As children grow, they pass through stages of development called milestones. They learn to move, talk, solve problems, and socialise. Even though each child is unique, there are skills that they are expected to develop at certain ages. If a child takes too long to reach these milestones, stops progressing, or regresses, it may indicate early developmental concerns.
What is typical development?
Early childhood educators in crèches, and foundation phase often see children learning new skills. To determine if children are reaching developmental milestones, look for these signs:
Gross motor:
- Sitting up without help between 6 and 8 months
Crawling will begin at 6 months but usually begins backwards. Crawling forwards between 7 and 10 months. - Cruising (assisted walking; walking while holding onto something) between 10 and 12 months
- Standing without help between 11 and 12 months
- Walking between 12 – 18 months
- Using one stair at a time but using both feet on each step between 24 – 30months . Needs assistance climbing down.
- Running by 24 months
- Kicking a ball between 18 and 24 months
- Catching a ball between 36 and 40 months
- Using a tricycle by 36 months
Fine motor:
- Using pincer grasp (pinching; thumb and finger grasp) by 12 months
- Scribbling by 12 months
- Building a small block tower (2-4 blocks) by 18 months
- Copying a circle drawing by 24 months
- Stringing beads by 36 months
- starting to usescissors to cut simple shapes between 42- 48 months. Not initially accurate. Good control is achieved at around 6 years.
- Writing their name by 5 years – some inaccuracies in letter formation will still be evident
- Accurate letter formation begins between 6-7 years.
Language:
- Babbling using single sounds (baby talk) by about 6 months to get attention.
Babbling using double sounds eg: da between 7 –8 months - Shaking their head for “No” between 10 – 11 months
- Imitating sounds between 9 -12 months
- Using a word correctly by about 1 year
- Using 3-5 words by 15 months
- Speaking two-word sentences between 24 -30 months
Begins to accumulate vocabulary rapidly between 2-3 years. - Speaking two-to-three-word sentences by 36 months
- Having learnt approximately 300 to 1000+ words by 48 months
Social:
- Showing an object to a caregiver by 12 months
- Pointing to objects by 12 months
- Using pretend play by 18 months
- Engaging in parallel play (playing near other kids but not with them) by 24 months
- Taking turns by 33 months
- Sharing without being asked by 36 months
- Using imaginary play by 36 months
- Having a preferred friend by 48 months
Every child develops differently. Development is within a broad range of abilities and children develop differently within this range. One child might walk early while another might talk early. Differences in development are determined by a child’s individual factors as well as the amount of stimulation in an area.
When should I be concerned about a child’s early development?
Early developmental concerns appear when children do not meet these milestones within the given age range. Concerns can vary from child to child. Some show up early, and others later. Some are mild, and others severe. Typically, concerns arise when a child struggles to reach milestones like moving, walking, talking, or behaving as expected.
For example:
- A child might be late in sitting up, standing, walking, or running compared to others their age.
- Another might have trouble talking or behaving properly in a busy classroom.
- A child might not be interested in playing with peers or might interact in unusual ways, like hitting or throwing toys.
- A child might also suddenly lose a skill they had before.
Developmental concerns can have many causes, including:
- Visual or auditory problems
- Autism, learning or intellectual disabilities
- Medical issues (genetic, birth conditions, infections)
- Prenatal exposure to toxins (like lead, alcohol, smoking, medication and recreational drugs) or head trauma
- Abuse, neglect or trauma Educators spend a lot of time with children. If an educator notices a learner isn’t developing as expected, they should talk to the child’s caregivers and the school’s support staff or seek external support such as a nurse or medical professional.
What can I do to help a child facing an early developmental concern?
Identifying and helping with these concerns early is crucial. Here’s what educators can do:
- Pay close attention. Watch how the child moves, talks, and plays. Children learn quickly, and delays can grow over weeks.
- Identify the delay. Figure out which skill (talking, moving, walking, socialising) the child is struggling with and inform their caregivers.
- Keep track. Use charts to track the child’s progress in reaching milestones, just like tracking other skills.
- Inform caregivers. Caregivers need to know what’s happening in school and if delays are noticed at home too.
- Seek support. With permission, consult specialists like occupational, physical, or speech-language therapists to evaluate and support the child.
Classroom Support
Educators can also help children with early developmental concerns by:
- Getting the child’s attention before speaking
- Giving clear, short instructions
- Ensuring the room is quiet before giving instructions
- Using visual aids to help the child understand
- Providing opportunities for children to work and play together
- Praising accomplishments
- Using daily routines for learning
- Breaking tasks into smaller steps
- Communicating with caregivers to learn home strategies
If a child’s skills do not improve, and the difficulties are different from peers and affect daily activities, it might suggest a Neurodevelopmental Disorder.
Where to find more information
For detailed information on mental health conditions, visit our guides for health professionals.