2. DEVELOPMENTAL CHALLENGES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD

Receptive Language

Difficulty understanding spoken language, following instructions, or comprehending stories.

Expressive Language

Limited vocabulary for their age, difficulty forming sentences, struggling to articulate thoughts, using immature grammar, or having trouble telling a coherent story.

Articulation/Phonological Disorders

Difficulty producing certain sounds correctly (e.g., "w" for "r", "th" for "s"), making their speech hard to understand.

Fluency Disorders

(Stuttering) Repetition of sounds, syllables, or words; prolongations of sounds; or blocks in speech.

Difficult with Social Interaction

Struggling to make friends or interact with peers, limited eye contact or responsiveness, and difficulty sharing, taking turns, or understanding social cues.

Emotional Regulation Issues

Frequent and intense temper tantrums, difficulty managing frustration, anger, and sadness, excessive shyness, withdrawal, or anxiety, and lack of empathy or understanding of others' feelings.

Pre Academic Skills

Difficulty reorganizing letters, numbers, shapes, or colors; struggling with early counting or one

Attention and Memory

Short attention span, easily distracted, or difficulty focusing on tasks; trouble remembering routines, instructions, or recently learned information.

Problem Solving

Struggling to figure out how to do simple tasks or puzzles; difficulty adapting to new situations.

Gross Motor Skills

Clumsiness, poor balance, and difficulty with activities like running, jumping, hopping, or throwing/catching.

Fine Motor Skills

Poor hand eye coordination; difficulty with pre writing skills (holding a crayon/pencil, drawing basic shapes); struggling with cutting with scissors, zipping zippers, buttoning clothes, or manipulating small objects.

Aggression

Frequent hitting, biting, kicking, or destructive behavior.

Defiance and Non Compliance

Consistently refusing to follow rules or instructions; frequent power struggles.

Impulsivity

Acting without thinking, difficulty waiting their turn, and interrupting others constantly.

Hyperactivity

Excessive restlessness, difficulty sitting still, and constantly being "on the go."

Hypersensitivity

Over reacting to sounds, textures (e.g., certain clothes or foods), lights, or smells.

Hyposensitivity

Under reacting to pain, seeking intense sensory input (e.g., crashing into things, constant spinning).

Difficulty with Regulation

Becoming overwhelmed or shutting down in sensory rich environments.