Cognitive and Language Development Red Flags for Three to Six Year Olds

The following are indicators of developmental delays and further evaluation should be sought. Professional screening and assessment may be indicated if a child…

By age 3:

• Can’t understand and respond to simple questions; also doesn’t ask many questions
• Doesn’t understand or use prepositions
• Have at least a 200-word vocabulary or learn at least several new words each week
• Can’t identify familiar objects by function
• Doesn’t use four-word sentences
• Doesn’t speak understandably to strangers at least 75% of time
• Can’t sing simple songs or recite familiar rhymes
• Doesn’t point at, or talk about, pictures in books

By age 4:

• Doesn’t talk about past happenings
• Can’t say sounds correctly (except for the r, th, s, ch, j, and v sounds)
• Doesn’t speak in complete sentences most of the time
• Can’t communicate easily with peers and adults
• Isn’t learning several new words every week
• Doesn’t “play” with language by making up words, etc.
• Can’t “read” a known book by telling or making up the story
• Can’t guess what will happen next in stories or recall details later
• Can’t hold a pencil or print random letters

By age 5:

• Doesn’t use long and complete sentences
• Can’t tell detailed stories or explain concepts verbally
• Can’t follow multiple-step directions
• Doesn’t understand prepositions or descriptive words
• Can’t rhyme
• Doesn’t associate letters with specific sounds
• Can’t understand basic print concepts (text runs left-to-right, top-to-bottom; also differences between letters and words)
• Can’t tell familiar stories in order or make predictions
• Can’t recognize any simple words (like name) by sight
• Can’t break spoken words into syllables
• Can’t name letters or identify beginning or ending
• Can’t print simple letters by copying

By age 6:

• Can’t name most numbers and letters
• Unable to copy own first name
• Unable to copy simple shapes
• Can’t rote count to 10
• Doesn’t understand most of what’s being said
• Can’t follow three step directions
• Doesn’t use five word sentences with appropriate structure