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Signs & concerns
How a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Possible ADHD Early
A frontline worker can flag possible ADHD when inattention, overactivity or impulsivity is greater than expected for age, persists 6+ months across home and school, and disrupts daily life. ADHD is reliably recognised from around age 5–6; below this, restlessness is usually normal. Screen to refer, never to diagnose.
Read the answer AnswerHow a frontline health worker can spot possible attachment difficulties early
Possible attachment difficulties show as a child who rarely seeks or accepts comfort from a caregiver, is withdrawn and flat, or is indiscriminately over-friendly with strangers — set against disrupted or insufficient care. Watch for a pattern across visits, support the caregiver without blame, and refer for a hearing check and relationship-focused assessment.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Health Worker Can Spot Auditory Processing Difficulties Early
Suspect Auditory Processing Difficulties when a child with normal basic hearing repeatedly mishears, needs repetition, can't follow spoken instructions in noise, or listens inconsistently. Rule out ear infection and hearing loss first, then refer for speech-language and audiological assessment — formal testing matures from around age 7.
Read the answer AnswerHow a frontline health worker can spot possible autism early
Frontline workers spot possible autism by watching how a child shares attention, responds to name, points, plays and communicates — plus repetitive behaviour and need for sameness — when these persist across settings. Refer urgently on any regression, no babble or gesture by 12 months, no words by 16 months, or no two-word phrases by 24 months. Workers refer; only clinicians diagnose.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Possible Cerebral Palsy Early
Suspect possible Cerebral Palsy when a child shows a persistent pattern of abnormal tone (too stiff or too floppy), asymmetry such as early hand preference before 12 months, or delayed motor milestones that do not improve. These are signals to refer promptly, not to diagnose — and prematurity, birth asphyxia or NICU history raises risk.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Childhood Anxiety Early
Spot childhood anxiety when worry, fear or avoidance is out of proportion, lasts weeks, and disrupts school, sleep, play or eating. Children often show it physically — tummy aches, headaches, clinging — rather than in words. Persistent signs across home and school justify a developmental check and referral; treat any hopelessness or self-harm mention as urgent.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting Childhood Apraxia of Speech early at the frontline
Suspect Childhood Apraxia of Speech when a child clearly understands but speaks very little, says the same word inconsistently, shows groping mouth movements, and speech worsens with effort. Frontline workers should screen and refer — alongside a hearing check — to a speech-language pathologist; only a clinician can confirm CAS.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Possible Childhood Epilepsy Early
Suspect childhood epilepsy when a child has recurrent unprovoked episodes — staring spells, sudden jerks, stiffening or collapse — that recur in a stereotyped pattern. Epilepsy is a medical condition, so any suspected seizure warrants prompt referral to a doctor, not therapy-first or wait-and-watch.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Health Worker Can Spot Childhood Sleep Difficulties Early
Spot possible childhood sleep difficulties by asking about settling time, night waking, loud snoring or breathing pauses, and daytime irritability or poor attention. Refer loud snoring with pauses promptly; refer persistent difficulties after basic sleep-hygiene advice — only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting Conduct-Dissocial Disorder early
Refer when a child shows a persistent, pervasive pattern of aggression, deceit, destruction or serious rule-breaking across home, school and community — not one-off lapses or normal tantrums. Frontline workers should always screen for abuse, neglect, learning or hearing difficulty first, and refer urgently on any risk of harm. Diagnosis is a clinical decision, never a screen.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting Possible DCD Early at a Community Visit
Frontline workers can spot possible DCD when a child's movement skills — balance, dressing, pencil and cup use — are clearly below age expectation, persistent across settings, and not explained by vision, hearing, neurological or intellectual causes. Rule out the obvious, check persistence and impact, then refer. Only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Possible DLD Early
Suspect Developmental Language Disorder when a child's understanding or use of language is clearly behind age expectations and persists despite normal hearing, and isn't explained by another condition. Key early flags: no gestures by 12 months, no single words by 16–18 months, no two-word phrases by 24 months, or hard-to-understand speech by 3 years. The frontline worker spots the pattern, checks hearing, and refers — diagnosis stays with a clinician.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting Developmental Regression Early
Developmental regression is the loss of skills a child already had — words, babble, social smiling, eye contact, walking or hand use. Frontline workers can spot it by asking parents whether the child has stopped doing anything they used to do. Any clear regression at any age is a red flag warranting prompt medical and developmental referral, never watchful waiting.
Read the answer AnswerHow a frontline health worker can spot Developmental Trauma early
A frontline health worker can spot possible developmental trauma by noticing a child whose regulation, mood, sleep, relating and development seem out of step with their age — especially alongside known adversity. The job is to notice the pattern, support the caregiver, escalate any safety concern, and route to a developmental check; only a clinician confirms anything.
Read the answer AnswerHow a frontline health worker can spot possible Down syndrome early
Down syndrome can often be recognised at or soon after birth from a cluster of features — low muscle tone, flat nasal bridge, upward-slanting eyes, single palmar crease, wide toe gap — alongside feeding and milestone delays. No single sign confirms it; refer promptly for paediatric review and confirmatory chromosomal testing. Frontline workers observe and refer, never diagnose.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Possible Dyscalculia Early
Frontline workers can spot likely dyscalculia from about age 7 when a child shows persistent, specific difficulty with counting, number facts and arithmetic that is out of step with their other abilities and not explained by teaching, effort or general delay. Flag for a developmental and educational assessment; only a clinician can confirm.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Possible Dysgraphia Early
Dysgraphia shows as writing far below a child's spoken ability — laboured, illegible, slow writing, heavy spelling errors and avoidance of writing, not from poor schooling. Watch for a persistent gap from about age 6–7 and refer; only a clinician confirms.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting possible dyslexia early
Spot possible dyslexia by the gap between a child's strong spoken ability and unexpected, persistent difficulty learning letters, sounds and reading — especially with a family history. Early risk markers (late talking, trouble with rhymes and letter names) appear pre-school; refer once reading lags the class despite good teaching, with hearing and vision checked too.
Read the answer AnswerHow a frontline health worker can spot Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties early
Spot the child whose emotions or behaviour are far more intense, persistent or out of step with age than peers, and seen across home, anganwadi and clinic — lasting weeks and disrupting play, learning or relationships. Rule out hunger, illness, pain or recent stress; refer for a developmental check when difficulties persist, and escalate urgently for self-harm or loss of skills.
Read the answer AnswerHow a frontline health worker can spot Feeding & Eating Difficulties early
A frontline worker can spot possible Feeding & Eating Difficulties by watching for faltering weight, very long or distressing mealtimes, coughing or choking with feeds, and refusal of whole textures or food groups. Signs matter most when they persist across weeks. No diagnosis is needed — note the pattern and refer; choking with breathing trouble needs same-day medical review.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting FASD Early: A Frontline Worker Guide
Spot possible FASD by recognising a cluster — poor pre- and post-natal growth, small head, distinctive facial features (short palpebral fissures, smooth philtrum, thin upper lip), and developmental or behavioural difficulty — especially with any maternal alcohol history. No single sign confirms it; the screening role is to notice the pattern and refer.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Fine Motor Delay Early
A frontline worker spots fine motor delay by watching how a child grasps, pinches and scribbles against simple age milestones, asking the parent if skills have changed, and referring when hand skills are persistently behind or haven't progressed — no diagnosis needed, just a flagged pattern.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Worker Can Spot Genetic Syndromes Early
A frontline health worker spots a possible genetic or chromosomal syndrome by noticing a pattern — distinctive facial features, faltering growth, low muscle tone, birth differences, and global developmental delay — especially when several appear together. No single sign confirms anything; the role is to recognise the cluster and refer promptly for paediatric and genetic assessment.
Read the answer AnswerHow frontline health workers spot Global Developmental Delay early
Suspect Global Developmental Delay in an under-five when significant delay appears across two or more domains — motor, speech, cognition, social. Two or more delayed areas, any loss of skills, or persistent parental concern warrant a developmental referral; only a clinician confirms.
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