As a parent or caregiver, if you see any of these behaviors in a child we encourage you to talk with the child’s pediatrician and ask for a referral for an evaluation from one of our physical, occupational, or speech therapists.
Physician referral forms can be found in the Patient Resources section of our website.
Newborn:
- Stiff or floppy
- Difficulty organizing suck, swallow, breath (difficulty feeding)
2 months:
- Poor visual focus – not interacting with caregiver faces
- Arches back frequently
4-6 months:
- Does not bring hands to midline
- Difficulty moving against gravity
- Maintains fisting
- Little to no vocalizations
- Not initiating some type of rolling movement
- Not grasping and holding toys
- Gags or chokes often
- Unable to lift head up lying on tummy
8 months:
- Not sitting alone
- Does not explore toys with hands
- Will not bear weight on legs
- Does not respond to or begin social interactions
9 – 12 months:
- Not crawling on belly or hands and knees
- Limited sounds, uses mostly vowel sounds
- Not using pincher grasp (finger and thumb) for self-feeding
- Does not babble, coo or gesture
- Unable to walk behind push toy or pull to stand
12-16 months:
- Not taking steps independently
- Does not say single words
- Cannot self feed
- Does not imitate sounds or movements
- Walks on tiptoes most of the time
18-24 months:
- Does not say two word phrases
- Does not engage in pretend play
- Difficulty coordinating use of both hands
- Frequently falls down
2-4 years:
- Observed to be a “clumsy kid” (tripping over feet)
- Has difficulty with dressing or having clothes on
- Does not engage in play with other children
- Cannot throw or kick a ball
- Will not scribble when given a crayon or marker
- Does not use at least 50 words consistently
Any age:
- Hesitant to interact with others or the environment, appears to be overly sensitive, described as a “fussy baby or child”
- Overly passive baby, not exploring the environment or toys
- Perpetual movement, no sit-down time, no balance between movement and rest.
- Delays in development affecting multiple areas
- Consistent walking on tip-toes for an extended period of time
- Has any loss of any language, motor, or social skills
- Child does not know how to play with toys
- Child has poor eye contact
- Child seems to prefer to play alone.
- Avoids using both sides of his/her body or exhibits a strong one side preference.
- Not attempting to help with daily skills like washing, dressing, feeding