Cognitive development refers to the way your young child learns to think, remember, imagine, gather and organise information, solve problems and develop judgment.

Between the ages of three and six, your child is rapidly building their cognition and learning abilities. It is important to remember that not all children with CP will have a cognitive impairment. Each child is different and develops and learns at their own pace.

It is only natural to be worried or concerned if you believe that your child has a cognitive impairment. If you have concerns about your child’s learning or cognition, talk to your healthcare team about developing a plan to help you support your child. There are techniques and activities you can use to improve their learning and cognitive development.

Some young children with CP may experience specific learning or cognitive difficulties, which can include:

• a short attention span
• motor planning difficulties that impact on tasks such as writing, jumping and forming words
• problems with depth perception and balance
• language difficulties.

Difficulties with fine motor and gross motor coordination, and communication may also affect learning.

Playing with your child is an important part of bonding and a good time for you to observe your child. It’s an opportunity to notice if they are experiencing difficulties with understanding.

At around four years of age, your child will still have a fairly short concentration span, so expect that they may get restless or bored if an activity goes on for too long.

Your child may begin to ask more complex questions about the world and how they fit into it. Questions sometimes arise within play situations where they can test new ideas and when spending time with others influences and enriches their imagination and behaviours.

By five years of age, your child may be able to sit through a full game or finish a whole puzzle, and that brings the new challenge of teaching them how to play fairly and learn to lose graciously.

Starting preschool gives your child lots to think about. There are new rules and routines that are different from those at home. This can be tiring and confusing at first. Your child might need time and lots of love and support to adjust.