Developmental red flags
Red Flags, Early Childhood Development, Birth to 5 Years
birth – 2 2-4 4-6 months 6-9 months 9-12 months 1 year 2 years 3 years 4 years 5 years
months months
Fails to Does not Does not Does not Not sharing Does not When playing No interest in Unwilling or Play is
blink at a respond watch things smile or enjoyment notice with toys tends pretext play or unable to play different than
bright to loud as they move squeal in with others someone to bang, drop, other children cooperatively their friends
light sounds response to using eye new or throw them
Does not Difficulties in Speech Difficulty
people contact or rather than use
Sucks Does not smile at Does not noticing and difficult to telling a
facial them for their
poorly or watch people Not starting play early understanding understand parent what is
expression purpose
has things as to babble turn taking feelings in wrong
Cannot hold Unable to
difficulty they No gestures games Does not have themselves and
head steady Not reaching follow Cannot answer
feeding move at least 50 others
for and Not using No babbled directions with questions in a
Does not coo words
Fails to Does not holding toys two-part phrases Speech difficult 2 steps simple
or make
respond to bring babble Not putting to understand conversation
sounds Hands No Not toilet
loud hands to words together
frequently Unable to response to Not using simple trained by day Concerns from
sounds mouth Does not
clenched hold and/or familiar Most of what is sentences teacher about
bring things Unable to
release toys words said is not school
to mouth Not rolling Difficulty helping draw lines and
easily readiness
Cannot move Cannot with self-care circles
Does not Not holding understood
toy from one chew solid skills Not
push down head and Cannot pedal a
hand to food No interest in independent
with legs shoulders up Difficulty tricycle
another self-care skills with eating
when feet when on Unable to manipulating
Cannot catch, and dressing
are placed tummy Not sitting pick up Unable to run small objects
throw or kick a
on a hard without small items Cannot draw
Unable to use Not running well ball
surface support using index simple pictures
stairs holding
finger and Cannot walk up Cannot
Has trouble Not creeping on Awkward when
thumb and down stairs balance well
moving one or crawling walking,
Unable to standing on
or both eyes Not Cannot kick or running,
Does not take throw a ball one leg
in all crawling or throw a ball climbing and
weight well
directions bottom using stairs
on legs when Cannot jump
shuffling
held by an with 2 feet Ball skills are
adult Not pulling together very different
to stand to their peers
Not Unable to hop
standing by 5 times on
holding on each foot
to furniture
Not achieving indicated developmental milestones
Strong parent concerns
Significant loss of skills
Lack of response to sound or visual stimulation
Poor interaction with adults or other children
Difference between right and left sides of body in strength, movement or tone
Loose and floppy movements or stiff and tense
Red Flags, Childhood Development, 6 Years to 12 Years
Not achieving indicated developmental milestones
Strong parent concerns
Significant loss of skills
Acts sad or nervous much of the time
Does not respond to positive attention and praise
Seeks adult approval and attention excessively
Does not turn to adults for help or comfort
Little frustration tolerance
Cannot differentiate real from pretend
Is not interested in playing with other children
Is not able to share or take turns with other children
Is extremely “rigid” about routines, and becomes extremely upset when things are changed
Has extreme difficulty separating from the caregiver
Is too passive or fearful, and does not want to try things other children his age are doing
Red Flags, Childhood Development, 13 Years to 18 Years
Not achieving indicated developmental milestones
Strong parent concerns
Significant loss of skills
Extreme or dramatic changes in behavior (sleeping, diet, social, emotional, academic)
