Toddler Developmental Red Flags Checker

Developmental red flags are specific skills or behaviours that, when absent by a certain age, suggest a child may benefit from developmental evaluation. They're not diagnoses — they're indicators that something is worth investigating. A red flag might indicate a hearing problem, a language disorder, autism, a motor delay, or it might turn out to be a normal variation. The key is that red flags warrant professional assessment rather than waiting.

Even one red flag — especially the 'always urgent' ones listed at the top of this tool — is enough reason to bring up your concerns at your child's next visit, or to call and request an earlier appointment. Multiple red flags across different domains increase the likelihood that something needs attention. The risks of investigating when nothing is wrong are minimal. The risks of not investigating when something is wrong can be significant.

No. Autism spectrum disorder involves social-communication challenges AND restricted/repetitive behaviours and interests. The social red flags — not responding to name, not pointing to share interest, reduced eye contact, not imitating actions — are often the earliest indicators, even before speech delays become obvious. If you notice social red flags, ask your pediatrician specifically about autism screening (the M-CHAT-R is the standard tool used at 18 and 24 months).

Sensory processing refers to how the nervous system receives, organises, and responds to input from the senses. Children with sensory processing differences may be hypersensitive (over-responsive) or hyposensitive (under-responsive) to things like touch, sound, movement, light, taste, or smell. This can look like meltdowns over clothing tags, extreme fear of loud sounds, or seemingly being unaware of pain. Sensory processing differences often co-occur with autism, ADHD, and other developmental conditions, and can significantly impact daily life even in isolation.

Some children do develop more slowly in one domain without it signalling a lasting difference — especially premature babies (who should be assessed using corrected age) or children in bilingual environments (who may say fewer words in each language separately). However, 'slow to develop' is not a reason to skip evaluation — it's a reason to evaluate early so that if support is needed, it can start when it's most effective. Early intervention windows are real: the brain is most plastic in the first 3 years of life.

A developmental evaluation involves a multi-step assessment by a specialist (developmental pediatrician, psychologist, speech therapist, or occupational therapist). They'll observe the child, use validated assessment tools, take parent history, and sometimes review medical records. For autism specifically, a diagnostic evaluation may take 3–8 hours. For other concerns, assessments are typically shorter. The goal is to understand the child's complete developmental profile, not just confirm or rule out a single diagnosis.