Trust your instinct
As a parent, you know your child better than anyone else. If something feels off — even if you can't quite put it into words — that feeling is worth taking seriously.
Research backs this up. Studies in general practice consistently find that when parents raise a concern about their child's development, behaviour or mental health, there is a high likelihood that a professional assessment will confirm something is going on. One widely cited observation from Australian paediatric medicine puts it plainly: health professionals should never dismiss persistent parental concern, because parents are often right.
This does not mean every worry signals a diagnosis. Children develop at different rates, and many early concerns resolve on their own. But "wait and see" is not always the right advice — especially for speech and language, where earlier support tends to lead to better outcomes.
What matters is that you feel heard and that your child gets the right eyes on them at the right time.
If you are not sure whether what you are noticing is within the normal range, start with our Is my child on track? guide, which walks through typical developmental milestones across ages and domains. Then come back here when you are ready to think about next steps.
Red flags by domain
These are the signs that developmental and mental health professionals say warrant a conversation with a GP or direct booking with an allied-health professional — without delay. You do not need to tick every box. One persistent concern is enough to act on.
Speech and language
Speech Pathology Australia's guidance is unambiguous: if you have concerns about your child's communication, do not wait and see.
Watch for:
- No babbling by 12 months
- No gesturing — pointing, waving, showing — by 12 months
- Fewer than 10–20 words by 18 months, or words that are not used meaningfully
- Not combining two words (for example, "more juice" or "daddy go") by 24 months
- Difficulty following simple instructions by 24 months — this may point to a receptive language issue, not just a speaking delay
- Speech that familiar adults cannot understand more than about 25% of the time at age 3
If speech seems slow, hearing should be checked first. Hearing loss is a common and often-missed cause of language delay.
No referral is needed to see a speech pathologist privately. A GP referral is needed if you want to access Medicare rebates.
Motor
Walking normally happens anywhere between 8 and 18 months — the range is wide. But some motor signs do warrant prompt follow-up:
- Not sitting independently by 9 months
- Not pulling to stand by 12 months
- Not walking independently by 18 months
- Loss of any previously acquired motor skill at any age — developmental regression always warrants assessment, and warrants it promptly
- A noticeable difference in skill or strength between the two sides of the body
- Children born before 28 weeks gestation or with a birth weight under 1,500 g who are not enrolled in a developmental follow-up programme
Social and emotional
Children's mental health is not fixed. It can move from healthy to struggling — and back again — over time. Warm, responsive relationships with parents and carers are one of the most important foundations.
Seek help if any of the following persist for two or more weeks or start to interfere with daily life:
- Persistent worries or unusual fears that seem out of proportion to the situation
- Sadness or hopelessness that does not lift
- Withdrawing from friends, family or social situations
- Refusing preschool or school regularly
- Ongoing difficulty getting along with other children
- A noticeable decline in school performance
- Frequent aggressive reactions or explosive temper tantrums well beyond the toddler years
If your child is showing any desire to hurt themselves, or is hurting themselves, seek help as soon as possible. In an emergency, call 000.
For children under five, specific early signs that warrant follow-up include: no social smile by 6 weeks; no pointing, waving or showing by 12 months; no words by 16 months; and loss of previously acquired language or social skills at any age.
Sensory difficulties
Up to 1 in 6 children experience sensory processing difficulties — challenges with how the brain takes in and responds to information from the senses. These are more common in autistic children and in children with other neurodevelopmental conditions.
Note on terminology: you may have heard the term "sensory processing disorder" (SPD), which is widely used in some overseas contexts. In Australia, "sensory processing difficulties" is the preferred term — it is not currently a stand-alone diagnosis in the Australian diagnostic framework.
Children may be oversensitive (hypersensitive) — taking in too much — or undersensitive (hyposensitive) — taking in too little. Some show a mix of both.
Signs of oversensitivity:
- Becoming distressed by everyday sounds such as a vacuum cleaner, birthday parties or the school bell
- Avoiding brightly lit places or busy visual environments
- Eating only a very limited range of bland foods; walking away from common smells
- Refusing to wear certain textures, including socks with seams
- Avoiding playground equipment such as swings and monkey bars
- Becoming very upset after a minor cut or scrape
- Finding it hard to settle after noisy or busy activities
Signs of undersensitivity:
- Not noticing alarms or loud sounds; always wanting the volume turned up high
- Seeking intense movement — being thrown in the air, jumping off furniture
- Seeming not to feel pain
- Fidgeting a lot; frequently dropping things that are easy for others to hold
Other accompanying signs include anxiety in crowded or unpredictable environments, difficulty focusing, and excessive exhaustion after shopping centres or playgrounds.
If sensory difficulties are affecting your child's daily life, talk to your GP. They can refer to an occupational therapist, psychologist or paediatrician.
Behaviour
Behaviour concerns often overlap with other domains, but specific patterns are worth raising with a professional:
- Hyperactive behaviour or constant movement that is significantly greater than peers
- Persistent difficulties with concentration, attention and organisation (possible indicators of ADHD or another neurodevelopmental condition)
- School refusal that is ongoing rather than occasional
- Restrictive or inflexible eating that is affecting growth or daily life
- Unexplained physical complaints — stomach aches, headaches — that recur without a clear medical cause
- Being overly self-critical or expressing a very negative view of themselves
Adverse childhood experiences — including exposure to family violence, significant loss, parental mental illness or neglect — can affect both physical and mental health. If your child has experienced significant stress or trauma, early acknowledgement and a caring relationship make a real difference. Speaking with a GP or psychologist is a reasonable first step.
Learning
Many children with mild-to-moderate learning difficulties are not identified until they move into structured educational settings such as kindergarten or primary school. Red flags include:
- Reading, writing or numeracy that is noticeably not keeping pace with peers, and where this pattern persists over time
- Persistent difficulties with concentration, attention and organisation affecting school performance
- A noticeable and ongoing decline in academic performance without a clear cause
If a learning difficulty is suspected, your GP can help coordinate assessment. A psychologist can conduct standardised cognitive assessments to identify strengths and difficulties and help set a plan.
Talking to your GP
Your GP is usually the first formal stop — and a good one. They can coordinate referrals, create Medicare-supported plans, and help you understand which pathway suits your child's situation.
What to bring
- Your child's Personal Health Record (the red book, if you still have it)
- A written list of your specific concerns — it is easy to forget things once you are in the room
- Any prior reports from therapists, specialists or teachers
- A recent school report card or teacher letter if there are learning or behavioural concerns
- Details of any current medications
Book a long appointment (ask the receptionist for a double appointment when you call). This gives the GP time to properly hear your concerns rather than rushing.
The two main Medicare-supported referral pathways
GP Chronic Condition Management Plan (also called a GPCCMP, CDM Plan, or Enhanced Primary Care/EPC Plan)
This plan is for children with a chronic condition lasting, or expected to last, six months or more — including developmental, physical and allied health needs. It provides up to 5 Medicare-subsidised allied health sessions per calendar year, which can be spread across different providers. Services covered include speech pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, psychology, audiology, and dietetics.
Importantly, a formal diagnosis is not required. The GP assesses eligibility based on clinical judgement.
Mental Health Care Plan (also called MHCP — or MHTP, "Mental Health Treatment Plan", which is the official Services Australia term for the same document)
A Mental Health Care Plan is for children with a clinically diagnosed mental health condition — including anxiety, depression, trauma, and behavioural difficulties. Under Medicare's Better Access initiative, it provides access to up to 10 individual rebated therapy sessions per calendar year with a psychologist or other eligible mental health professional. The GP creates the plan, provides the referral, and reviews progress after the first 6 sessions.
Both plans cover only part of the session fee. There will usually be a gap payment, which varies by provider.
If your child has a confirmed autism diagnosis, there is also a separate autism-specific Medicare funding pathway for early intervention. This pathway has been restructured in recent years — for current information, see the NDIS for kids guide linked in the under-6 section below.
For more detail on how the CDM and MHCP plans work and what to expect financially, see our Medicare rebates guide.
Important: if your child is under 6, read this first
If your child is under 6 and you have developmental concerns, the NDIS Early Childhood Approach (ECA) is usually the right entry point — not a GP CDM Plan.
The NDIS Early Childhood Approach is designed specifically for children under 6 who have developmental delay or disability, or who may be at risk. It does not require a formal diagnosis. Families can access support and early intervention directly through the ECA, and the pathway is generally faster and broader than going through a GP-managed chronic disease plan first.
A GP CDM Plan is still useful for filling gaps — for example, if your child is already in the ECA but needs additional allied health sessions — but it should not be the primary entry point for most children under 6 with developmental concerns.
Start with our NDIS for kids guide to understand the Early Childhood Approach and how to access it.
What an early appointment looks like
One of the biggest barriers to seeking help is not knowing what you are walking into. Here is what to expect across the most common first appointments.
Paediatrician
A GP referral is required. Allow 30 to 60 minutes. Bring distractions for your child — small toys or a snack. The paediatrician will ask about your pregnancy and birth history, early developmental milestones, eating habits, sleep, and school or social life. There will be a brief physical examination including weight and height. For younger children, this often happens on a parent's knee with distraction play.
After the consultation, you will discuss a plan. The paediatrician may arrange further investigations or refer to speech pathology, occupational therapy, psychology, or physiotherapy. The goal is a clear developmental picture of your child's current strengths and difficulties — not a verdict.
Speech pathologist
No referral is needed to book privately. (A GP CDM Plan is needed for Medicare rebates.) In the first session, the speech pathologist will hear your concerns, take a case history, and may begin a formal assessment with your consent. They will explain what they are doing before they do it. Services are available in private clinics, schools, via home visits, and via telehealth.
If wait times are long, ask about resources to support communication development while you wait — some states have published specific guidance for families in this situation.
Occupational therapist (OT)
Again, no referral is needed to book privately. A GP CDM Plan can subsidise up to 5 sessions, and some OTs with mental health training can be seen under a Mental Health Care Plan. NDIS funding can also cover OT, depending on your child's plan.
Before the first appointment, think through which daily activities are most affected. The OT will assess how your child functions at home, at school, and in social settings — including fine motor skills, sensory processing, self-care and participation. Book at a time of day when your child is at their best.
Psychologist
A Mental Health Care Plan referral from a GP gives access to up to 10 rebated sessions per calendar year. In the first session, the psychologist will gather background about your child's development, history, and current concerns. For younger children, the first session may primarily involve the parent or parents. Psychologists use standardised assessments to understand your child's level of functioning and set a baseline — this is a tool for understanding, not a label.
What to do next
The hardest part is often deciding to act. If you have read this far, you are already doing the right thing.
If you are not sure where to start: take our short quiz to get personalised guidance based on your child's age and what you are noticing. It takes about two minutes and points you toward the most relevant services and information.
If you are ready to find a professional: use EarlyBloom Search to find speech pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and paediatricians near you, with filter options for NDIS registration, Medicare acceptance, and telehealth availability.
You do not need to have all the answers before you make the call. The professionals you are reaching out to are used to parents who are uncertain. Starting the conversation is the step that matters.