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Asha Phc
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Signs & concerns
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Signs & concerns
Spotting 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.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting Possible Gross Motor Delay Early
Spot possible gross motor delay by checking large-movement milestones — head control, rolling, sitting, crawling, standing, walking — against age, and by noticing floppiness, stiffness, asymmetry or loss of a skill. A clear lag or any parental concern justifies referral for a developmental check; only a clinician confirms.
Read the answer AnswerHow a frontline health worker can spot Hearing Impairment early
A frontline worker spots possible hearing impairment by watching responses to sound and voice and the growth of speech: no startle to loud sounds, no head-turn to voice, absent or fading babble, stalled speech, repeated ear discharge, or a failed newborn screen. Caregiver concern and risk factors (NICU, meningitis, family history) always warrant referral. Refer promptly — never wait and see.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Possible Hypotonia Early
A frontline worker can suspect hypotonia in a baby who feels floppy when held, slips through the hands when lifted, drapes over the forearm, has poor head control and late motor milestones, and feeds slowly or tires easily. These are referral signals, not a diagnosis — refer urgently if feeding or breathing is affected.
Read the answer AnswerHow a frontline health worker can spot possible Intellectual Disability early
A frontline worker spots possible intellectual disability by watching for delays across several developmental domains at once — motor, language, play and self-help — that persist over visits and lag behind same-age peers. Use a milestone checklist, take parental concern seriously, act urgently on any loss of skills, and refer for a developmental check rather than waiting. A formal label only follows a clinician's structured assessment.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Motor Planning Difficulties Early
Suspect motor planning difficulties when a child knows what they want to do but struggles to organise and sequence the steps — fumbling new or multi-step movements, slow to learn self-care like buttons and spoons, and showing this pattern across settings despite practice. Rule out vision, hearing and age-fit first; persistent signs plus parental concern warrant referral for a structured developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerHow can a frontline health worker spot a possible non-verbal presentation early?
A non-verbal or minimally verbal child uses few or no spoken words for their age — the key early signal is how they communicate instead, through gesture, pointing or gaze. Look for no babble by 12 months, no words by 16–18 months, no two-word phrases by 24 months, and always rule out hearing loss first. Refer for developmental and hearing assessment without waiting.
Read the answer AnswerHow a Frontline Health Worker Can Spot Possible ODD Early
Suspect possible ODD when a child shows a persistent (≥6 months) pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative and defiant behaviour, and vindictiveness that is beyond age-expected, occurs across home and school, and disrupts daily life. Rule out hearing, anxiety, ADHD, language difficulty and safeguarding concerns first, then refer for structured assessment — never label.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting Persistent Toe-Walking Early
Watch the child walk barefoot: persistent toe-walking is heels rarely touching the floor beyond age 2–3. Most is benign, but refer promptly if it is one-sided, comes with tight or worsening calves, regression, or any developmental delay — only a clinician can confirm the cause.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting Prematurity-Related Developmental Risk Early
Screen preterm children using corrected age (subtract weeks born early up to 24 months) at every contact. Refer when motor, communication, feeding or social milestones lag corrected-age expectations, when tone is unusually stiff or floppy, on any asymmetry or regression, or whenever a parent is worried — alongside hearing and vision checks.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting Possible Rett Syndrome Early
Rett Syndrome shows as a period of normal early development followed by a slowing and loss of acquired skills — especially purposeful hand use — with repetitive hand-wringing movements, slowing head growth and loss of social engagement, often between 6 and 18 months. Frontline workers should recognise any regression and refer promptly; diagnosis is clinical and genetic.
Read the answer AnswerSpotting a possible School Readiness Gap early
A School Readiness Gap is when a child near school-entry age (5–6) has not yet built the language, attention, fine-motor, self-care and social-emotional foundations classrooms assume. Frontline workers can spot it by checking a short cluster of everyday skills during routine contacts and referring any child who lags across two or more areas, or shows regression or hearing concern, for a developmental check.
Read the answer AnswerHow a frontline health worker can spot possible Selective Mutism early
Selective Mutism shows as consistent, situation-specific silence — a child who speaks freely at home but cannot speak at school or clinic for over a month, not explained by an unfamiliar language or hearing loss. It is anxiety-based, not defiance, and is treatable; early, pressure-free referral gives the best outcomes.
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