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Sensory
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Signs & concerns
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Signs & concerns
What does a delay in Tactile-Processing mean for my child?
A delay in tactile processing means your toddler's brain is still learning to make sense of touch — some children feel touch too strongly and avoid textures or tags, others feel it too little and seek extra touch and crashing. This is not a diagnosis; it means their sensory system needs supportive, playful practice, which works well in the toddler years. Seek a developmental screen if touch reactions are frequent, intense, disrupt eating, dressing, sleep or play, or come with other delays. Early occupational-therapy support is gentle and effective.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Vestibular Delay Mean for My Child?
A vestibular delay means your child's inner-ear balance sense is still maturing, so they may seem clumsy, fearful of movement, or constantly seeking it. This is a difference to support, not a diagnosis. With playful, graded occupational therapy, balance and confidence usually grow well — and a developmental screen helps clarify what your child needs.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing auditory memory?
Between 12 and 36 months, auditory memory — taking in, holding and recalling what's heard — is still being built, so a toddler not yet following two-step instructions or repeating words is usually within the normal range, not a diagnosis. Always check hearing first, watch the whole picture of listening and language, and seek a developmental check if you're worried or if skills are lost. Early observation means early support.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing auditory processing?
In toddlers, auditory processing is still developing, so a child not yet showing it is usually normal variation, not a diagnosis. The first step is to confirm clear hearing, then watch how your child responds to sound and follows simple talk. Seek a screen if your child doesn't turn to their name, doesn't follow simple requests by age 2, or has lost a response they once had. Early observation turns small differences into early opportunities.
Read the answer AnswerWhat if my child isn't yet showing general sensory regulation?
Between 3 and 7 years, many children are still learning general sensory regulation, so big reactions to noise, textures, movement or busy places are common. Seek a gentle screen if these reactions are frequent, intense, hard to settle, or get in the way of play, sleep, mealtimes or learning. This is a reason to observe early — not a diagnosis — because early occupational-therapy support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing oral sensory processing?
If your toddler isn't yet showing clear oral sensory processing — accepting varied food textures, mouthing toys, or managing saliva — it usually means the skill is still developing at their own pace, not a diagnosis. Seek a gentle developmental check if eating is very limited, drooling stays heavy, or your child strongly avoids or over-seeks mouth input. Early support at 12–36 months works beautifully.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing proprioceptive processing?
Between 3 and 7 years, proprioceptive (body-position) processing is still maturing, so clumsiness, heavy-handedness, crashing or seeking squeezes is usually normal variation. A gentle screen is wise when these patterns are frequent, get in the way of play, dressing or seating, or travel with other motor or sensory differences. This is a reason to observe and support early — never a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child isn't yet showing sensory aspects?
Saying a child is 'not yet showing sensory aspects' usually means their responses to sights, sounds, touch, movement and other input aren't yet clear or seem out of step for 3–7 years. This is not a diagnosis. A calm developmental screen is wise — watch for strong over-reactions, under-reactions, sensory-seeking, or sensory responses crowding out play, eating and learning. Sensory processing shapes comfort and learning, and early occupational-therapy support works beautifully at this age.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing sensory avoidance?
If your 3-to-7-year-old isn't showing sensory avoidance, that is usually reassuring — it means they are coping comfortably with everyday sights, sounds, textures and movement. The skill is present, not missing. What's worth gentle watching is the opposite pattern: under-responsiveness, where a child doesn't notice sensations others would react to. On its own, no avoidance needs no action; only when blunted registering pairs with other developmental questions does an occupational therapist's review help.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing sensory integration?
Between 12 and 36 months, sensory integration is still developing, so a toddler not yet showing settled sensory responses is usually pacing their own growth — not a diagnosis. Watch for consistent patterns over weeks, such as strong distress with textures, sounds or movement, or seeming not to notice input, that disrupt everyday eating, sleeping or play. If such a pattern persists, a friendly developmental check is wise, because early play-based support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing sensory regulation?
Between 1 and 3, sensory regulation — staying calm and engaged amid everyday sounds, textures and movement — is still developing, so big reactions are common and usually settle. "Not yet showing" it means your toddler is still learning this skill, not that anything is wrong. Watch for strong, frequent distress, texture refusal, or trouble settling over weeks; if patterns persist, a developmental check helps. Early, playful support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing sensory seeking?
Not showing sensory seeking in a 3-to-7-year-old is usually fine — seeking is just one of many healthy ways children process sensation, and many calm children develop well without it. Seek a developmental check if your child avoids or is distressed by everyday sensations, struggles to join play or daily routines, or shows delays in talking, social connection or movement. This is a reason to observe early, not a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing sensory sensitivity?
For most children aged 3 to 7, not showing sensory sensitivity is usually reassuring — it often means your child takes in the world comfortably without being overwhelmed. Sensory sensitivity is not a milestone every child must reach. What matters more is responsiveness: whether your child notices and reacts to sounds, touch, taste and movement, and engages with play and routines. A gentle check is wise only if your child seems not to notice much at all.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing sensory tolerance?
If your 3-to-7-year-old is not yet showing sensory tolerance, it means they still find everyday sensory experiences — loud sounds, textures, lights or clothing — hard to tolerate calmly. This is common, not a diagnosis, and sensory systems are still maturing at this age. Watch for big reactions, texture avoidance, sensory-seeking or meltdowns that crowd out play and learning. Gentle, play-based occupational therapy support works well, so a calm developmental check is the wise next step.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing tactile processing?
Between 12 and 36 months, tactile processing is still developing, so a touch-cautious or touch-seeking toddler is usually within the typical range. A developmental check is wise if touch responses are very extreme — strong distress at everyday textures, or not noticing touch, pain or temperature — especially alongside delays in play, movement or communication. This is a reason to look early, not a diagnosis, because gentle support works best at this age.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing vestibular processing?
Vestibular processing is how a child's brain makes sense of movement and balance. Saying it is 'not yet showing' means their responses to movement look different — avoiding swings and heights, or craving constant motion. This is a sensory difference to observe, not a diagnosis, and at ages 3–7 it responds well to play-based occupational-therapy support.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing visual processing?
Visual processing is how the brain understands what the eyes see — finding objects, matching shapes, copying drawings — and it differs from eyesight. Between 3 and 7 years this skill grows unevenly, so a child not yet fluent is usually still developing. Rule out an eyesight issue first, then arrange a calm developmental screen if you notice frequent bumping, trouble finding things, puzzle difficulty or avoidance of looking tasks. This is reason to observe early, not a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Indicators of Auditory Processing Difficulties
Watch for a mismatch between normal hearing and real-world listening: frequent repetition requests, marked difficulty understanding speech in noise, weak phonological awareness, and slow responses to verbal instructions. Exclude otitis media and hearing loss first. Formal diagnosis is generally deferred until around age 7, but younger children with persistent patterns warrant developmental and speech-language review.
Read the answer AnswerEarly indicators of hearing impairment for paediatricians
Refer for diagnostic audiology on any failed newborn hearing screen, absent startle or localisation to sound, no babble by 9–12 months, no single words by 15–18 months, stalled or regressing speech, or persistent parental concern. A normal newborn screen never excludes later or progressive loss; high-risk infants need surveillance regardless.
Read the answer AnswerEarly indicators of sensory-based feeding selectivity
Suspect sensory-based feeding selectivity when intake is restricted by sensory features — texture, colour, smell, brand — rather than appetite or oromotor skill, with a shrinking food list, distress or gagging on non-preferred foods, and mealtime impairment. Always exclude dysphagia, reflux and growth faltering first.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Indicators of Sensory Processing Differences
Watch for disproportionate, persistent responses to sound, touch, movement, taste or light that disrupt feeding, sleep, play or participation across settings. Sensory processing differences are a functional pattern, not a standalone diagnosis — exclude hearing, vision and GI causes, then refer for OT-led developmental assessment when daily function is affected.
Read the answer AnswerWhat early indicators of Visual Impairment should a paediatrician watch for?
Watch for absent fixation or following, no social smile by 6–8 weeks, roving eye movements, nystagmus, squint beyond 3–4 months, poor reach, and any abnormal red reflex or loss of visual skills. Abnormal red reflex or leukocoria needs same-day ophthalmology referral; persistent concerns warrant prompt referral plus a parallel developmental review.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Signs of Auditory Processing Difficulties on a Home Visit
Watch for a child who hears the sound but misses the message — frequent "what?", inconsistent response to name, trouble following instructions in noise, and parents saying "he hears when he wants to." First step is a hearing test plus developmental check; only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerEarly Signs of Hearing Impairment on Home Visits
On a home visit, refer any baby who doesn't startle to loud sound, doesn't turn to a voice, has absent or fading babble, or doesn't respond to their name. Family concern about hearing is itself a strong signal. Don't wait — hearing loss found early is far easier to support, and only a clinician confirms it.
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