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Developmental Delay
Child development refers to the process in which children go through changes in skill development during predictable time periods, called developmental milestones. Developmental delay occurs when children have not reached these milestones by the expected time period.
Developmental delays can occur in all five areas of development or may just happen in one or more of those areas :
- Cognitive Development : This is the child's ability to learn and solve problems.
- Social and Emotional Development : This is the child's ability to interact with others, including helping themselves and self-control.
- Speech and Language Development : This is the child's ability to both understand and use language.
- Fine Motor Skill Development : This is the child's ability to use small muscles, specifically their hands and fingers, to pick up small objects, hold a spoon, turn pages in a book, or use a crayon to draw.
- Gross Motor Skill Development : This is the child's ability to use large muscles. For example, a 12-month-old baby learns to pull up to a stand holding onto furniture, and a five-year-old learns to skip.
What are the risk factors for developmental delay?
Risk factors for developmental problems fall into two categories:
• Genetic
• Environmental
Children are placed at genetic risk by being born with a genetic or chromosomal abnormality. A good example of a genetic risk is Down syndrome, a disorder that causes developmental delay because of an abnormal chromosome.
Environmental risk results from exposure to harmful agents either before or after birth, and can include things like poor maternal nutrition or exposure to toxins or infections that are passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy (e.g., measles or HIV).
How is a developmental delay identified?
Developmental delay is identified through two types of play-based assessments:
• Developmental Screening
• Developmental Evaluation
A developmental screening purpose is to identify children who are in need of further evaluation. A screening test can be in one of two formats, either a questionnaire that is handed to a parent or childcare provider that asks about developmental milestones or a test that is given to your child by a health or educational professional.
A developmental evaluation is a long, in-depth assessment of a child's skills and should be administered by a highly trained professional, such as a psychologist. Evaluation tests are used to create a profile of a child's strengths and weaknesses in all developmental areas.
What can you do if you are concerned that your child may have a developmental delay?
If you are concerned that your child may have a developmental delay, it is important to talk with your child's doctor. Your child's doctor can talk with you, examine your child, and refer you to agencies that help to screen or evaluate children for developmental delay. If your child's doctor does not know of such an agency or if you are more worried than your doctor, you can seek help on your own.
What is dyslexia?
The World Federation of Neurologists defined dyslexia as ‘a disorder in children who, despite conventional classroom experience, fail to attain the language skills of reading, writing, and spelling commensurate with their intellectual abilities’. The sooner dyslexia is treated, the more favorable the outcome; however, it is never too late for people with dyslexia to learn to improve their language skills.
Children with dyslexia have difficulty in learning to read despite traditional instruction, at least average intelligence, and an adequate opportunity to learn. It is caused by impairment in the brain's ability to translate images received from the eyes or ears into understandable language. It does not result from vision or hearing problems.
What causes dyslexia? What are the different types of dyslexia?
i. Trauma dyslexia
Occurs after some form of brain trauma or injury to the area of the brain that controls reading and writing. It is rarely seen in today's school-age population.
ii. Primary dyslexia.
This type of dyslexia is a dysfunction of, rather than damage to, the left side of the brain (cerebral cortex) and does not change with age. Individuals with this type are rarely able to read above a fourth-grade level and may struggle with reading, spelling, and writing as adults. Primary dyslexia is passed in family lines through their genes (hereditary).
iii. Secondary or developmental dyslexia
Caused by hormonal development during the early stages of fetal development. Developmental dyslexia diminishes as the child matures.
What are the signs and symptoms of dyslexia?
1. Difficulty copying from the board or a book. There may be a general disorganization of written work. A child may not be able to remember content, even if it involves a favorite video or storybook. Problems with spatial relationships can extend beyond the classroom and be observed on the playground.
2. The child may appear to be uncoordinated and have difficulty with organized sports or games. Difficulty with left and right is common, and often dominance for either hand has not been established.
3. In the early grades, music and dance are often used to enhance academic learning. Children with dyslexia can have difficulty moving to the rhythm of the music.
4. Commonly, a child may have difficulty remembering or understanding what he hears. Recalling sequences of things or more than one command at a time can be difficult. Parts of words or parts of whole sentences may be missed, and words can come out sounding funny.
Many subtle signs can be observed in children with dyslexia. Children may become withdrawn and appear to be depressed. They may begin to act out, drawing attention away from their learning difficulty. Problems with self-esteem can arise, and peer and sibling interactions can become strained. These children may lose their interest in school-related activities and appear to be unmotivated or lazy. The emotional symptoms and signs are just as important as the academic and require equal attention.
