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Signs & concerns
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Signs & concerns
Signs of cognitive delay in an 18-to-24-month-old
By 18–24 months, possible signs of cognitive delay include play that stays very simple (no pretend play), little problem-solving, not following simple requests, few words and no pointing, less curiosity, or a plateau or loss of skills. These are reasons for an early developmental check — not a diagnosis. Hearing is always checked first, and early support at this age works beautifully.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of cognitive delay in a 2-year-old
By two, most toddlers follow simple instructions, point to show interest, pretend-play and solve simple puzzles. Gentle signs worth a developmental check include not following one-step requests, little pretend play, not pointing, struggling to find a hidden toy, or losing skills once had. These are reasons to assess early, not a diagnosis — early support works best at this age.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of Cognitive Delay in a 3-to-6-Month-Old
Between 3 and 6 months, babies vary widely, so one later milestone rarely signals concern. Gentle reasons for a developmental check include not tracking faces or toys with the eyes, not reaching for objects or bringing hands to mouth, not turning to sounds or voices, rarely smiling or cooing, or feeling unusually floppy or stiff. These are reasons to assess early — not a diagnosis — because early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat are the signs of cognitive delay in a 3-year-old?
By three, children develop at very different paces, so many "late" skills are simply on the later side of typical. Seek a developmental check if your child is not using short 2–3 word sentences, not following simple two-step instructions, not playing pretend, not matching or sorting toys, not asking questions, or has lost skills once gained. These are reasons to assess early — not a diagnosis — because early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat are the signs of cognitive delay in a 4-year-old?
By four, most children ask lots of questions, play make-believe, follow two-step instructions and name a few colours or shapes. Possible signs of cognitive delay include trouble following simple directions, little pretend play, difficulty with everyday problem-solving, or understanding that lags well behind playmates — especially when several appear together. This is a reason to seek a developmental check, not a diagnosis, because support at this age works beautifully.
Read the answer AnswerWhat are the signs of cognitive delay in a 5-year-old?
At five, cognitive development shows through language, play, memory and problem-solving. Possible signs of delay include trouble following two-step instructions, very limited speech, difficulty counting or naming colours, little pretend play, or learning much more slowly than peers. One sign alone is rarely a worry — it is several areas together, or a clear gap from peers, that makes an early developmental check wise. This is a reason to assess early, not a diagnosis, because support at this age works beautifully.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of cognitive delay in a 6-to-9-month-old
At 6–9 months, babies develop on very different timelines, so cognitive delay rarely shows as one sign — it shows as patterns worth watching over weeks: little curiosity about objects, not tracking or searching for things, quiet social connection, faint babble, or a skill that seems to fade. None of this is a diagnosis; it simply means a clinician's gentle look is wise, because early support works beautifully at this age.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of cognitive delay in a 6-year-old
By six, most children follow two-step instructions, count, recognise letters and manage basic self-care. Signs worth a developmental check include trouble understanding everyday instructions, learning much more slowly than peers, difficulty with early academics or problem-solving, needing far more help with self-care, or play and language that seem clearly younger than their age. This is a reason to assess calmly — not a diagnosis — because support at this age works well.
Read the answer AnswerWhat are the signs of cognitive delay in a 9-to-12-month-old?
Between 9 and 12 months, babies learn by mouthing, banging, dropping and watching — that curiosity is cognition. Seek a developmental check if your baby shows little interest in exploring, doesn't search for a hidden toy, doesn't respond to their name, makes little eye contact, or isn't babbling or gesturing by around 12 months, or has lost a skill. These are reasons to assess early, not a diagnosis — early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat are the signs of cognitive delay in a newborn?
In the first three months, cognitive delay cannot be meaningfully identified — a newborn's learning is only just beginning, and there is no reliable cognitive-signs list at this age. Instead, watch the building blocks: feeding, alertness, response to sound, looking at faces, early smiling and muscle tone. If anything feels off, a calm general developmental check is the right step — not a cognitive diagnosis. Cognitive assessment becomes meaningful through milestones across the first and second years.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of communication delay in a 12-to-18-month-old
Between 12 and 18 months, most toddlers point, babble with intent, respond to their name and pick up first words. Gentle signs worth a check include no babbling or gestures, not responding to their name, no clear words by around 15–18 months, not pointing to share, or not understanding simple requests. These are reasons to assess early — not a diagnosis — and a hearing check is often a sensible first step.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of communication delay in an 18-to-24-month-old
By 18–24 months most toddlers use a growing set of words, point and gesture, respond to their name and follow simple requests. Seek a developmental check if your child has very few or no words, doesn't point or gesture, doesn't respond to their name, doesn't follow simple instructions, or loses words once had. These are reasons to assess early — not a diagnosis — because early communication support works best now.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of communication delay in a 2-year-old
By around 24 months most toddlers say 50 or more words, begin joining two words, point to show things, respond to their name and understand simple instructions. Gentle signs to check include very few or no words, no two-word phrases, little pointing or gesturing, not seeming to understand simple requests, or losing words once had. None of this is a diagnosis — it means a clinician's calm look is wise now, because communication support works beautifully at this age.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of Communication Delay in a 3-to-6-Month-Old
Between 3 and 6 months, communication appears as cooing, social smiling, turning towards sound and watching faces — not words. Seek a developmental check if your baby rarely makes sounds, doesn't smile back, doesn't respond to voices or sound, or makes little eye contact by around 6 months. A hearing screen is often a reassuring first step. None of this is a diagnosis — it means early, gentle review is wise, because support works best now.
Read the answer AnswerWhat are the signs of communication delay in a 3-year-old?
By three, most children use short three-to-four-word sentences, are understood by familiar people, follow simple instructions, and enjoy back-and-forth chat. Seek a developmental check if your child has very few words, no simple sentences, speech strangers cannot understand, trouble following instructions, or little interest in connecting — and if words once used have faded. These are reasons to assess early, not a diagnosis, because support at this age works wonderfully.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of Communication Delay in a 4-Year-Old
By four, most children speak in four-plus-word sentences, are understood by strangers most of the time, ask many questions and tell simple stories. Gentle signs worth a check include speech that's hard for others to understand, very short or jumbled sentences, trouble following two-step directions, or difficulty with conversation and pretend play. These are reasons to assess early — not a diagnosis — because support at four works beautifully.
Read the answer AnswerWhat are the signs of communication delay in a 5-year-old?
By five, most children speak in clear, full sentences, follow multi-step instructions, tell simple stories and are understood by strangers. Seek a communication check if your child is hard to understand, uses very short or jumbled sentences, struggles to follow directions, or finds conversation, questions and story-telling difficult. These are reasons to assess early — not a diagnosis — because support works best before school demands grow.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of communication delay in a 6-to-9-month-old
At 6–9 months, communication shows as babbling, smiling, turning to your voice and enjoying back-and-forth play like peekaboo. Gentle signs worth a check include no babbling, not responding to sounds or their name, little eye contact, or loss of a skill. A hearing check is often the first sensible step. None of this is a diagnosis — it simply means an early, calm developmental review is wise, because support at this age works beautifully.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of communication delay in a 6-year-old
By six, most children speak in clear full sentences, follow multi-step instructions, hold conversations and are understood by strangers. Signs worth checking include unclear speech, short or jumbled sentences, trouble understanding instructions, word-finding struggles, or difficulty telling a story — especially if teachers notice too or your child grows frustrated. This is not a diagnosis; at this age a calm assessment opens early opportunities.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of communication delay in a 9-to-12-month-old
Between 9 and 12 months, most babies babble repeated sounds, respond to their name, turn to familiar voices, and use gestures like waving, pointing and reaching. Gentle signs worth a check include little or no babbling, not responding to their name, no gestures, not turning to sound, or limited shared eye contact and smiling. None of this is a diagnosis — it means an early, calm developmental check is wise, because support works best when started early.
Read the answer AnswerWhat are the signs of communication delay in a newborn?
In a newborn (0–3 months) it is too early to identify a true communication delay — language develops much later. What we can watch are early building blocks: startling or settling to sounds, brief eye contact, cooing from around 6 weeks, and varied crying. Speak to your paediatrician if your baby does not respond to any loud sound, makes no eye contact by 2–3 months, feeds poorly, or did not pass the newborn hearing screen. These are reasons for a calm check, not a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of Emotional Delay in a 12-to-18-Month-Old
At 12–18 months, big feelings, clinginess and stranger shyness are all typical signs of healthy emotional development. Seek a gentle developmental check if your toddler rarely seeks or accepts comfort, shows little shared joy or warmth, doesn't look to you to 'check in', or seems flat and hard to soothe — especially alongside delays in talking, eye contact or play. These are reasons to assess early, not a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of emotional delay in an 18-to-24-month-old
Between 18 and 24 months, toddlers are learning to share smiles, seek comfort, show affection and handle big feelings, and the normal range is wide. Seek a developmental check if your child rarely seeks comfort, shows little shared joy or warmth, doesn't seem to notice your emotions, or has feelings that cannot be soothed at all. These are reasons to assess early, not a diagnosis, because emotional skills respond beautifully to early support.
Read the answer AnswerSigns of emotional delay in a 2-year-old
At two, big feelings, tantrums and clinginess are normal — emotional skills are only just developing. Gentle signs worth a developmental check include little eye contact or shared smiling, not seeking comfort when upset, not sharing emotions, little interest in other children, or no pretend play. These are reasons to assess early, not a diagnosis, because early support works best at this age.
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