Developmental Delay is when your child does not reach their developmental milestones at the expected times. It is an ongoing major or minor delay in the process of development. If your child is temporarily lagging behind, that is not called developmental delay.
Developmental delays are common in childhood, occurring in 10%–15% of preschool children. Global developmental delays are less common, occurring in 1%–3% of preschool children. About 15 percent of children between the ages of 3 and 17 have one or more developmental disability.
Developmental delays are identified during routine checks by the primary care physician or when the parent or preschool raises concerns. It can have many different causes, such as genetic causes (like Down syndrome), or complications of pregnancy and birth (like prematurity or infections). However the specific cause is unknown.
Symptoms include:
- failure to respond to their name.
- resistance to cuddling or playing with others.
- lack of facial expression.
- inability to speak or difficulty speaking, carrying on a conversation, or remembering words and sentences.
- repetitive movements.
- development of specific routines.
- coordination problems.
Fine and gross motor skill delay:
Fine motor skills include small movements like holding a toy or using a crayon. Gross motor skills require larger movements, like jumping, climbing stairs or throwing a ball.
Exhibiting some of the following signs can mean that your child has delays in developing certain fine or gross motor functions:
- Floppy or loose trunk and limbs
- Stiff arms and legs
- Limited movement in arms and legs
- Inability to sit without support by 9 months old
- Dominance of involuntary reflexes over voluntary movements
- Inability to bear weight on legs and stand up by about 1 year old
Falling outside the normal range isn’t always cause for concern, but if your child is unable to perform tasks within the expected time frame, speak to your doctor.
Speech and language delay:
According to the National Institute of Deafness and other Disorders, the most active time for learning speech and language is the first three years of life, as the brain develops and matures.
Speech and language delay aren’t the same. Speaking requires the muscle coordination of the vocal tract, tongue, lips, and jaw to make sounds.
A Speech delay occurs when children aren’t saying as many words as would be expected for their age.
A Language delay occurs when children have difficulty understanding what other people say or can’t express their own thoughts. Language includes speaking, gesturing, signing, and writing.
It can be hard to distinguish between speech and language delay in young children. A child who understands things and can express their needs (maybe by pointing or signing) but isn’t speaking as many words as they should may have an isolated speech delay.
