Developmental Delays: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments
Developmental delays encompass a range of conditions affecting a child's progress through the typical developmental milestones. This poses significant challenges for children and families alike.
This guide delves into the intricacies of developmental delays, offering an extensive overview of their types, symptoms, and affected milestones. This guide serves as a valuable resource for parents, educators, and healthcare professionals seeking to understand and support children with developmental delays.
What is Developmental Delay?
A developmental delay is a delay in reaching developmental milestones. Not all children develop at the same rate, and slight differences in development are normal. However, if there are consistently missed milestones or developmental delays, you should discuss this with your pediatrician. Having a child set up for success with early intervention is never going to be a bad thing.
Types of Developmental Delay
Types of Developmental Delays include:
Cognitive Delays
A cognitive delay affects a child's ability to think and process information. When the growth of a child’s ability to think is not meeting developmental milestones, this may indicate a cognitive delay. Cognitive delays can indicate intellectual disabilities, but not always.
Motor Delays
Motor skills affect how we move our bodies. Gross motor delays will appear as physical delays, such as sitting milestones, walking, rolling, etc. Fine motor delays are missed milestones for smaller movements such as writing, drawing, or grasping. Motor delays can indicate such things as cerebral palsy, and you should always consult with your doctor to ensure your child is getting the support they need.
Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Delays
Social and emotional delays are expressed as difficulties with social cues, a hard time in an over-stimulating environment, struggles with transitions and changes in routine, and difficulty managing emotions. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are commonly associated with social, emotional, and behavioral delays.
Speech Delays
Speech delays affect the way our brains express and interpret language. Someone with a speech or language delay might struggle with (expressive language) or (receptive language). Expressive language is how we use language to communicate, and receptive language is how we receive and process the language coming into our brains.
Developmental Delay Symptoms and Milestones
It is important to recognize that delays are common in early childhood, and many children will catch up. However, early intervention is essential. There is a range of milestone markers that children typically meet at certain ages:
These markers indicate a normal development of skills. If a child is not able to meet these milestones, it could indicate a number of different disorders. All children develop at different rates, and having delays does not ensure that your child has a developmental disorder. However, involving your child in an early intervention program is always a good idea. The earlier children receive support, the more successful and fulfilling lives they can lead, regardless of whether or not your child has a developmental disorder.
Cognitive Delay Symptoms and Milestones
Some symptoms that could indicate a cognitive delay are not smiling or laughing, a short attention span, and a lack of curiosity.
Motor Delay Symptoms and Milestones
Some signs of a motor delay would be not sitting or standing, not being able to grasp at your finger, or a crayon for different age groups. You can find a list of developmental milestones for each age ranges on the CDC website.
Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Delay Symptoms and Milestones
Signs of a social, emotional, or behavioral delay include not interacting with others, a child will often not engage in pretend play, or will often not play appropriately with toys.
Speech Delay Symptoms and Milestones
Speech delays include not saying words such as “mama" or "dada" by age one, not speaking in full sentences by age three, and not understanding simple words such as “no” by 18 months.
Signs of Developmental Delays in Different Age Groups
Developmental delays look different in each age group. Some children may have delays early on and catch up as they grow, while others may have successes in early development but regress or slow down as they age. Here are some signs in different age groups.
Signs of Developmental Delays in Infants
Some critical milestone delays for infants would be a lack of eye contact, difficulty settling even after being picked up, a lack of smiling or laughing, when you move your hand their eyes do not follow its movement, and being unable to roll or hold up their head during “tummy time.”
Signs of Developmental Delays in Childhood
Some signs of developmental delays in childhood include lack of pretend play, lack of empathy, difficulty catching a ball, difficulty answering simple questions, and struggling to eat with utensils.
Developmental Delay Causes
Developmental delays are not thought to be caused by one risk factor or another but rather by a combination of many factors. It is said a mother's exposure to environmental toxins, parental health, birth injuries, genetics, and exposure to smoking or alcohol during pregnancy are all possible risk factors that can contribute to the onset of a developmental delay in early childhood.
Risk of Developmental Delays
Certain circumstances can put a child at risk for developmental delays. Having a sibling with a developmental disorder, such as autism, may increase the risk of another child also having developmental delays as well as low birth weight, untreated infant jaundice, birth injuries, and head injuries.
Developmental Delays Diagnosis
There are ways to screen for different developmental delays. In fact, the American Association of Pediatrics suggests being screened for developmental disorders as early as nine months of age. If you feel concerned about whether your child is developing appropriately for their age, talk to your pediatrician and ask them to refer you to a developmental pediatrician. A developmental pediatrician is solely focused on treating developmental disorders and what signs to look out for. Easter Seals provides an excellent online screening tool that can help you keep track of your child’s developmental milestones.
Developmental Delay Treatment Options
If you discover that your child is struggling with developmental delays, you should know that all children develop at different rates and that milestones are general markers to help us track a child’s progress. Many children who show delays early catch up to their peers quickly. However, if there is anything you feel is of concern, talk to your pediatrician and get your child involved in early intervention programs such as speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. The earlier treatment options begin, the more successful your child will be.
Below are some treatment options to consider:
Cognitive Delay Therapies and Treatments
Children with cognitive delays may require more repetition for learning. Involving them in an Early Learning Center can improve their ability to remain on track with their development.
Motor Delay Therapies and Treatments
Successful outcomes have been seen with the implementation of occupational and physical therapy to address motor skill deficits. Occupational therapy helps with sensory issues and fine motor skills, while physical therapy can assist with large motor delays.
Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Delay Therapies and Treatments
Working with a behavioral therapist can help to strengthen any inadequacies. In some cases, medication may be added to behavioral therapy to assist with navigating the dysregulation of emotions.
Speech Delay Therapies and Treatments
Some children just begin speaking later than others, so concern is unnecessary. However, introducing speech therapy can assist with both expressive and receptive language shortcomings if there is speech or language delay.
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Katie Foley is an advocate for The Arc of Northeastern Pennsylvania (TheArcNEPA.org), where she runs Sibshop, creates and presents content and trainings focused on assisting others in advocating for themselves or their loved ones and assists in individual advocacy in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. Her education is in communications with a focus on theater, and she has a secondary degree in elementary education.
She also enjoys teaching an Acting class for Adults of all abilities that focuses on socialization and emotional understanding through Acting techniques. She has written You May Never Be French, a children's book that looks at autism through a cultural lens.
Katie has also written and contributed to other children's books and has been a contributing author for Autism Parenting Magazine and a guest blogger for other nonprofits. She is on the Family Advisory Board for Community Cares Behavioral Health in Pennsylvania and a founding board member of The Art's Alliance in Carbondale, Pennsylvania. Katie also enjoys volunteering for Equestrian Special Olympics; however, she is most grateful for her role as a parent of exceptional children who teach her new things about herself and life daily.