Just Noticing Something? Start Here.

Welcome to the In-Between

You know something is off with your child’s development — but now what?

You’re not alone, and you’re not imagining things. This stage — the uncertain waiting, the quiet worry — is real. You don’t need a diagnosis to start supporting your child. You just need a starting point.

Let’s begin with what *you* are noticing.

🚨 Common Red Flags & What They Might Mean

🗣️ Speech Delay
Most children begin saying their first words around 12 months.  
By 18 months, they often have 10–20 words.  
By age 2, they typically combine two-word phrases and can say 50+ words.

If your child isn’t speaking at all by these milestones, or their words are mostly unintelligible, this is a common and valid reason to seek early intervention.

➡️ Ask your pediatrician for a referral to speech therapy.

✅ *Tip:* An ENT (Ear, Nose & Throat doctor) can help rule out:
- Tongue tie or lip tie  
- Hearing issues or fluid buildup  
- Structural obstructions near the throat

🦶 Tiptoe Walking or Hand Flapping
These can be early signs of sensory differences or neurodivergence — especially if they happen consistently or increase with excitement or stress.

📺 Scripting from TV Shows or Songs

Repeating lines from familiar shows without conversational speech can be a form of **echolalia**, common in children with autism or speech delays.

 🍽️ Eating Non-Food Items (PICA)

If your child regularly chews or swallows things like paper, dirt, or fabric, bring it up with your pediatrician. This behavior often requires both medical and sensory evaluation.

🌙 Never Sleeping, Always Moving

Constant movement and difficulty settling may indicate a **regulation issue**, not “bad behavior.” Occupational therapy can help.

🤕 Self-Harm or Head Banging

If your child hits themselves, bangs their head, or scratches, it’s often a sign of sensory overload, frustration, or communication difficulty. This is a red flag worth urgent follow-up.

 📆 Rigid Routines & Meltdowns with Change
Needing the exact same route, food, or clothing — and melting down when something is “off” — can point to **neurological inflexibility**, not stubbornness.

🧭 What Now?
If you're seeing any of these signs and your gut says something’s not right, trust that instinct. You don’t need permission to get help — and you don’t have to wait for someone else to “see it too.”