Some kids, particularly preschoolers, may not just “catch up”.
They fail to thrive. They have trouble gaining weight and with physical development.
There is a tremendous amount of misgivings and misunderstandings—often due to ignorance. Limited knowledge about common pediatric and neuro-developmental issues have caused parents, guardians, as well teachers to make terrible decisions that affect the total development of our children.
This article provides insights into global developmental delays, the differences between global developmental delays and ordinary developmental delays, the possible causes and, the ways to manage them effectively and efficiently.
Parents-to-be, caregivers, social workers, or and teachers are going to find this article especially rewarding.
Disability—any kind—often occurs in individuals between the age range of 0-18. There are few cases of people getting disabled when they are 20 and above. While disability does occur in people at 20 and over, the frequency isn’t quite significant.
Unknown to many, there is a “global psychopathological disability” beyond the most common ones, which include visual disability, hearing disability, and physical disability. There is a category of intellectual and physical disabilities that are emotional, mental, and psychopathological.
What is developmental delay?
Developmental delay is when a child lags behind their peers in one or more areas of emotional, mental, or physical growth. If your child is delayed, early treatment is the best way to help them make progress or even to catch up.
There are many different types of developmental delays in infants and young children. They include problems with language or speech, Vision, Movement — motor skills, Social and emotional skills, and Thinking — cognitive skills.
What makes developmental delay global?
Sometimes, a significant delay occurs in two or more of those areas problems with language or speech, Vision, Movement — motor skills, Social and emotional skills, and Thinking — cognitive skills). When that happens, it’s called “global developmental delay.” It refers to infants and preschoolers up to age 5 who show delays lasting at least 6 months.
Developmental delay and developmental disabilities
Developmental delay is different from developmental disabilities, which include such conditions as cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and autism spectrum disorder and which usually last for life.
Causes of developmental delay causes, including risk factors
Little children learn to crawl, talk, or use the toilet at different speeds. But sometimes a child may reach those milestones much later than other kids. There are many reasons for such delays, including:
Being born prematurely and having genetic conditions like Down syndrome or muscular dystrophy.
Other causes include:
- Poor eyesight or hearing
- Malnutrition
- Alcohol or drug use during pregnancy
- Physical abuse or neglect
- Lack of oxygen during delivery
Different types of delays
Language and speech developmental delays
These are not unusual delays in toddlers. Language and speech problems are the most common type of developmental delays. Speech refers to verbal expression, including the way words are formed. Language is a broader system of expressing and receiving information, such as being able to understand gestures.
Possible causes. A variety of problems may cause language and speech delays, including:
Exposure to more than one language — which can cause mild delays in toddlers but not delays by the time they reach school age
A learning disability
Causes
- Child abuse or neglect
- A problem with the muscles controlling speech — a disorder called dysarthria
- Hearing loss, which may occur in children who have severe middle ear infections or occur as a result of certain medications, trauma, or genetic disorders
- Autism spectrum disorders — a group of neurological disorders that may involve impaired communication as well as impaired social interaction and cognitive skills
Managing global developmental delays
It is not the end of the world for sufferers of global developmental delays. The specific management of children with global developmental delay will depend on their individual needs and underlying diagnosis. Early intervention is essential to support the child to reach their full potential. Specialists involved in the management of GDD in children include:
- Speech therapists
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Hearing specialists (Audiologist)
- Developmental pediatricians
- Neurologists
- Providers of early intervention services (depending on location)
As well as involving professionals, parents can support the development of their children by playing with them, reading with them, showing them how to do tasks, and supporting them to participate in activities of daily living such as washing, dressing, and eating.
