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What is Relationship in child development?
In child development, a relationship is the warm, dependable bond a child forms with carers, family and, later, friends. For toddlers it is the foundation for feeling safe to explore, sharing attention, reading feelings and connecting through words and play. Healthy early relationships are how social and emotional skills first take root — not a diagnosis, but the soil everything else grows from.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Repetitive in child development?
In child development, repetitive means actions, sounds or play a child does over and over in much the same way — lining up toys, repeating words, rocking. In toddlers, much repetition is normal and healthy, helping them practise skills and feel secure. It is worth a closer look only when it is very intense, hard to interrupt, or seems to replace play and connection — which is a cue for a friendly developmental review, not a diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Response-to-Name in child development?
Response-to-Name is a child's ability to turn, look or react when their name is called — one of the earliest social-communication skills. By around 9–12 months most babies turn consistently, and it becomes reliable in the toddler years. It reflects social attention and joint attention, not a pass-or-fail test, and an overall pattern of rarely responding by 12–18 months is worth a gentle developmental check after ruling out hearing.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Are Restricted Behaviours in Child Development?
Restricted behaviours describe a pattern where a child repeats actions, follows fixed routines, lines up objects or focuses intensely on one interest. It is not a diagnosis on its own but a way of noticing how a child plays and finds comfort. Some of this is common in early childhood; it becomes worth reviewing when it is frequent, hard to interrupt, causes distress or limits play, learning and friendships. Early, playful support can build flexibility while honouring a child's joy.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Restricted Interests & Repetitive Behaviors in child development?
Restricted interests and repetitive behaviours describe a child's strong pull towards particular topics, objects or routines, and enjoyment of repeated actions such as lining up toys, spinning, flapping or focusing intensely on one subject. On its own this is part of how some children explore and self-soothe. When very strong and persistent, and when it limits everyday play, learning or flexibility, it is one of several things a clinician may consider within a wider developmental picture, never as a standalone diagnosis.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Routine in child development?
A routine is the regular, predictable order of a toddler's daily events — waking, meals, play, naps and sleep. Between one and three years, this rhythm builds a sense of safety, helps a young child anticipate what comes next, and supports attention, language, social connection and emotional steadiness. It is not about rigid discipline but a comforting, flexible frame that lets a toddler feel secure enough to explore and learn.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Running in child development?
Running is the toddler motor milestone where a child moves faster than a walk, briefly lifting both feet off the ground. It typically emerges between 18 and 24 months and becomes smoother by 2 to 3 years, reflecting growing balance, leg strength, coordination and confidence. Early running is stiff and wobbly, which is normal, and a gentle developmental review is worth considering if a child is not attempting to run by around 2 years.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is School Readiness, and How is it Built?
School readiness is the set of everyday skills a child builds before formal schooling begins that help them settle, listen, make friends and learn — spanning language, attention, social-emotional confidence, fine-motor control and self-care. It is not about early reading; it grows gently through play, conversation and predictable routines over the years before school. A slower-developing thread is an invitation to add early support, not a verdict, and early review protects a child's confidence and love of learning.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Self-Awareness in child development?
Self-awareness is a toddler's growing sense of being a separate person — with their own body, name, feelings and choices. Between 12 and 36 months it appears as mirror recognition, using words like 'me' and 'mine', naming feelings and noticing others' reactions. It is a normal emotional milestone that unfolds gradually with warm everyday connection, not a skill a child simply has or lacks.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Self-Care in child development?
Self-care in child development is a toddler's growing ability to manage their own everyday needs — feeding, drinking, washing, dressing, toileting and grooming. It is part of the adaptive domain (ICF d5 · Self-care) and one of the clearest signs of growing independence. These skills emerge gradually between about 12 and 36 months, each child at their own pace, through practice and gentle encouragement, and early review helps where a skill is slow to build.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Self-Monitoring in child development?
Self-monitoring is a child's growing ability to keep an eye on their own thoughts, actions and feelings — noticing how a task is going, catching mistakes and adjusting. Classified under ICF b164 (self-awareness), it develops gradually between about 3 and 7 years, moving from adult prompts to an inner habit. It underpins attention, problem-solving and friendships, and responds well to playful practice; persistent difficulty past five may warrant a developmental review.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Self-Regulation in child development?
Self-regulation is a child's growing ability to notice, manage and recover from big feelings, urges and attention — to calm, wait, shift focus and respond rather than react. In toddlers it is only just emerging and depends heavily on a calm adult to co-regulate. Tantrums and quick mood swings are normal at this age; the skill grows through warm, repeated practice, not expectation of mastery. Early review helps when distress is extreme, rarely soothable or affecting daily family life.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Self-Sufficiency readiness, and how is it built?
Self-Sufficiency readiness is how ready a child is to manage age-appropriate daily living and self-care — eating, dressing, toileting, washing and asking for help. It is not a diagnosis but a gentle way of noticing where independence is strong and where support may help. It is built step by step through everyday practice, encouragement and small responsibilities that grow with the child.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Sensory in child development?
Sensory development is how a toddler takes in, organises and responds to information from their senses — sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, plus movement and body position. Between 12 and 36 months, children actively learn to filter and respond to this input so they can play, eat, move and connect comfortably. Wide variation is normal; a review helps only when strong, persistent sensory responses regularly interrupt eating, sleep, play or family life.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Sensory Processing in child development?
Sensory processing is how a child's brain takes in information from the senses — touch, sound, sight, taste, smell, movement and body position — organises it and responds appropriately. It is a normal, developing ability, not a diagnosis. When processing runs smoothly a child can settle, listen and play comfortably; when it is still developing, everyday sounds, textures or movement may feel too intense or too faint, shaping how a child reacts. Differences become worth reviewing when they regularly disrupt sleep, meals, dressing, play or learning.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Sensory Regulation in child development?
Sensory regulation is a child's ability to take in everyday sensations — sounds, sights, textures, movement — and stay comfortably settled and ready to play, listen and learn. It is not a diagnosis but a developing ability that grows across the early years. Some children find it harder to manage certain sensations, and many build steadier regulation with playful, repeated experiences and, where needed, targeted support.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Sensory Responses in child development?
Sensory responses describe how a child takes in and reacts to information from their senses — sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, movement and body awareness. Classified under ICF b156, every child has their own sensory style, and most reactions settle as the nervous system matures. It is not a diagnosis, but when reactions are very strong or get in the way of everyday play, eating or dressing, an occupational therapy review can help.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Situational in child development?
In child development, 'situational' means a young child's skills, behaviour and mood can change depending on the setting — who is present, where they are, and how familiar the routine feels. It is normal and expected: context shapes how abilities show up. Because of this, watching a toddler across several everyday situations gives a truer picture than a single snapshot. A difference seen only in one setting often points to the setting; one seen everywhere is worth a closer look.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Sleep in child development?
Sleep in toddlerhood is an active, essential part of development — the time when the brain consolidates learning, the body grows, and emotions settle. Most toddlers (1–3 years) need around 11–14 hours in every 24 hours, usually a long night plus a daytime nap. Healthy sleep underpins attention, mood, learning and appetite, and settling well is itself a self-care skill that grows with calm, predictable routines.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Social Awareness in child development?
Social awareness is a child's growing ability to notice and make sense of other people — their feelings, needs and the unspoken rules of a situation. It underpins kindness, sharing, friendship and cooperation. In children aged about 3 to 7 it shows as reading a friend's face, taking turns, and beginning to understand others may want something different. It develops gradually and unevenly, and that is normal — playful practice helps it grow.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Social Communication in child development?
Social communication is how a child uses language together with non-verbal cues — eye contact, gesture, expression and tone — to connect with others: to share, ask, greet, take turns and play. It is not just what a child says but how they use it socially (ICF d350). Between three and seven years it grows quickly, as children learn conversation, social rules and reading others' feelings. It is not a diagnosis but a developmental area worth gentle attention if a child struggles to connect with peers.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Social Development in child development?
Social development is how a child gradually learns to connect with others — sharing, taking turns, making friends, understanding feelings and following the unspoken rules of being together. It is not a single skill but a web of abilities that grows through play and everyday moments, especially between ages 3 and 7. Differences in pace are common, and warm modelling and practice help these skills bloom; an early review simply guides support where it helps.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Social in child development?
Social development is how a child learns to connect with people — noticing others, sharing feelings, taking turns and building relationships. In toddlers (about 1 to 3 years) it appears as joint attention, imitation, simple turn-taking, sharing and early pretend play alongside peers. It is not about being outgoing; it is the foundation of relating, and it grows with everyday warmth and play. A persistent gap is an invitation to look closer, never a verdict.
Read the answer AnswerWhat is Social Interaction in child development?
Social interaction is the everyday give-and-take between a child and the people around them — eye contact, responding to a name, sharing attention, taking turns and joining play. Classified in the ICF as d710, it is a foundation of communication and friendship that grows through warm, playful moments. It is not a single skill but a web of small abilities that build together, and a noticed difference is simply an invitation to add the right support.
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