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Early Signs
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Signs & concerns
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Signs & concerns
Early signs of speech and language delay to spot on a home visit
Frontline workers should watch for no babbling or gesture by 12 months, no single words by 16 months, no two-word phrases by 24 months, speech the family cannot understand, or any loss of words — and always pair concern with a hearing check and onward referral, never a label.
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 AnswerEarly signs of visual impairment on a home visit
Refer a baby for an eye and developmental check when the eyes do not fix or follow by 3 months, do not make steady eye contact, look cloudy or show a white pupil, are constantly crossed or wandering after 3 months, or when the child does not reach for things they can see.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Emotional Red Flags Should Prompt a Developmental Referral?
Refer for emotional red flags (ICF b152) that are persistent, pervasive across settings, and functionally impairing: flat or restricted affect, absent comfort-seeking or attachment, severe prolonged separation/social anxiety, intense disproportionate dysregulation, or regression in social-emotional skills. Persistence beyond weeks, regression, or co-occurring developmental delay raises referral priority, while sudden change with medical or safeguarding concern needs urgent review.
Read the answer AnswerMotor Red Flags That Should Prompt a Developmental Referral
Refer a child for developmental assessment when motor milestones fall outside expected windows (no head control by 4 months, not sitting by 9, not standing by 12, not walking by 18), when tone is clearly abnormal (hypertonia or hypotonia), when asymmetry or early hand preference appears before 12 months, or when acquired skills regress. Single hard signs or persistent softer clusters warrant referral; regression and marked asymmetry are urgent and need prompt medical evaluation alongside vision and hearing screening.
Read the answer AnswerSensory red flags that should prompt a developmental referral
Refer for developmental assessment when sensory responses are persistent, pervasive across settings and functionally disabling — not isolated quirks. Red flags include failed newborn hearing or vision screens, no sound response or visual tracking by expected ages, extreme sustained over- or under-reactivity, oral-sensory feeding refusal affecting growth, and sensory patterns disrupting sleep, feeding, social engagement or participation. Failed sensory screens are urgent; broader sensory-processing concerns route to developmental and occupational-therapy assessment.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs in adaptive development should a teacher notice and flag?
Teachers can flag adaptive-development concerns when a child consistently needs far more help than same-age peers with self-care, daily routines and independence — eating, dressing, toileting, hygiene, transitions and everyday safety — or when a learned skill slips. Look for a persistent gap across weeks, several areas affected together, or a widening gap over the term. These are observations to share warmly with parents and a developmental team, never to diagnose in the classroom. Keep brief factual notes and suggest a developmental check, because early, strengths-first support works best before any conclusion.
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 AnswerWhat signs in a child's Communication development should a teacher notice and flag?
Teachers should notice and flag children who speak far less than peers, struggle to follow simple instructions, have very unclear speech, rarely start or join conversations, or don't take turns and share. These are signs to observe and flag to parents and support staff — not to diagnose. A persisting pattern, several areas affected, a child left out of participation, or any sudden loss of words deserves prompt attention, alongside a hearing check.
Read the answer AnswerEmotional development: signs a teacher should notice and flag
Teachers can notice early emotional-development signs such as frequent intense meltdowns that are hard to settle, withdrawal from peers and play, difficulty recovering after upsets, and flat or mismatched mood. These are signs to observe and flag warmly with parents, never to diagnose in the classroom. When a pattern persists for weeks, appears in more than one setting, or affects learning and friendships, a developmental screen helps make sense of it early.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs in a child's Motor development should a teacher notice and flag?
Teachers should notice and flag persistent clumsiness, frequent tripping or falling, trouble with stairs, running, balance or catching, awkward pencil grip, difficulty with buttons, zips or scissors, messy or laboured writing, tiring quickly in physical play, and avoidance of drawing, writing or PE. These are observations to flag and share with parents, not to diagnose. One concern that persists across weeks, or several together, is the signal to start a kind conversation and suggest a developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs in a child's Sensory development should a teacher notice and flag?
Teachers can notice sensory signs such as covering ears at ordinary noise, distress at certain textures, constant movement-seeking, missing instructions despite normal hearing, sensitivity to bright light, or not noticing minor injuries. These are observations to flag with parents and the school team, not to diagnose. A pattern seen across several weeks — affecting learning, friendships or safety — matters more than a single off day, and a general developmental, hearing and vision check is the kind first step.
Read the answer AnswerSocial Development Signs a Teacher Should Notice and Flag
Teachers can flag a child who rarely joins group play, struggles to share or take turns, finds eye contact and back-and-forth conversation hard, misreads others' feelings, or stays on the edge of the group across weeks. One or two off-days are normal; a pattern that persists or shows in more than one area is worth noting plainly and sharing warmly with parents and a developmental team. These are observations to notice and flag, never to diagnose.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with achievement orientation?
In toddlers (1–3 years), achievement orientation is the early drive to attempt, persist with and enjoy mastering tasks. Signs worth a gentle look include giving up almost instantly, rarely showing pride or sharing accomplishments, avoiding anything new or slightly hard, or melting down so fully at small setbacks that play stops. At this age persistence is still being built, so these are things to observe and nurture, not diagnose at home. A pattern that persists for weeks, spans many activities or comes alongside other delays is best discussed at a developmental screen.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with activity completion?
Between ages 3 and 7, signs a child may need support with activity completion include rarely finishing tasks, drifting away within seconds, needing constant reminders, feeling overwhelmed by multi-step jobs, or distress when an activity runs long. Most young children are still building focus and follow-through, so these are signs to observe and support, not diagnose at home. A pattern that persists across home and school is worth a friendly developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with adaptability?
Between 3 and 7 years, signs your child may need support with adaptability include big, lasting distress over small routine changes, difficulty switching between activities, insisting things stay exactly the same, struggling with new places or people, and meltdowns much bigger than peers. Many young children find change hard, so these are signs to observe and gently support, not diagnose at home. A friendly developmental check helps when these reactions happen most days and affect home, play or preschool.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with adaptive skills?
Between ages 3 and 7, signs your child may need support with adaptive skills include needing far more help than peers to dress or feed themselves, ongoing toileting difficulty, trouble following simple daily routines, and limited everyday safety awareness. Children master self-care at different rates, so these are signs to observe and understand, not to diagnose at home. If a gap persists or affects several parts of daily life, a gentle developmental screen is the kind next step.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with adaptive skills?
For a toddler, signs that adaptive (self-help) skills may need support include little interest in self-feeding or dressing, not pointing or gesturing to ask for things, difficulty following simple routines, no readiness for toilet learning near age 2–3, and prolonged distress with small daily changes. These are signs to observe and gently support — not to diagnose at home. A gap that persists or widens across several months is worth a friendly developmental screen.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with aggression control?
Between 3 and 7 years, occasional anger and even hitting are a normal part of learning to manage feelings. Signs that suggest your child may need support with aggression control include outbursts that are frequent, intense or long-lasting, behaviour that hurts others or themselves, difficulty calming down, struggling to use words for feelings, and trouble keeping friends. These are signs to observe and discuss with a clinician — not to diagnose at home — and early, gentle behaviour support helps.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with attachment response?
Between 12 and 36 months, signs your toddler may need support with attachment response include rarely seeking comfort when upset, not turning to you when hurt or scared, very limited eye contact or shared smiles, indifference at separation or reunion, or being equally willing to go off with anyone. These are signs to observe and gently monitor, not to diagnose at home — many settle with time. If a pattern persists across weeks or comes with speech or play concerns, a warm developmental check is the kind next step.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with attention?
In toddlers (1–3 years), short attention is normal and grows with age. Signs worth watching include rarely settling on any activity even briefly, difficulty following a simple one-step request, limited shared attention (following a point, showing you things), and constant movement that disrupts play. These are reasons to observe and screen — not to diagnose at home, since attention varies greatly at this age and labels like ADHD are not given in toddlers. A hearing check and a gentle developmental screen help you understand your child early.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with attention and inhibition?
Between 3 and 7 years, signs a child may need support with attention and inhibition include difficulty staying with a task, frequently darting off, struggling to wait or take turns, blurting and interrupting, and acting before thinking despite reminders. At this age these are patterns to observe and support, not diagnose at home, since young children are still building these skills. What matters is whether the difficulty is bigger than peers', appears in more than one setting, and disrupts play, learning or friendships. A developmental screen is a kind first step if concerns persist.
Read the answer AnswerWhat signs suggest my child may need support with attention to detail?
For a child aged about 3–7, signs that they may need support with attention to detail include frequently missing small parts of tasks, careless errors in colouring or early writing, skipping steps in instructions, and drifting off mid-activity. Much of this is normal as focus is still developing, so these are signs to observe and gently support — not to diagnose at home. A pattern across home and preschool that lasts several months is worth a friendly developmental check.
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