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Signs & concerns
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Signs & concerns
Could difficulty with tiptoe walking be a sign of a developmental delay?
Occasional tiptoe walking is common and usually harmless in toddlers. It is worth a closer look when it is the main way a child walks, persists past about age 3, comes with tight calf muscles, or sits alongside other delays in movement, speech or play. On its own it rarely signals a problem — but the surrounding pattern can be a useful early signal. This is something to observe and screen, not to diagnose at home.
Read the answer AnswerCould difficulty with turn taking be a sign of developmental delay?
Difficulty with turn taking can sometimes be part of a developmental delay in communication, social or play skills, but on its own it is rarely a concern — between 3 and 7 years children are still learning to wait and share. What matters is the overall pattern across several skills, not one behaviour alone. Watch for turn-taking trouble that is clearly out of step with peers, persists for months, or appears alongside delays in talking, understanding or attention. This is something to observe and, if persistent, to have gently checked — never diagnosed at home.
Read the answer AnswerCould Difficulty With Understanding Signal a Developmental Delay?
Difficulty with understanding (receptive language) can be one early sign of developmental delay in toddlers aged 12–36 months — but on its own it is rarely a diagnosis, since hearing, attention and a child's own pace all play a part. Watch for persistent trouble responding to their name, following simple requests, or tuning in to spoken words across several months. A hearing check is a sensible first step. These are signs to observe and monitor, and to raise at a friendly developmental screen — not to label at home.
Read the answer AnswerVerbal Communication & Developmental Delay in Toddlers
Difficulty with verbal communication can be an early sign of developmental delay in a toddler, but rarely tells the whole story on its own — many late talkers catch up. Between 12 and 36 months there are gentle expected milestones (babbling, first words, two-word phrases, following simple instructions). A persistent or widening gap across several of these, trouble understanding as well as speaking, limited gesture, or any loss of skills are cues to seek a friendly developmental screen. A hearing check comes first. Early support never needs a label.
Read the answer AnswerVerbal knowledge difficulty as an early sign of developmental delay
Difficulty with verbal knowledge — understanding words, naming familiar things, and following simple talk — can be an early sign of developmental delay in toddlers aged 12–36 months. But children vary widely, and a slow start is often just their own pace. Signs to watch include few or no words by 18 months, not combining two words by 24 months, struggling to follow simple instructions, or any loss of words. A hearing check comes first. These are signs to observe and monitor, not diagnose at home — a gentle developmental screen brings clarity and reassurance.
Read the answer AnswerVerbal Understanding and Developmental Delay
Difficulty with verbal understanding (receptive language) can be an early sign of developmental delay in children aged 3–7, but on its own it is not a diagnosis. Many children catch up, especially with early support. Watch for trouble following age-appropriate instructions, confusion with who/what/where questions, off-topic answers and heavy reliance on visual cues — particularly if the pattern persists over months or appears alongside other delays. Check hearing first, then screen early rather than wait.
Read the answer AnswerCould difficulty with visual processing be a sign of a developmental delay?
Difficulty with visual processing can be one sign worth noticing in a child aged 3–7, because it affects reading, copying, play and coordination — but it is often a single supportable skill rather than a diagnosis. Visual processing is how the brain interprets what the eyes see, which differs from clear eyesight, so a normal eye test does not rule it out. Watch for persistent patterns across several activities — skipping lines, reversing letters, trouble copying or judging distances. Rule out a simple vision problem first, then seek a developmental screen if difficulties persist.
Read the answer AnswerVisual Reception Difficulty as an Early Sign of Developmental Delay
Difficulty with visual reception — how a toddler takes in and makes sense of what they see — can be one early sign of developmental delay between 12 and 36 months, but it is only one thread, not a diagnosis. Watch for limited eye contact, poor tracking, little interest in pictures, or trouble matching shapes, especially if the pattern persists or affects more than one area. Rule out eyesight and hearing first, and if concerns continue, a gentle developmental screen is the sensible next step.
Read the answer AnswerCould difficulty with visual spatial processing be a sign of a developmental delay?
Difficulty with visual spatial processing can be one early sign worth watching in toddlers aged 12–36 months, but it is rarely meaningful on its own at this age, when spatial skills are still developing fast. Watch for a persisting pattern — frequent bumping, trouble stacking or nesting toys, difficulty finding partly hidden objects, or hesitation on stairs — especially if more than one area of development is affected. A vision and hearing check comes first. This is a reason to observe and gently monitor, and to consider a developmental screen, not to diagnose at home.
Read the answer AnswerVisuospatial skills and developmental delay: early signs for parents
Persistent difficulty with visuospatial skills — judging shapes, space and position — can be one early sign of a developmental delay, particularly when it shows up alongside motor or learning difficulties. Occasional struggles with puzzles or drawing are very common and usually settle with practice. The cue to screen is a pattern that persists across months or affects everyday play and learning. A vision check comes first, and a friendly developmental screen helps understand the whole picture — this is observation, not diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerVocabulary Comprehension and Expression: Early Signs of Delay
Ongoing difficulty understanding and using words between 12 and 36 months can be an early sign of a language delay — but the normal range is very wide and many late talkers catch up. Watch for no clear words by ~18 months, fewer than ~50 words or no two-word phrases by ~24 months, trouble following simple requests, or any loss of earlier skills. These are signs to observe and monitor, not to diagnose at home; a hearing check comes first, and an early friendly screen is the kindest way to be sure.
Read the answer AnswerCould difficulty with vocabulary be a sign of a developmental delay?
Difficulty with vocabulary can be one early sign of a language or developmental delay, but rarely on its own. Between 3 and 7 years, children vary widely. Watch whether vocabulary grows steadily over time, whether your child understands words as well as uses them, and whether other communication areas are progressing. A hearing check usually comes first. These are signs to observe and discuss — not to diagnose at home — and a developmental and speech screen is a calm next step.
Read the answer AnswerCould difficulty with vocalisation be a sign of developmental delay?
Slow vocalisation can sometimes be an early sign of developmental delay, but rarely on its own — between 12 and 36 months it matters how sounds, babbling, words and gestures grow alongside understanding, connection and play. Watch for little babbling by 12 months, few words by 18 months, fewer than ~50 words or no two-word phrases by 24 months, and any loss of words. These are signs to observe and monitor, not diagnose at home. A hearing check comes first, and gentle support never has to wait for a label.
Read the answer AnswerCould Difficulty With Walking Be a Sign of Developmental Delay?
Difficulty with walking can be one sign of a developmental delay, but on its own it rarely tells the whole story. Most toddlers walk between 12 and 18 months, and mild lateness is common and usually harmless. What matters is the pattern: very late walking, persistent tip-toeing, a stiff or floppy gait, loss of a gained skill, or walking concerns alongside delays in talking or play. These are signs to observe and screen — not to diagnose at home — and a friendly developmental check can reassure or route to gentle support early.
Read the answer AnswerWord Knowledge & Developmental Delay: Early Signs
Difficulty with word knowledge — understanding and using words for objects, actions and ideas — can be an early sign of a language or developmental delay, especially when vocabulary lags behind peers and grows slowly. On its own it isn't a diagnosis; many children catch up. The pattern matters most: a gap that persists or widens, or affects both understanding and use. A hearing check comes first, and early playful support helps. This is something to observe and screen, not label at home.
Read the answer AnswerCould working memory difficulty be a sign of developmental delay?
Difficulty with working memory can be one early sign of developmental delay, but in toddlers aged 12–36 months this skill is only just emerging, so forgetting and distraction are normal. What matters is the whole picture across language, play, attention and routines, and a gap that widens over several months. This is a reason to observe and seek a gentle developmental check, never to diagnose at home.
Read the answer AnswerDoes my child need a diagnosis before we can start getting help?
No — a child does not need a formal diagnosis before help can begin. Early intervention is shaped around a child's actual needs, not a label, and a clinician-administered developmental check gives a clear starting point straight away. A diagnosis, if it is needed at all, can follow later; the most important thing is to begin early, when support works best.
Read the answer AnswerDoes my child really need therapy, or is it too early?
It is rarely too early to look — and early looking is a child's biggest advantage. A developmental check is not a one-way door to therapy: sometimes the answer is reassurance, sometimes a little home guidance, and sometimes early support that changes the whole road ahead. Acting on a check means you decide from information, not worry. None of this is a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerObserving adaptability during a home visit
During a home visit, a frontline worker should observe how a child copes with everyday changes — moving between activities, managing shifts in routine, and adjusting to new tasks or unfamiliar people. Adaptability (ICF d5) develops gradually, so these are patterns to observe and monitor across visits, not diagnose at home. Refer to the PHC medical officer when rigidity is marked, persists across settings, or pairs with other developmental delays.
Read the answer AnswerObserving adaptive skills on a home visit
On a home visit, a frontline worker should observe a child's everyday self-care and daily-living skills (ICF d5) — feeding, dressing, toileting, washing and helping at home — and how much help is needed compared with peers. These adaptive skills grow with practice, so watch for steady progress rather than perfection. The worker observes and notes, never diagnoses; a child needing much more help than peers across several areas, or slipping back over months, should be routed to a developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerWhat to observe about a child's attachment response on a home visit
On a home visit, a frontline worker should observe how a child seeks and responds to closeness with their main carer: settling when comforted, eye contact, turning to a familiar voice, social smiling, and showing a clear preference for known people by 8–10 months. These are strengths to notice and encourage, not signs to diagnose. Persistent very limited social response, or a child who cannot be soothed, should be noted and routed to a developmental check — alongside support for overwhelmed carers.
Read the answer AnswerWhat to observe about a child's attention on a home visit
On a home visit, observe how a child connects, holds and shifts attention in everyday play — turning to a name and voice, sharing a glance, settling on a toy for an age-appropriate spell, following a point, and returning to an activity after a small distraction. These are signs to observe and note across visits, not to diagnose. Where attention is consistently very brief or absent for the child's age, gently refer the family for a general developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerObserving attention and inhibition on a home visit
During a home visit, a frontline worker should observe how a child holds attention on a person, toy or task, shares attention with a caregiver, and how well they pause, wait or stop an impulse when gently asked. Watch these in natural play, not as a test. These are observations to note and monitor — never to diagnose at home. A pattern that is clearly behind same-age children, persists across visits, or appears alongside language or social delays warrants a developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerWhat to observe about a child's auditory memory on a home visit
On a home visit, a frontline worker should observe whether a child follows simple spoken instructions, turns to their name, repeats short words, and remembers familiar names and songs for their age. These are everyday signs to observe and note, not to diagnose. A persistent pattern of poor listening or recall — or little response to familiar voices — should be routed to the PHC team, with a hearing check first.
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