Community Paediatric Archives - Resource Library - Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

These resources have been made for children waiting for a community paediatric appointment. Who? They are aimed at children who are under 5 years old who have been referred due to concerns about their development or behaviour. Why? When children have differences in their development or behaviour it...

What is communication and language? Communication is how people interact with each other. Communication can be with words or face and body movements. Language is how we understand and speak words. Children develop language and communication in different ways. How do communication develop? From birth...

What are motor skills? Motor skills are how children develop movements of their arms, legs and hands. Fine motor is the small movements of the hands. Gross motor is the large movements of the body, arms and legs. How do motor skills develop? Movement develops through practice. Babies start moving...

What does sensory experience mean? We get information about what is happening inside our body and outside our body through senses. Our sense organs (eyes, nose, and so on) take information to the brain to be understood. Sight, sound, touch, taste and smell are senses for information outside the...

What does attention and concentration mean? Attention is the brain’s ability to focus on something for a length of time. How does attention develop? Attention is a skill that develops with practice. Giving something attention also needs motivation and understanding. Tiredness, hunger, being...

What are emotions? Emotional development is how humans learn to recognise and share how they feel with others. Developing this skill needs positive interaction and support from caregivers and lots of practice. How do children develop understanding of their emotions? Babies are born with lots of...

What is behaviour? Behaviour is the way somebody acts. Young children experience huge changes in their development, during this time their behaviour can be difficult for adults to manage. Tantrums are part of normal healthy child development and are very common up to 4 years of age. Why does...

What is screen time? Screen time is the time that a child spends playing on, or watching a TV, tablet, phone or computer. Screens are used for entertainment and education and are currently used by most families. When children are on screens, they are less active. Screens do not support emotional...

Why do we sleep? Sleep is important because it helps our brains rest and grow. Everyone needs sleep to feel good and stay healthy. Sleep is made up of lots of short sleep cycles joined together. How does typical sleep develop? As children grow their sleep changes. A baby needs a lot of sleep...

What is physical activity? Physical activity is the movements that our bodies make every day. It is important for all areas of children’s development and helps bones and muscles to grow strong. Physical activity provides benefits to physical and mental health that last from childhood to adulthood....

Why have I been sent this information? Your child is waiting to be seen for a community paediatric appointment. This resource has been sent to support you to think about your child’s current needs and how you can support them going forward. Thank you for completing the survey which has identified...