Family priorities
What you notice matters.
Your priorities for your child are where an assessment begins. This page describes the early signs, grouped the way families describe them, and what each one may mean. It is not a checklist to worry over: it is a guide to when it may help to take a closer look.
Before you read any of it
These signs do not always mean a serious issue. They signal when it may help to take a closer look.
Typical patterns by age
The same three years, laid out once. Follow the line and read the markers nearest your child's age.
Birth
Social-emotional
0 to 6 months
- Responds to a caregiver's voice and touch
- Begins social smiling
- Shows comfort with familiar caregivers
Movement
0 to 6 months
- Gains head control
- Begins reaching for objects
- Rolls from side to side
6 months
Speech
By 12 months
- Responds to their name and familiar sounds
- Uses gestures like pointing or waving
- Makes early vocal sounds and babbles
- May say basic words like "mama" or "dada"
Social-emotional
6 to 12 months
- Engages in back-and-forth interaction
- Shows clear attachment to caregivers
- Begins to notice strangers
Movement
6 to 12 months
- Sits independently
- Crawls or scoots
- Pulls to stand and explores movement
12 months
Speech
By 18 months
- Uses several single words
- Communicates needs with gestures or sounds
- Follows simple one-step instructions
- Shows interest in communicating with others
Social-emotional
1 to 3 years
- Expresses a wider range of emotions
- Begins parallel play beside other children
- Shows early empathy
- Grows more independent, with support
Movement
12 to 18 months
- Walks with growing independence
- Balance and coordination improve
- Uses the hands more intentionally in play
18 months
Speech
By 24 months
- Uses many single words regularly
- Begins combining two words, like "more juice"
- Understands simple questions and instructions
- Vocabulary grows steadily
2 years
Speech
By 36 months
- Uses short sentences of three or more words
- Speech is easier for caregivers to understand
- Takes part in simple conversation
- Expresses ideas and needs more clearly
Movement
2 to 3 years
- Runs, climbs, and moves through spaces
- Builds simple structures with the hands
- Coordination and control improve
3 years
Speech
Speech and communication
Signs families notice
- Limited or no babbling in infancy
- Few or no words by 18 to 24 months
- Difficulty combining words
- Trouble understanding simple instructions
- Limited response to their name or to sounds
- Reduced use of gestures
- Frustration when trying to communicate
- Speech that is hard to understand for their age
Speech and language development describes how children learn to understand sounds, recognize words, and gradually use communication to express needs and interact with others. Early communication includes responding to sounds and voices, babbling, understanding simple words and instructions, first words, a growing vocabulary, and combining words into short phrases. Every child develops at their own pace; knowing the typical patterns helps you notice when development may be slower than expected.
Speech and language development can be influenced by natural variation in timing, hearing issues or recurring ear infections, developmental differences, limited language exposure, a family history of speech or language delays, and in some cases broader developmental conditions. Often more than one factor plays a part.
Movement
Movement and motor skills
Signs families notice
- Delayed sitting, crawling, or walking
- Frequent falls or balance challenges
- Limited coordination during play
- Difficulty holding or handling objects
- Muscle stiffness or low muscle tone
- A preference for using one side of the body
- Delayed use of the hands in structured play
- Reduced interest in movement-based activities
Motor development is how children gradually gain control over their bodies: posture and balance first, then coordinated hand use and independent movement. Early movement development includes head and body control, rolling, sitting and crawling, standing and first steps, balance, hand coordination and object use, and exploring through movement and play. Movement often connects closely with cognitive and social-emotional growth.
Hearing or vision
Sensory responses, hearing, and vision
Signs families notice
- Not consistently responding to sounds or voices
- Difficulty locating where a sound comes from
- Limited visual tracking of objects or faces
- Frequent squinting, blinking, or eye rubbing
- Delayed response to their name or to spoken cues
- Difficulty calming in stimulating environments
- A strong preference for certain textures, foods, or routines
- Unusual fascination with lights, movement, or objects
Sensory development is how a child receives, interprets, and responds to the world through sight, sound, touch, movement, and the other senses. It plays a part in early communication, learning, behavior, and emotional regulation. Hearing and vision are foundational: when those systems are not processing information clearly, children may show differences in communication, behavior, or learning.
These signs may not always indicate a medical issue, but they can influence developmental progress and interaction.
Different ways children may experience sensory input
Over-responsiveness
- Strong reactions to sounds, lights, or textures
- Avoiding certain clothing or foods
- Discomfort in busy or noisy places
Under-responsiveness
- Reduced response to sound, touch, or movement
- Limited reaction to their name being called
- Seeming unaware of sensory input
Sensory seeking
- Frequent jumping, spinning, or crashing
- Touching objects or people a great deal
- Seeking strong sensory input through play
Learning
Learning, attention, and thinking
Signs families notice
- Difficulty focusing on toys or activities for age-appropriate periods
- Limited curiosity or exploration
- Trouble understanding simple directions
- Delayed response to names or familiar cues
- Challenges remembering routines or repeated actions
- Reduced problem solving during play
- Slower progress through early learning milestones
Cognitive development is how a child learns to think, understand, remember, and solve problems. In infancy and toddlerhood these skills grow through everyday play, interaction, and exploration: learning cause and effect, recognizing familiar people and objects, building early memory, responding to names and simple instructions, exploring objects through play, and beginning to solve problems. Development does not follow a single timeline, and variation is common in early childhood.
The first three years
Signs families notice
- Difficulty with feeding, chewing, or moving to new textures
- Limited babbling, gestures, or early attempts to communicate
- Delayed crawling, standing, or walking
- Strong sensitivity to sounds, textures, or environments
- Limited response to their name or to social interaction
- Difficulty calming or regulating emotions
- Reduced interest in toys, people, or surroundings
- Early milestones arriving late or unevenly
Infancy and toddlerhood are periods of rapid change: children build the foundations for communication, movement, learning, and daily routines, and the areas develop together and influence one another. Early development includes feeding and oral motor skills, early sounds and communication, movement and coordination, sensory responses, emotional responses and bonding, and early interaction with caregivers.
Some children move quickly in one area while taking more time in another. Noticing a difference does not automatically mean a problem.
Not sure
When something feels not quite right
Signs families notice
- Not responding to their name or to sounds
- Delayed speech or a limited vocabulary
- Not walking or crawling within the expected age range
- Limited eye contact or social engagement
- Difficulty following simple instructions
- Reduced interest in play or interaction
- Sensory sensitivities that affect daily routines
Questions that often bring families in
- "Why is my child not talking yet?"
- "Should I be worried about missed milestones?"
- "Is this typical behavior, or a delay?"
- "Why is my toddler not responding like other children?"
- "Does my child need developmental support?"
Many parents notice early signs of a developmental difference long before anyone else points them out. It often starts with small observations: speech arriving late, limited interaction, or milestones coming more slowly than in other children. Those observations matter, and seeking clarity early reduces uncertainty.
Development is not always linear. Some children progress quickly in one area and more slowly in another, and some show temporary delays that improve over time. What matters most is the overall pattern, not a single milestone.
Not sure whether to ask?
If you have ongoing questions or uncertainty, it is appropriate to request an assessment for clarity and peace of mind. No referral is needed.
- No referral needed
- Families can contact Stars directly
- Assessment in your preferred language
- No cost to families
Early Start developmental assessments are provided at no cost to families.
Social-emotional
Social-emotional development
Signs families notice
Social-emotional development is how children form relationships, express emotions, respond to caregivers, and gradually learn to manage feelings in age-appropriate ways. Early on it includes bonding with caregivers, responding to familiar voices and faces, eye contact and shared attention, expressing basic emotions, beginning to self-soothe, and showing interest in social play. These early connections support later communication and learning.