SIGNS OF GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY CAN INCLUDE:

The The The The The The The

child child child child child child child

is unable to sit on the floor without support by 8 months; is unable to crawl by 12 months; has poor social skills/ judgment; is unable to roll over by 6 months; has communication problems has fine/ gross motor difficulties shows aggressive behavior as a coping skill

In some children GDD is suspected soon after birth because of feeding difficulties or muscle-tone. In others it is suspected later when learning or behavior difficulties occur at school. TREATMENTS FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY: There is no single treatment for GDD but there are ways to help some of the conditions that may be causing the delay. Once a pediatrician or neurologist has completed testing of the child, he/ she may advise on treatments for whatever underlying medical conditions that may exist. For example, hearing or visual impairment or therapeutic input by a Speech and Language TherapistOccupational Therapist and Physiotherapist. It is possible that no cause will be found or that the cause that is identified may be difficult, if not impossible, to treat. On the other hand, being aware of the conditions that are causing the delay can help parents, teachers and medical professionals to better counsel and guide children who are experiencing developmental problems.

3 months

6 months

1 year

Turn their heads toward bright colors and lights

Follow moving objects with their eyes

Get to a sitting position Stand briefly without support Crawl Imitate adults using a cup or telephone Play peek-a-boo and patty cake Wave bye-bye Put objects in a container

Recognize bottle or breast

Turn toward the source of normal sound

Respond to their mother's voice

Reach for objects and pick them up

Make cooing sounds Bring their hands together

Make "ma-ma" or "da-da" sounds

Play with their toes

Wiggle and kick with arms and legs

Help hold the bottle during feeding

Lift head when on stomach


Become quiet in response to sound, especially to speech

Recognize familiar faces

Imitate speech sounds

More Milestones at 3 Months

Roll over More Milestones at 1 Year

More Milestones at 7 Months

18 months

2 years

3 years

Like to push and pull objects

Use two-tothree-word sentences

Throw a ball overhand Ride a tricycle Put on their shoes Open the door Turn one page at a time Play with other children for a few minutes Repeat common rhymes Use three -to-five-word sentences

Say at least six words

Say about 50 words

Follow simple directions

Recognize familiar pictures

Pull off shoes, socks, and mittens

Kick a ball forward

Can point to a picture that you name in a book

Feed themselves with a spoon

Name at least one color correctly

Feed themselves Make marks on paper with crayons

Demand a lot of your attention

Turn two or three pages together

Walk without help Walk backwards

Point, make sounds and try to use words to ask for things

Identify hair, eyes, ears, and nose by pointing

Show affection

More Milestones at 2 Years

More Milestones at 3 Years

4 years

5 years

Remember

Use five to six word sentences

Use more than five words in a sentence Babies develop at their own pace, so it's impossible to tell exactly when your child will learn a given skill. The developmental milestones here will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect, but don't be alarmed if your own baby's development takes a slightly different course.

Go up and down stairs without support

Like to sing dance and act

Throw a ball overhand

Aware of gender Can count 10 or more objects

Understand the concept of counting and may know a few numbers

Tell longer stories

Say name and address

Draw a person with two to four body parts

Hops, somersaults, swings, climbs

Recall parts of a story

Draw people with bodies

Begin to have a clearer sense of time

Print some letters

Understand the concepts of "same" and "different"

Dress and undress without help

Imagine that many unfamiliar images may be "monsters"

Use fork, spoon and (sometimes) a table knife

What are some common Family Support Services? Respite: Respite provides a break for the caregiver and family member. Many parents resist using respite services or worry that use of the service indicates a lack of love for their child. The reality is that most children love the chance to get away from home, meet new friends, and just have some time away from mom and dad. Respite can occur in your home or at another location or a free standing respite. Family training: Getting any child to use the bathroom is tough enough. When the child has special needs it can be even more challenging. Family trainings are often conducted in the home so your child is familiar with the environment. Some trainings can also assist with behavioral issues and relationships with others. Family trainings are not just focused on the child. Support groups and parent trainings can also help the rest of the family. Cash subsidies: Private insurance and Medicaid do not cover many items needed for your child. Funding for diapers, specialized equipment, orthopedic shoes, etc. are often provided through these funding programs. Many restrictions often apply so be sure to check with your state programs to see if you qualify. Recreation services: These services offer children a place to learn and socialize with others outside of the school setting. Day and overnight camps specializing in disabilities offer children the chance to have the same opportunities as others. Many recreation programs are also offered after school or on weekends.

Children develop at their own pace, so its impossible to tell exactly when yours will learn a given skill. The developmental milestones below will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect as your child gets older, but dont be alarmed if your child takes a slightly different course. Social Interested in new experiences Cooperates with other children Plays Mom or Dad Increasingly inventive in fantasy play Dresses and undresses Negotiates solutions to conflicts More independent Emotional Imagines that many unfamiliar images may be monsters Views self as a whole person involving body, mind, and feelings Often cannot tell the difference between fantasy and reality Cognitive Correctly names some colors Understands the concept of counting and may know a few numbers Tries to solve problems from a single point of view Begins to have a clearer sense of time Follows three-part commands Recalls parts of a story Understands the concepts of same and different Engages in fantasy play

Language Has mastered some basic rules of grammar Speaks in sentences of five to six words Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand Tells stories Movement Hops and stands on one foot up to five seconds Goes upstairs and downstairs without support Kicks ball forward Throws ball overhand Catches bounced ball most of the time Moves forward and backward with agility Hand and Finger Skills Copies square shapes Draws a person with two to four body parts Uses scissors Draws circles and squares Begins to copy some capital letters Developmental Health Watch Alert your childs doctor or nurse if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range. Cannot throw a ball overhand Cannot jump in place Cannot ride a tricycle Cannot grasp a crayon between thumb and fingers Has difficulty scribbling Cannot stack four blocks Still clings or cries whenever parents leave Shows no interest in interactive games Ignores other children Doesnt respond to people outside the family Doesnt engage in fantasy play Resists dressing, Developmental Health Watch Alert your childs doctor or nurse if your child displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range. Acts extremely fearful or timid Acts extremely aggressively Is unable to separate from parents without major protest Is easily distracted and unable to concentrate on any single activity for more than five minutes Shows little interest in playing with other children Refuses to respond to people in general, or responds only superficially Rarely uses fantasy or imitation in play Seems unhappy or sad much of the time Doesnt engage in a variety of activities Avoids or seems aloof with other children and adults Doesnt express a wide range of emotions Has trouble eating, sleeping or using the toilet Cant tell the difference between fantasy and reality Seems unusually passive Cannot understand two-part commands using prepositions (Put the doll on the bed, and get the ball under the couch.) Cant correctly give her first and last name Doesnt use plurals or past tense properly when speaking Doesnt talk about her daily activities and experiences Cannot build a tower of six to eight blocks

Seems uncomfortable holding a crayon Has trouble taking off clothing Cannot brush her teeth efficiently Cannot wash and dry her hands Experiences a dramatic loss of skills he or she once had

fine-motor adaptive delay If there is a delay in fine-motor adaptive development combined with delays in other developmental domains, the doctor will consider whether the child is visually impaired or mentally handicapped. It is important to assess the eyes and visual acuity of a child presenting with delayed fine-motor adaptive development. If the delay occurs mainly in one developmental area, the child may have hemiplegia, a brachial plexus injury, such as Erb's or Klumple's palsy, or a broken clavicle. All symmetries of movement in the first two or three years should be watched. In older preschool or elementary school children with fine-motor delays, developmental coordination disorder or a disorder of written expression may be causal. Developmental coordination disorder presents in about 6 percent of all children. It is often associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or a learning disability. personal and social delay When a child presents with personal and social delays, the doctor will consider whether the child has developmental cognitive disability, has autism, or is living in an environment of abuse, neglect, or deprivation. Parental concerns Many doctors routinely include developmental screening in physical examinations. Parents concerned about any of their child's development should seek the opinion of their pediatrician. KEY TERMS Accommodation The ability of the lens to change its focus from distant to near objects and vice versa. It is achieved through the action of the ciliary muscles that change the shape of the lens. Assessment In the context of psychological assessment (a structured interview), assessment is informationgathering to diagnose a mental disorder. Child development specialist A professional who is trained in infant and toddler development and in the tools used to identify developmental delays and disabilities. Development The process whereby undifferentiated embryotic cells replicate and differentiate into limbs, organ systems, and other body components of the fetus. Developmental milestone The age at which an infant or toddler normally develops a particular skill. For example, by nine months, a child should be able to grasp and toss a bottle. Disability An inability to do something others can do; sometimes referred to as handicap or impairment. Hypotonia Having reduced or diminished muscle tone or strength. Motor skills Controlled movements of muscle groups. Fine motor skills involve tasks that require dexterity of small muscles, such as buttoning a shirt. Tasks such as walking or throwing a ball involve the use of gross motor skills.

Children require their basic needs for food, clothes, warmth, love and stimulation to be met to develop normally. Children in neglectful, abusive, fearful, under stimulated environments may not show normal developme