Developmental delay

Key points

• A developmental delay, sometimes called global developmental delay, occurs when children don’t reach milestones that their peers are achieving
• Children with developmental delay may need support with fine motor skills and gross motor skills, speech and language and social skills
• Early intervention and therapy can help children to reach the milestones and continue developing

This delay may occur in a child’s movement, communication, thinking, learning or behaviour with others.

Symptoms of developmental delay include:

• achieving milestones at a different rate than the child’s peers;
• difficulty speaking;
• difficulty controlling breathing;
• slow language development and understanding of words resulting in a language delay;
• difficulties combining physical movements into a controlled sequence, learning basic movement patterns or remembering the next movement in a sequence;
• difficulties establishing the correct pencil grip and age-appropriate speed of writing;
• poor balance and spatial awareness;
• trouble picking up and holding onto simple objects;
• difficulties with fine and gross motor skills; and
• issues with body awareness.

Children with developmental delay require more time and effort to learn skills, can take more time to respond to their surroundings and may need support to understand social interactions.

Risk factors for developmental delay include complications at birth, lead poisoning, poor nutrition, exposure to drugs and alcohol before birth, trauma, vision problems, illnesses and chronic ear infections, all of which can affect a child’s development.

Early detection and early intervention are vital. Occupational therapy and speech therapy can help your child with developmental delay to achieve much-anticipated milestones, but the impact of patient and positive parenting strategies cannot be underestimated.

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