What should we do next?
Each child’s development is unique. Siblings who grow up in the same household may walk or talk at different times. However, there is a certain age range when the children are expected to gain different skills and milestones. What do we do if this does not happen in the expected time frame? What if the child does not walk on time, or does not speak on time? If that’s the case, then a visit to the pediatrician, pediatric rehabilitation physician, or child neurologist is needed.
The doctor will look for any of the common causes of developmental delay by taking a thorough history and physical examination. More importantly, they will prescribe specific therapies to help the children gain skills and catch up. These may include Physical, Occupational, and/or Speech therapy. Physical therapy helps with gross motor development which means, big movements, such as crawling, standing, and walking. Occupational therapy helps with fine motor skills and sensory difficulties, and of course, speech therapy helps with the child’s ability to speak or communicate effectively.
It is important to start early intervention and avoid delays in providing help for the children while awaiting certain diagnoses, seeking second opinions, and while we parents take time to process our child’s condition. This is especially true if there are concerning points in the child’s history such as premature birth, family history of neurological conditions, and delays in more than one area of development.
The earlier we can provide help for our children, the better the outcome!
