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Developmental Delay
Child development is the process through which children go through changes in skill development in an expected time period. When certain new skills are not acquired at a medically expected pace, there may be a "developmental delay" in that area. Generally, the five areas of skill are considered to be:
- Cognitive development. Includes problem solving.
- Social and Emotional development. Making friends, playing with other children.
- Speech and Language development. Learning to speak and then expanding vocabulary.
- Fine Motor Skill development. Mainly using fingers and hands to pick up and use objects.
- Gross Motor Skill development. Includes infants learning to sit up, crawl, and eventually walk.
Children are unique and usually develop at their own pace. One child may not walk until he is thirteen months, while his younger brother may walk at ten months. This is to be expected and shouldn't be a cause of concern. However, there are acceptable "windows" of time where these milestones normally occur, and when a child has not reached a milestone in that time frame, parents should consult with their pediatrician.
Delays can occur for a number of reasons. If a child has been assessed as delayed, Early Intervention services will generally provide therapy to help children under age three reach the needed milestone and begin to thrive. These therapies can include speech, occupational, nutrition, audiology, psychological, physical, medical services, and many more, depending on the need. Children over three receive services through the school district..