Red Flags

Child Growth

While every child develops at their own pace, there are certain red flags or signs that may indicate a potential issue with a child's growth or development. It's important to remember that these red flags do not necessarily indicate a problem, but they can serve as a guide to seek further evaluation if you have concerns. Here are some red flags to notice with child growth:

  • Not following objects
  • Not smiling at people
  • Not able to hold head steady
  • Doesn’t coo or make sounds

  • Not trying to reach for objects
  • Shows no affection for family members
  • Doesn’t respond to sounds around him
  • Not keeping things to mouth
  • Not making sounds like “ah”, “eh”, “oh”
  • Not able to roll over in either direction
  • Not laughing or not making squealing sounds

  • Doesn’t bear weight on legs with support
  • Not able to sit
  • Doesn’t babble (“mama”, “baba”, “dada”)
  • Doesn’t play any games involving back-and-forth play
  • Not responding to own name
  • Not recognising familiar people
  • Not transferring objects from one hand to the other

  • Doesn’t crawl
  • Not able to stand when supported
  • Doesn’t look for things that she sees you hide
  • Not talking single words like “mama” or “dada”
  • Not waving bye-bye or shaking head
  • Not pointing to things

  • Not able to walk
  • Not able to understand what familiar things are for
  • Not able to copy other’s actions
  • Not talking at least 6 words
  • Doesn’t show any interest when a caregiver leaves or returns home
  • Not pointing to show things to others
  • Doesn’t make eye contact

  • Not able to talk in 2-word phrases like “give milk”
  • Not knowing what to do with common things, like a brush, phone, spoon
  • Not able to copy words
  • Not able to imitate actions
  • Not able to follow simple instructions
  • Not able to walk steadily

  • Falls down a lot or has trouble with stairs
  • No clear speech
  • Not able to play with simple toys (such as peg boards, simple puzzles, turning handle)
  • Not able to speak in sentences
  • Not able to understand even simple instructions
  • Absent pretend play or make-believe
  • Doesn’t want to play with other children or with toys

  • Not able to jump in place
  • Has trouble scribbling
  • Resists dressing, sleeping, and using the toilet
  • Can’t retell a favourite story
  • Not able to follow 3-part commands
  • Doesn’t use “me” and “you” correctly
  • Speaks unclearly - not able to be understood by others
  • Not showing any interest in interactive games with other children
  • Ignores other children or doesn’t respond to people outside the family

  • Being emotionless
  • Not able to focus on one activity for more than 5 minutes
  • Not interested in games and activities
  • Not able to tell his first and last name
  • Doesn’t use plurals or past tense properly
  • Doesn’t share experiences
  • Not able to draw pictures
  • Not able to do daily activities like brushing teeth, washing hands, or removing dress without help