It is in parents’ nature to worry about their child and their progress – how well are they developing, and whether they are experiencing any issues. We can’t blame them, because early development is such a tricky process, where children get to experience a multitude of changes in all aspects of life.

However, there may be some red-flags that might go unnoticed – i.e. slip-ups during childhood that can either hamper further development, or become an unmanageable issue in the long-term. This can range from slow physical development to incapacitating behavioural traits, and the sooner they are noticed and dealt with, the better.

Here are some red flags you should look out for:

Social Skills

Adults have to interact with all kinds of people. Therefore, it’s important for children to be exposed to a socially stimulating environment, where they can talk and coexist with others. Being nervous at first is natural for most children – however, it becomes a problem when a child remains too reserved for too long.

Social concerns you should notice include:

• Little to no interest in playing with others
• Difficulty in initiating conversation or looking at others
• Lack of empathy
• Being aggressive with other children
• Extreme difficulty when it comes to leaving parent
  

Emotional Skills

As children grow, they not only learn how to deal with the world around them, but also learn ways to deal with themselves. Emotional development pertains to a child understanding and accepting their own feelings, all while learning how to express them to others. This skill is important, because even the slightest hiccup could lead to a child being emotionally unstable for the rest of their lives.

Some pointers to keep watch of include:

• Aggression towards family members
• Persistent or unreasonable crying
• Excessive fears, may be borderline debilitating
• Inability to express emotions properly
• Disinterest in pretend play

Motor Skills

As much as children’s mental and emotional development must be taken care of, their physical development cannot be ignored either. In fact, slow motor development spells greater trouble in the future, since it hinders basic functions like riding a bike, holding a pencil, or even walking.

Red-flags that are worth noting are:

• Stiff or floppy limbs, with trouble while walking
• Drooling, or difficulty eating
• Difficulty while trying to handle, hold or manipulate smaller objects like building blocks
• Inability to imitate actions

 

Early learning centres do a great job at nudging children into achieving their developmental milestones. They also note any warning signs that might be flying around. Perhaps the best nursery in JLT to accomplish that is Oakfield Early Learning Centre, who have qualified practitioners taking care of the children in a productive, constructive and interactive environment. Furthermore, they keep in contact with the child’s parents consistently, making sure they are informed of all the ups and downs of their little one’s development.

So what do you do when you see these red flags? Perhaps the best course of action is to consult your doctor or professional, so that they can better guide you on how to help your child develop healthily.