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Concern
Explore explanations, everyday questions and next steps connected with concern.
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Signs & concerns
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Signs & concerns
What it means if your child is not yet showing empathy
Empathy develops gradually through early childhood, so a young child still learning it is usually entirely typical — most 3–4-year-olds begin noticing others' upset, and deeper empathy matures into the school years. Seek a developmental check if little response to others' feelings travels with delays in talking, play, eye contact or social connection. This is a reason to observe and support early, not a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing energy regulation?
Between 3 and 7 years, energy regulation — moving between active and calm — is still developing, so being on the go and restless is often typical. Seek a developmental check when high energy is persistent across home, preschool and play, clearly above same-age peers, and gets in the way of learning, friendships, sleep or safety. This is a reason to screen early, not a diagnosis — early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat It Means If Your Child Isn't Yet Describing Events
Event description — retelling "who did what, then what" — builds gradually between about 3 and 7 years, at very different paces. A child not yet describing events in detail usually just needs more time, modelling and talk-rich practice; it is not a diagnosis on its own. Seek a gentle developmental check if the gap is persistent or comes with other communication concerns, because early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing executive functioning?
Between 3 and 7 years, executive functioning — planning, waiting, remembering instructions and managing feelings — is still developing and grows slowly with the biggest leaps after age 4. A young child not yet showing strong self-control or planning is usually perfectly on track. Seek a developmental check only if the gaps are clearly larger than same-age peers or come with delays in talking, learning or daily independence. This is observation and reassurance, not a diagnosis, and early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing expressive language?
Expressive language is how a child gets words out, and there is a wide normal range between 12 and 36 months. Many late talkers catch up, especially with rich everyday talk and play. If your child is not yet using words at the expected ages, it is a good time for a gentle developmental screen — not a diagnosis. Strong understanding is reassuring, and early support works very well at this age.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing externalizing behaviors?
If your toddler isn't showing externalizing behaviours like hitting, biting or big tantrums, it usually means they self-regulate well, communicate their needs, or have a calm temperament — all reassuring at 12–36 months. The healthy picture is a child who is calm AND also connecting, babbling or talking, seeking you out and joining play. Seek a gentle developmental check only if calm comes with withdrawal, flat mood, few words, little eye contact or loss of a skill — this is for early support, not because anything is wrong.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing eye contact?
On its own, less eye contact does not mean a diagnosis — toddlers vary widely. What matters is the whole picture: shared attention, responding to name, pointing, social smiling and words. If you see a cluster of differences, or any loss of a skill, a gentle developmental check is wise now — not because something is wrong, but because early observation creates early opportunity.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing face recognition?
By ages 3–7, most children clearly recognise familiar faces and respond warmly to loved ones. If your child does not yet, it may reflect individual pace or differences in social awareness — worth a calm developmental check, especially alongside differences in eye contact, language or response to name. A hearing and vision check is also wise. This is not a diagnosis but a sensible reason to look early, because support works best at this age.
Read the answer AnswerWhat it means if your toddler isn't showing family values yet
Toddlers aged 1–3 are not expected to show "family values" like sharing, saying sorry or caring for others — these are learned slowly over years by copying caring adults, mostly after age three or four. At this age children are just starting to notice feelings, imitate you and test limits, which is healthy. There is nothing to fix; values are seeds planted now. A gentle developmental check is only wise if you also notice delays in talking, eye contact, responding to name or pointing.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing feeding independence?
If a 3-to-7-year-old is not yet feeding independently — using a spoon, fingers, an open cup or a range of textures — it usually means the skill is still developing, drawing on fine-motor control, sensory comfort and confidence that mature at different rates. A developmental check is wise when progress has stalled, textures are very limited, mealtimes are consistently distressing, or there are other developmental differences. This is a reason to look closely, never a diagnosis, and early occupational-therapy support works well.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing fine motor?
Between 12 and 36 months, fine-motor skills like pincer grasp, stacking, scribbling and spoon use develop across a wide, normal range and often follow big-muscle milestones. Not yet showing them usually means hands are still building strength and coordination. Seek a developmental check if your child ignores one hand, shows no interest in finger feeding or crayons, or has lost a skill — this is monitoring, not a diagnosis, and early play-based support works beautifully.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing fluid reasoning?
Fluid reasoning means solving new problems and spotting patterns without being taught — and in a toddler it is only just beginning, so "not yet showing" it is usually normal. It is not a diagnosis. At 12–36 months, watch the early seeds: cause-and-effect play, simple problem-solving, imitation and following steps. True fluid reasoning is assessed only in older children, so support now is play-based, and a gentle developmental check is wise if several building blocks seem delayed.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing focus and attention?
Between 3 and 7, short and wandering attention is usually typical — young children focus for only a few minutes at a time, and 'not yet' rarely means 'something is wrong'. It's worth a developmental screen when poor focus is well below age expectations, shows up across home, play and preschool, and disrupts learning. This is a reason to observe and screen, not a diagnosis, and early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet following directions?
If your 3-to-7-year-old isn't yet following directions you'd expect, it usually means one of the building blocks — hearing, attention, language understanding or memory — needs a closer look. It is not a diagnosis. Check hearing first, notice whether they understand simple words and can manage age-appropriate step-length, and arrange a developmental check if several concerns apply, because early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing foot control?
"Foot control" means how well your toddler uses their feet and ankles for kicking, balancing, tiptoeing and confident walking. Between 12 and 36 months these skills appear at different rates, so one missing skill is rarely a worry. Seek a friendly developmental check — not a diagnosis — if several leg-and-foot milestones are clearly behind, movement is very stiff or floppy, your child favours one side, or has lost a skill once had. Early observation means earlier support.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing friendship seeking?
Between 3 and 7, friendship seeking grows gradually and varies hugely with temperament and play opportunity, so a child not doing it yet usually needs more time and practice, not a diagnosis. Seek a developmental check if it comes with little eye contact, few words or gestures, no pretend play, or any loss of skills — early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing friendship skills?
Between 3 and 7 years, friendship skills like sharing, turn-taking and joining play grow at very different paces, and many children develop them a little later. If your child is not yet showing these skills, it usually means more time, gentle practice and play opportunities are needed — not that something is wrong. Seek a developmental check if the difficulty is persistent, distressing, or travels with delays in talking, eye contact or play, because early support works best at this age.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing frustration tolerance?
Frustration tolerance grows gradually across ages 3–7, so big reactions to setbacks are usually typical, not a problem. Seek a developmental check when meltdowns are far more intense, frequent or long-lasting than peers', are very hard to soothe, or get in the way of play, friendships and learning — especially alongside delays in talking, attention or connection. This is a reason to support early, not a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerWhat it means if your child isn't showing game rule understanding yet
Game rule understanding — turn-taking, following rules, coping with winning and losing — develops gradually between roughly 3 and 7. Younger children bending or ignoring rules is typical. If your child is nearer 6–7 and consistently struggles with turns, simple rules or playing with others, a gentle developmental check is wise — not a diagnosis, just an early opportunity to support a skill that responds beautifully to playful practice.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing general knowledge?
If your 3-to-7-year-old isn't yet showing general knowledge — naming colours, animals and everyday objects — it usually means they need richer language exposure and more chances to talk and explore, not that anything is wrong. It can also reflect hearing, attention or language differences worth a gentle check. This is a reason to observe and, if it persists, to screen — never a diagnosis.
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 grammar use?
Between 3 and 7 years, grammar use — plurals, past tense, small linking words and longer sentences — grows in a wide natural range. Putting words together and steadily adding more is usually a good sign. Seek a speech check if your child is well behind same-age peers, leaves out small words often, or has stopped making progress. This is a reason to look early, not a diagnosis — early support at this age works beautifully.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing gross motor?
"Gross motor" means big-body movements like sitting, crawling and walking. If your toddler is not yet showing these, it usually means they are moving at their own pace — not a diagnosis. Seek a developmental check if they are not sitting by ~15 months, not walking by ~18 months, have very stiff or floppy limbs, or lose a skill, because early support works best in the toddler years.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does it mean if my child is not yet showing group participation?
If your 3-to-7-year-old isn't yet joining group play, it often means they're still building the social and communication skills group participation needs — turn-taking, shared attention and feeling safe with peers. Many children are simply cautious and warm up at their own pace. Seek a gentle developmental check if reluctance is persistent across settings or travels with delays in talking, play or social connection. This is a reason to look early, not a diagnosis.
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