Baby Developmental Delay: What You Should Know

Children reach their development milestones at different paces. Even two kids in the same family may reach their milestones at different rates. Minor delays are no cause for concern, but ongoing delays can be signs of developmental delay in babies.

Delay in reaching motor skills, social, thinking, or language milestones are termed developmental delays. It may be caused due to several factors, but the cause may not always be clear.

What are the signs of developmental delay in babies?

Some symptoms of delay may be noticeable during infancy, whereas others may not become apparent till the child starts going to school. Common signs of developmental delay in babies include:

• Rolling over, crawling, sitting, or walking much later than other children of the same age
• Developing and learning slower
• Difficulty socializing/communicating
• Talking late or having difficulty talking
• Difficulty with logical thinking or problem-solving
• Issues with learning or understanding in school
• Abnormally low scores on IQ tests
• Inability to do normal tasks such as using the restroom without help or getting dressed
• Inability to understand actions and their consequences

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What causes developmental delays in babies?

Though it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact causes of baby developmental delay, many factors can contribute to its onset. Common causes of developmental delay include:

• Some conditions such as Down Syndrome are genetic.
• Complications during pregnancy or childbirth or certain serious infections can also result in developmental delays.
• Premature births can also result in a developmental delay in many babies.
• Baby developmental delay may also be triggered due to an underlying condition such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Myopathies, Landau Kleffner Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, etc.

What are the Types Of Developmental Delay?

1. Gross and Fine Motor Skill Delays

Gross motor skill refers to large movements such as climbing stairs, throwing a ball, or jumping. On the other hand, fine motor skills involve small movements such as using a crayon or holding a toy.

Though children develop at different rates in general, most babies start lifting their heads by the time they are 3 months old, start sitting by 6 months, and walk before 18 months. Common signs that may show that the baby has a delay in the development of gross or fine motor skills include:

• Stiff arms or legs
• Loose or Floppy Limbs and Trunk
• Inability to sit by the age of 9 months
• Inability to bear weight on their legs and stand by the age of 1 year
• Dominance of involuntary reflexes

2. Speech and language delay

The process of learning any language begins when a baby learns to cry to communicate hunger. By the age of 6 months, most infants can recognize the sounds of the basic language.

By 12-15 months, they can say a few simple words. A child is said to have a speech delay if they are not saying as many words as they are expected to say at their age.

3. Autism spectrum disorder

ASD is a condition characterized by several neurodevelopmental problems. Children with autism think, process senses, communicate, and move, differently than neurotypical people.

Autism is often diagnosed first when parents notice a delay in social and language development. Other symptoms include lack of facial expression, lack of response to one’s name, not liking playing with others, repetitive movements, difficulty speaking, coordination problems, etc.

How To Help A Child With Developmental Delay?

If the child receives a developmental delay diagnosis, early intervention is the key. This may include therapies, education, support, and more to help them develop the skills they are lacking. In most cases, kids who receive early intervention require less support once they get older.

If the child has been going through a delay, here are a few developmental delay treatment options:

• Physical Therapy: For children with gross motor skills impediments.
• Occupational Therapy: For delays in fine motor skills, self-help, and sensory processing.
• Language & Speech Therapy: For issues in producing speech sounds and language.
• Behavioral therapy: For children going through behavioral issues.

When should I worry about the baby's development?

There may be multiple reasons why a baby is not meeting their milestones on time. In most cases, there is no reason to worry, but if parents are concerned, there are a few red flags that may help them detect any issues early.

1. The 4-Month Mark

By the age of 4 months, the child should respond to loud sounds, smile, grasp toys, follow objects with their eyes, babble, and support their heads.

2. The 8-Month Mark

By this age, the baby may be standing upright, and crawling/cruising. It may be a red flag if there are still having some quirky newborn movements, cannot bear any weight on their legs, or hold their head up when held by the arm.

3. The 12-Month Mark

By their first birthday, if the baby isn’t attempting to speak any words, isn’t getting around by cruising or crawling, and not showing any interest in games such as pat-a-cake or peekaboo, it may be a red flag.

References

1. Meschino WS.(2003). The child with developmental delay: An approach to etiology. Paediatr Child Health.

2. Brown KA, Parikh S, Patel DR.(2020). Understanding basic concepts of developmental diagnosis in children. Transl Pediatr.

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What is development delay, Development delay in babies, Reasons of development delay in babies, Treatment of devlopment delay in babies, When should worry about baby development