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Signs & concerns
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Signs & concerns
What does a delay in Routine mean for my child?
A delay in routine means your 1-to-3-year-old needs more support to settle into the predictable rhythms of the day — transitions, mealtimes, sleep and coping with change. This is common at this age and not a diagnosis. Seek a developmental check if difficulties are intense, persist, disrupt family life, or come with social or language delays, because early support works beautifully now.
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-Awareness mean for my child?
A delay in self-awareness means your toddler is taking longer to recognise themselves as a separate person — knowing their name, their reflection, naming feelings, or saying "me" and "mine". Between 12 and 36 months this is one uneven thread of growth, not a diagnosis. It is a gentle signal that a calm developmental check is worthwhile now, because early support works beautifully at this age.
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 Self-Monitoring mean for my child?
Self-monitoring is your child's ability to notice and adjust their own actions — checking work, catching mistakes and pausing before reacting. A delay between 3 and 7 years usually means this skill simply needs more practice, not that anything is wrong. Seek a developmental check if your child repeats the same mistakes, rarely self-corrects, or this travels with attention, learning or language differences. This is a reason to observe early, not a diagnosis — early support works wonderfully at this age.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Self-Regulation mean for my child?
A delay in self-regulation means a toddler is finding it harder than peers to manage big emotions, calm after upset, wait, or move between activities — often with longer or more frequent meltdowns. This is not a diagnosis or a fault; it shows your child is still building these emerging skills. Seek a developmental check if storms are frequent, very hard to soothe, disrupting play, sleep or family life, or come with delays in talking or connecting. Early support works beautifully 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.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Sensory Responses Mean for My Child?
A delay in Sensory Responses (ICF b156) means your child may process sounds, textures, lights or movement as over-sensitive, under-sensitive or seeking — not a diagnosis. At ages 3–7, watch for patterns that disrupt mealtimes, dressing, sleep or play. An occupational therapist can review it, and early, playful support helps most children feel calmer and more ready to learn.
Read the answer AnswerWhat a delay in Situational ability means for your toddler
A delay in situational ability means your toddler finds it harder to read and adjust to different everyday settings — transitions, new places, or daily routines. At 1–3 years this is common, not a diagnosis, and very responsive to early play-based support. Seek a developmental check if you notice a pattern over time, strong distress with transitions, difficulty learning simple routines, or any loss of a skill — earlier observation means earlier opportunity.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in sleep mean for my toddler?
A delay in toddler sleep means your child's settling, night sleep or daytime rest isn't yet where we'd expect for their age — usually a common, fixable phase, not a diagnosis. Most 1–3 year olds need 11–14 hours over 24 hours, and brief waking or bedtime resistance is normal. Seek a check if sleep is very fragmented, paired with snoring or breathing pauses, or affecting daytime mood and learning. Small routine changes often help, and early support works best.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Social Awareness Mean for My Child?
A delay in social awareness means your 3-to-7-year-old is taking longer to notice and respond to other people's feelings, cues and social rules — like sharing attention, turn-taking and reading faces. It is a reason to observe and support early, not a diagnosis. With play-based help, many children make strong gains.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Social Communication mean for my child?
A social communication delay means your child is taking longer to use language and gestures for connecting with others — turn-taking, sharing, asking, adjusting to listeners. It describes where they are now, not a diagnosis, and not their future. With early, playful support most children progress well. Seek a developmental check if several signs are present or your instinct says connection is harder than for peers.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Social Development Mean for My Child?
A delay in social development means your child is taking longer than peers to build everyday people-skills — joining play, sharing, making friends — not a diagnosis. Between 3 and 7, social skills grow at very different speeds, and most children flourish with gentle, early support. It is a reason to look closer with a clinician, never a verdict on your child's future.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Social Interaction mean for my child?
A delay in social interaction means your 3-to-7-year-old is taking longer to build the back-and-forth skills of relating to others — sharing attention, taking turns, joining play, reading feelings. It is a reason to observe and support, not a diagnosis, and most children grow these skills well with early, playful encouragement.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Social mean for my child?
A delay in social development means your toddler is reaching milestones like sharing smiles, pointing, turn-taking or playing with others a little later than peers. At 12–36 months this is common and not a diagnosis — it simply means a gentle developmental check is wise, because social skills respond beautifully to early, play-based support. Watch for limited shared attention, little back-and-forth, not responding to name, or loss of a skill, and seek a check if these appear.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Social Motivation Mean for My Child?
A delay in Social Motivation means your child's natural pull towards sharing, connecting and playing with others is emerging more slowly than expected for their age. It is a reason to observe gently and arrange a developmental check — not a diagnosis. Social drive responds strongly to early, play-based support, so noticing it now is an opportunity to help your child connect and learn more joyfully.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Social Participation Mean for My Child?
A delay in Social Participation (ICF d910) means your child finds it harder than peers to join shared play, take turns and follow group activities. It is not a diagnosis. For many children aged 3 to 7 these skills grow quickly with gentle, play-based support, so a calm developmental check helps identify what is driving it and how best to help.
Read the answer AnswerWhat a Delay in Social Skills Means for Your Child
A delay in social skills means your child is taking longer to build everyday abilities like sharing, turn-taking, joining play and reading feelings — not a diagnosis. Between ages 3 and 7 these skills grow at very different speeds, and most children flourish with warm, play-based support. A clinician's check helps you understand your child's unique pattern and start early, gentle help.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in socialization mean for my child?
A delay in socialization means your toddler is taking longer to develop the back-and-forth of relating to people — sharing smiles, imitating, and showing interest in others. At 12–36 months this is a reason to observe and check gently, not a diagnosis. Social skills grow at different paces, and where a true gap exists, early support works beautifully.
Read the answer AnswerWhat Does a Delay in Speech and Language Skills Mean for My Child?
A speech and language delay at ages 3–7 means your child is building communication a little more slowly than typical — not a diagnosis. Many children catch up well with early, play-based support, so a developmental check now is wise because the early years are the most responsive window. Always include a hearing check, and trust your instinct if something feels off.
Read the answer AnswerWhat a Delay in Speech Clarity Means for Your Child
A delay in speech clarity means your child's words are harder for others to understand than expected for their age — by 3 a familiar adult should understand most speech, by 4 even strangers should. It is not a diagnosis or a sign of low intelligence; it usually reflects how sounds are being made and responds well to early, playful speech support.
Read the answer AnswerWhat does a delay in Strength & Agility mean for my child?
A delay in Strength & Agility means a child's big-body skills — running, jumping, climbing, balancing and quick movement — are developing a little slowly for their age. Between 3 and 7 years this is common, usually responsive to play-based support, and is not a diagnosis. Seek a developmental check if the difficulty is clearly behind peers, does not improve with practice, comes with pain or skill loss, or travels with speech or learning differences. Early observation creates early opportunity.
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