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Short guides

Browse through our short guides written for parents and caregivers, on common developmental, emotional and behavioral concerns that may be affecting your child.

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Short guides for parents & caregivers

Browse through our brief guides for parents and caregivers which provide simple and clear information about common developmental and learning difficulties, and emotional and behavioral difficulties that may occur at home, school, or other settings.

I worry about my child, but how do I know what is going on?

What is typical development? Growing up is not easy. All children will present with expected behaviors that cause distress and difficulties as part of typical development. Children have to learn a lot of things while growing up. They have to learn how to walk and talk, understand and deal with...

  • infants and toddlers (birth to 3 years old)
  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • preschoolers (3 to 6 years old)
  • home
  • school
5min

Early developmental concerns

What is typical development? There are many ways that caregivers can evaluate if a child is developing typically and achieving their milestones. Some of the core milestones are:   Physical Language Communication Sitting up without help by 7 months Babbling by...

  • infants and toddlers (birth to 3 years old)
  • preschoolers (3 to 6 years old)
  • concerns about development
  • concerns about learning
  • home
  • school
5min

Persistent sadness

What is typical sadness? It’s typical for children and adolescents to feel down when bad or unexpected things happen—we all do. We then begin to feel better when things take a turn for the better. When children remain sad despite positive things happening to and around them, that is...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
  • school
4min

Social communication difficulties

What is typical social communication? Even though every child is different, there are typical skills that could be expected for children around certain ages.   Age range Expectation Around 6 months of age Smiling back at people Trying to make eye contact with...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • preschoolers (3 to 6 years old)
  • concerns about learning
  • home
  • school
6min

Body image concerns

What is a typical body image? Some children and nearly all adolescents worry about their physical appearance in some way. Body consciousness and its perception is significantly affected by physical changes that occur during adolescence, by peer relationships and acceptance, as well as by messages...

  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
5min

Math difficulties

What are typical math expectations? As any complex skill, the ability to deal with numbers builds on throughout the years. Typical mathematical skills include:   Age range Expectation Between ages 5 and 6 Counting to 20, backwards and forwards Associating numbers...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • concerns about learning
  • school
4min

Restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests

What are typical restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests? Infants are normally attached to favorite objects and engage in a number of repetitive rhythmic motor behaviors, like rocking and flapping. Young children show an insistence on certain toys, fairy tales and bedtime rituals....

  • infants and toddlers (birth to 3 years old)
  • preschoolers (3 to 6 years old)
  • concerns about learning
  • home
4min

Difficulties with bladder control

What is typical toileting behavior? Urinary accidents are common during the nursery and preschool years, as most children are toilet trained by about 3 years of age. Young children may have accidents during the school day, especially when they are toilet training and younger than 5 years of age....

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • preschoolers (3 to 6 years old)
  • concerns about learning
  • home
4min

Excessive worries

What are typical worries? There are many different types of worries that children and adolescents may experience at different points in their lives. Worries are usually related to the challenges and experiences children and adolescents are going through at each developmental stage. Some typical...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
  • school
5min

Excessive fears

What are typical fears? Birth – 6 months Loud noises, loss of physical support, rapid position changes, rapidly approaching unfamiliar objects 7-12 months Strangers, looming objects, sudden confrontation by unexpected objects and unfamiliar people 1-5...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
  • school
6min

Excessive shyness

What is typical shyness? Being shy is not by any means a problem. In addition to those predispositions in temperament, many children at many ages experience shyness to some degree at one point or another. But children who are shy in a typical level gradually warm up to new situations over time....

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • school
5min

Excessive fear of being apart from a caregiver

What is a typical separation fear? Nearly all children between 6 months and 3 years old get clingy and cry if their caregivers leave them, even for a short time. Young babies don't understand time, so they think a parent who walks out of the room is gone forever. Babies can become anxious and...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • preschoolers (3 to 6 years old)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
  • school
5min

Ritualistic behaviors and repetitive movements

What are typical ritualistic behaviors and repetitive movements? Children often like routines—they are safe, predictable, and comforting all at the same time. At home, caregivers, children, or adolescents often establish morning routines, in-class routines, after-school routines, homework...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
  • school
5min

Obsessive thoughts

What are typical obsessive thoughts? Most caregivers would agree that their children get stuck on things that they enjoy. At times, it may seem like the child or adolescent is always thinking about their favorite show, song, game, activity, or toy. For instance, a 3 year old may frequently think...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
5min

Eating concerns

What is typical eating? Children and adolescents' temperament, organic conditions, developmental issues, environmental and parental factors determine typical eating habits in early childhood to a large extent. Some people eat three meals per day, others two or five. Children and adolescents love...

  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
5min

Persistent anger

What is typical anger? Children and adolescents get angry just like adults do – anger is normal. Typically, anger goes away in under 30 minutes. But when a child's anger is frequent (eg, temper tantrums many times a week), or lasts for long periods (eg, lasting many hours instead of minutes), it...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • preschoolers (3 to 6 years old)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
6min

Persistent distress after traumatic experiences

What is typical distress after traumatic events? It is expected for a child or adolescent to struggle and feel scared or upset after one, or multiple seriously frightening or upsetting events. It usually takes them a little while to recover and readjust after traumatic experiences. It is fairly...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
  • school
7min

Panic attacks

Are panic attacks typical? Even though our bodies have a natural alarm system that goes off when something is wrong to prepare us to handle emergency situations, having panic attacks is not typical. Usually, when children and adolescents experience panic attacks, their alarm goes off without a...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about emotions
  • home
  • school
6min

Rule breaking and aggression

What are typical rule breaking behaviors and aggression? It’s typical for children and adolescents to break rules and even be aggressive towards their caregivers and peers at least some of the time. While younger children are pretty rule-driven, older children and adolescents will occasionally...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about behaviors
  • home
  • school
6min

Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity

What are typical levels of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity? Inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are common in children younger than 6 years of age. As they get older, the demands placed on them gradually increase and if they remain inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive, they...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about behaviors
  • home
  • school
5min

Alcohol and substance use

What is typical alcohol and substance use? None. There is no typical or acceptable alcohol or substance use during childhood or teenage years. Even though alcohol and other substances are illegal for minors and we would expect that they would abstain from use, children and teenagers are curious...

  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about behaviors
  • home
  • school
6min

Self-injury

Is self-injury typical? No. There is no kind of typical self-injury behavior. However, in order to prevent it or deal with it when it happens, it is important to understand some things about it.  Some children and adolescents say they hurt themselves because it distracts them and alleviates the...

  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about behaviors
  • home
5min

Bullying

When does typical teasing become bullying? People tend to be aware that painful or embarrassing social experiences are part of the growing up process and that almost everyone has already been teased at least one time in their lives. Learning how to rebound from negative interactions is an...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about behaviors
  • school
7min

Excessive screen use

What is a typical use of screens? Caregivers and kids alike have become somewhat reliant on their devices, and so using them has become quite typical. Young children are given screen time to watch educational shows with their caregivers and to play educational games; older kids and teens attend...

  • children (6 to 12 years of age)
  • adolescents (12 to 17 years of age)
  • concerns about behaviors
  • home
  • school
5min
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