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Occupational Therapy
Explore explanations, everyday questions and next steps connected with occupational therapy.
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Signs & concerns
What Does a Delay in Adaptive Skills Mean for My Child?
Adaptive skills are the everyday self-help abilities a child uses to manage daily life — eating, dressing, washing, toileting and following routines. A delay means your child is taking longer than peers to master some of these; it is not a diagnosis. Seek a developmental check if self-care lags well behind peers, routines feel hard, or the delay travels with differences in talking, attention or coordination — because early, playful support works beautifully at this age.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Autonomy mean for my child?
Autonomy means your toddler's growing ability to do small everyday things themselves — feeding, dressing, washing, making simple choices. A delay between 12 and 36 months usually means these self-help skills are emerging more slowly than expected; it is not a diagnosis, and often responds well to gentle, playful practice. Seek a developmental check if the delay is significant, skills are lost, or it travels with communication or motor concerns — because early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Balance mean for my child?
A delay in balance means your toddler is taking longer to build the steadiness needed to stand, walk, climb and play — not a diagnosis. Balance develops at different paces, and many toddlers simply need more time and practice. When it appears with other movement concerns, it is a reason for an early developmental check, because gentle support works best early.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Body Coordination mean for my child?
A delay in body coordination means skills like running, jumping, climbing, throwing and catching are emerging more slowly than usual for your child's age — not a diagnosis. For 3-to-7-year-olds, it is a reason for a gentle developmental check, because playful occupational therapy support works best early. Most children make strong progress with the right help.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Climbing mean for my child?
Climbing usually develops between about 18 and 36 months, and toddlers reach it at their own pace. A delay in climbing alone most often means more practice or opportunity is needed, not a serious problem. Seek a gentle developmental check if climbing is delayed alongside other motor concerns — late walking, frequent falls, unusual stiffness or floppiness, real fear of movement, or loss of a skill. This is a reason to look early, never a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Co-Ordination mean for my child?
A delay in co-ordination means your toddler's movements — hands, eyes, balance working together — are developing a little later or more unevenly than usual. It is not a diagnosis, simply a reason for a calm developmental check now, because early support at this age works beautifully. Seek a check if your child stumbles or falls often, struggles with small objects or stacking, has wobbly balance, clearly favours one side, or shows other delays alongside.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Daily Living Skills Mean for My Child?
A delay in Daily Living Skills means your 3-to-7-year-old needs more support to manage everyday self-care — dressing, feeding, toileting, washing — than peers their age. It is not a diagnosis. These skills lean on fine motor control, planning and confidence, and grow at different paces. With early, play-based occupational therapy support, most children build independence steadily.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Fine Motor mean for my child?
A fine motor delay means your child's small hand-and-finger skills — holding a crayon, using buttons or scissors, stacking blocks — are developing a little later than expected. It is not a diagnosis and does not predict the future. For most children aged 3–7, these skills strengthen well with playful practice and, where needed, occupational therapy support.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Gross Motor mean for my child?
A Gross Motor delay means your child is taking longer to reach big-movement milestones like running, jumping, climbing and balancing. Between 3 and 7 years this is common and often responds beautifully to early, play-based support. It is not a diagnosis — it is a sign that a gentle developmental check is wise now. Watch for frequent falls, avoiding active play, tiring quickly, or poor balance, especially alongside other delays.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Independence & Autonomy Mean for My Child?
A delay in Independence & Autonomy means a 3-to-7-year-old is slower than peers to manage everyday self-care and small decisions — dressing, feeding, washing, or saying what they want. This is a functional observation, not a diagnosis. Children grow these skills at very different paces, and a gentle developmental check helps you understand what support would help. Seek a review if self-care lags well behind peers, your child rarely makes choices, or there are also delays in talking, play or movement.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in jumping mean for my child?
Most toddlers jump with both feet leaving the ground between 22 and 30 months, with wide healthy variation. A delay in jumping alone usually means leg strength, balance and coordination are still maturing and is rarely worrying. It is worth a developmental screen when jumping lags alongside other motor differences — trouble running, climbing stairs or frequent falls. This is a reason to observe early, never a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Manual Dexterity mean for my child?
A delay in manual dexterity means your child's hands are taking longer to master fine, precise skills like holding a crayon, buttons or building blocks. Between 3 and 7 these skills grow at very different rates, so a delay is a signal to look closely — not a diagnosis. With play-based occupational therapy support, most children make strong progress, because the hands learn well when given the right practice.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Mobility mean for my child?
A delay in Mobility means your toddler is reaching movement milestones — sitting, crawling, standing or walking — later than the usual window. It is not a diagnosis on its own, and many children catch up well with the right support. Seek a calm developmental check if your child isn't bearing weight, isn't walking near 18 months, strongly favours one side, feels very stiff or floppy, or loses a skill. Early understanding means earlier, gentler help.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Motor Development Mean for My Child?
A delay in motor development means your child is reaching movement milestones — gross motor like running and climbing, or fine motor like drawing and dressing — later than most children for their age. It is a reason to look closely, not a diagnosis. With early, play-based support most children make strong progress, because young bodies and brains respond well.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Motor-Skills mean for my child?
A motor-skills delay means your toddler is reaching movement milestones — sitting, walking, climbing or using their hands — a little later than most children their age. In 1–3 year olds this is common, often responds well to play-based support, and is not a diagnosis. Seek a gentle developmental check if your child isn't walking by around 18 months, seems stiff or floppy, struggles with small hand tasks, falls often, or loses a skill once had. Early support at this age works wonderfully.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Oral mean for my child?
A delay in oral skills means your toddler's mouth, lips, tongue and jaw are taking longer to coordinate for eating, drinking and early sounds — not a diagnosis. Seek a developmental check if your child refuses textured food, coughs or chokes at meals, dribbles a lot, or has very few clear sounds by age 2. These muscles respond beautifully to early, playful support, so earlier observation means earlier progress.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Physical Development Mean for My Child?
A delay in physical development means your 3-to-7-year-old is reaching movement milestones — running, climbing, jumping, or hand skills like drawing — later than most peers. It is a reason to look closely, not a diagnosis. Watch big-body and fine-motor skills, and seek a check if several lag or a skill is lost, because early support helps most children make strong progress.
Read the answer AnswerWhat a Delay in Practical Skills Means for Your Toddler
Practical skills are everyday self-care abilities — feeding, dressing, drinking from a cup, joining routines. A delay means your toddler is taking longer to build these adaptive skills; it is not a diagnosis but a gentle signal that a developmental check is worthwhile, because support at this age works well. Watch for difficulty with finger-feeding, using a spoon, helping with dressing, or when delays travel with slow talking or motor differences. Occupational therapy gently builds these skills through play.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Proprioceptive mean for my child?
A proprioceptive delay means your child's inner body-sense — the feedback from muscles and joints that tells the brain where the body is and how much force to use — is still developing. It can show as clumsiness, using too much or too little force, or craving crashing and squeezing. This is a sensory-processing difference, not a diagnosis, and play-based occupational therapy support often helps it grow.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Running mean for my child?
Most toddlers begin running between 18 and 24 months, and many look smooth only after two years — so a delay in running alone is usually normal variation in big-muscle development. It is worth a gentle developmental check when late running comes with other motor delays, frequent falling, stiffness or floppiness, or loss of a skill once gained. This is a reason to observe early, not a diagnosis, because support works best when started young.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Self-Care mean for my child?
Between 12 and 36 months, self-care skills like feeding, drinking from a cup, helping with dressing and noticing a wet nappy emerge at very different paces. A delay means your toddler is taking longer than most peers — it is not a diagnosis, but a signal to look closer. Seek a developmental check if skills lag well behind, seem stuck, or come with delays in talking, play or movement. Early, gentle support works wonderfully at this age.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Sensory mean for my child?
A delay in sensory development means your toddler may process touch, sound, light, taste and movement differently — feeling things very intensely or not noticing them enough. At 12–36 months this is common and very responsive to early support. It is not a diagnosis; it means a clinician's calm look is wise, because the toddler brain is highly shapeable now. Seek a check if sensory reactions distress your child daily, disrupt eating or sleep, or come alongside communication or motor delays.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Sensory Processing mean for my child?
A sensory processing delay means your child's brain is still learning to organise everyday sensations like sound, touch and movement — it is not a diagnosis and not about intelligence. Between 3 and 7, many children are still tuning these systems; when it disrupts play, dressing, eating or learning, it is a clear, very treatable reason for a gentle check. Early, play-based occupational therapy helps the nervous system organise input more comfortably.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Sensory Regulation mean for my child?
A delay in sensory regulation means your 3-to-7-year-old's brain is still learning to take in and respond comfortably to everyday sensations like sound, touch and movement. It is not a diagnosis. It may show as over-reacting, under-reacting or seeking sensation, with knock-on effects on play and sleep. Early, playful occupational therapy support helps most children settle well.
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