most 6-year-olds run, skip, hop on one foot, throw and catch, ride a bicycle, hold a pencil in a tripod grip, write their name and use scissors. These are guideposts, not a test — steady progress matters more than exact timing, and persistent difficulty is the cue for a gentle check.
Read the answer AnswerWhat motor milestones should a 9-to-12-month-old reach?
By 9–12 months most babies sit steadily, crawl or shuffle, pull to stand and cruise along furniture, and many take first steps near their first birthday. Hand skills sharpen into a pincer grasp for picking up small objects. Milestones come within a range; check in if your baby isn't sitting, moving about or bearing weight by around 12 months.
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