Normal range

Of concern

Follow up with professional advice

Asks about private parts, sex and babies

Frightened by or anxious about sexual topics

Sexual knowledge too advanced for age

Occasional interested in watching/peeking at people in the toilet

Frequently caught watching/peeking at people in the toilet

Refuses to leave others alone in the toilet and bathroom

Occasionally uses rude words for bathroom functions and genitals

Continues to use rude words for bathroom functions and genitals when told not to

Uses rude words for bathroom functions and genitals even when punished or excluded from school and other activities

Plays 'doctor', looks at other children's bodies

Frequently plays 'doctor' and gets caught after being told not to play this game

Forces other children to play 'doctor' and take their clothes off

Interested in urinating and defecating

Plays with faeces and purposely urinates on the floor

Repeatedly plays with or smears faeces and urinates on furniture on purpose

Touches or rubs genitals when going to sleep or when anxious, excited or afraid

Continues to touch or rub genitals in public when told not to and masturbates with furniture or other objects

Touches or rubs genitals in public and private rather than do other usual childhood activities and masturbates on people

When playing house, acts out all the things Mummy and Daddy do

Imitates sexual behaviour, including humping, with other children or dolls and other toys

Imitates sexual behaviour, including humping, naked or has intercourse with or forces sex on another child

Thinks children of the opposite gender are 'yucky' and chases them

Uses bad language and inappropriate language when they complain

Hurts children of the opposite gender

Talks about sex with friends or about having a boy or girlfriend

Frequently talks about sex or is upset by public displays of affection

Talks about sex a lot and is often in trouble for this and other sexually-related behaviour

Wants privacy when in the bathroom or getting dressed

Becomes very upset if seen in the bathroom or getting dressed

Shows aggression or excessive anxiety when requesting privacy

Likes hearing and telling dirty jokes

Most conversations include dirty jokes or sexual references, or makes sexual sounds such as moans

Continues to include dirty jokes or sexual references in conversations or make sexual sounds, such as moans, even when excluded from school and other activities

Looks at nude pictures

Fascination with nude pictures

Wants to display or masturbate to nude pictures

Plays with children of the same age and sometimes sex or sexual behaviours mentioned as part of game

Plays with younger children and sex or sexual behaviours frequently part of game

Forces others to play games involving sex or sexual behaviours

Draws genitals on human figures

Draws genitals on one specific figure and not others or details and size of genitals vastly different to the rest of the figure

Genitals are the prominent feature in any picture or draws intercourse and other sexual activity

Explores differences between males and females

Confused about differences between males and females even after questions are answered

Plays male or female roles angrily or sadly, or aggressively hates own or other gender

Takes advantage of an opportunity to look at a nude adult or child

Goes out of their way to stare or peek at anyone nude

Asks other children to take off their clothes or tries to forcibly undress them

Occasionally pretends or wants to be the opposite gender

Constantly pretends or wants to be the opposite gender

Hates own gender and/or genitals

Wants to compare genitals with other children of the same age

Wants to compare genitals with much older or younger children or adults

Demands to see the genitals, breasts or buttocks of children or adults

Kissing, and allowing kissing by, familiar adults and children

French kissing or talking in a sexual way with others, or frightened of hugs and kisses and upset by any display of affection

Overly familiar with strangers and talking in a sexual way with unknown adults