Which assessment finding in a 6-year-old child would require referral to a healthcare provider for developmental evaluation?

At AGE 6 (school-age entry), certain developmental skills are expected. RED FLAGS warranting referral include:

Language: difficulty following two-step directions; very limited vocabulary for age; significant articulation problems that make speech hard to understand.

Cognitive: inability to recognize letters or write their name; difficulty understanding simple concepts.

Fine motor: inability to hold a pencil, copy simple shapes, or button clothing.

Gross motor: clumsiness significantly beyond peers.

Social-emotional: complete inability to interact with peers; no interest in other children; extreme behavioral problems beyond typical child behavior. EXPECTED SKILLS at 6 years:

Language: 2,000+ word vocabulary; can tell a story; follows multi-step instructions.

Cognitive: begins reading simple words; understands counting; recognizes name in print; understands cause and effect.

Fine motor: copies shapes; writes name; uses scissors; draws recognizable figures.

Gross motor: runs, jumps, hops, skips; rides a bicycle (often); catches a ball reliably.

Social: plays cooperatively with other children (parallel play transitions to cooperative play around ages 4-6); understands rules in games; has friends.

Normal variation: children develop at different rates; occasional difficulty is normal; tying shoes is a fine motor skill many 6-year-olds are still learning; preferring one close friend is normal; difficulty losing is normal.

Referral considerations: developmental screening tools (Ages and Stages Questionnaire, Denver II); early intervention is key — the earlier developmental delays are identified and addressed, the better the outcomes.

Pn role: document developmental assessments; report concerns to RN/provider; provide anticipatory guidance to families.