... if a child is experiencing any of the following, consider this a red flag:

 

0-8 months

► Failure to thrive with no medical reason

► Parent/guardian and child do not engage in smiling and vocalization with each other

► Parent/guardian ignores, punishes or misreads child’s signals of distress

► Parent/guardian pulls away from infant or holds infant away from body with stiff arms

► Parent/guardian is overly intrusive when child is not wanting contact

► Child is not comforted by physical contact with parent

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8-18 months

► Parent/guardian and child do not engage in playful, intimate interactions with each other

► Parent/guardian ignores or misreads child’s cues for contact when distressed

► Child does not seek proximity to parent when distressed

► Child shows little wariness towards a new room or stranger

► Child ignores, avoids or is hostile with parent after separation

► Child does not move away from parent to explore, while using parent as a secure base

► Parent/guardian has inappropriate expectations of the child for age

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18 months - 3 years

► Child and parent have little or no playful or verbal interaction

► Child initiates overly friendly or affectionate interactions with strangers

► Child ignores, avoids or is hostile with parent/guardian when distressed or after separation

► Child is excessively distressed by separation from parent

► Child freezes or moves toward parent by approaching sideways, backwards or circuitously

► Child alternates between being hostile and overly affectionate with parent

► Parent/guardian seems to ignore, punish or misunderstand emotional communication of child

► Parent/guardian uses inappropriate behaviour management techniques

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3-5 years

► Child ignores adult or becomes worse when given positive feedback

► Child is excessively clingy or attention seeking with adults, or refuses to speak

► Child is hyper vigilant or aggressive without provocation

► Child does not seek adult comfort when hurt, or show empathy when peers are distressed

► Child’s play repeatedly portrays abuse, family violence or explicit sexual behaviour

► Child can rarely be settled from temper tantrums within 5-10 minutes

► Child cannot become engaged in self directed play

► Child is threatening, dominating, humiliating, reassuring or sexually intrusive with adult

► Parent/guardian uses inappropriate behaviour management techniques