There is no schedule or timetable for how all children should grow. In fact, there is a huge amount of variance in the pace that each child develops at.

A classic example of this is the age at which babies start to walk. Some babies start to walk at the age of 9 months where others only take the first step at the age of 15 months.

In both of these cases, the babies are within the range of typical development and this is completely normal.

Apart from this completely normal variance, there are two kinds of developmental impairments; developmental delays and developmental disabilities:

Developmental Delays

Developmental Delays are short lived.

Early intervention and treatment will normally help children to catch up to their peers. While the cause of these delays is often unknown, research suggests that temporary environmental stresses cause these issues and once corrected, your child will develop at a normal rate.

Toddler speech therapy is a great way to tackle speech related issues at an early stage in your child’s life.

Developmental Disabilities

Developmental disabilities are more serious issues which a child cannot 'grow out' of. Developmental disorders include Autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, Foetal alcohol disorder and brain injuries amongst other genetic syndromes.

Kids develop skills in five main areas of development:

Cognitive skills:

This is the ability to learn new things, solve problems and contemplate new ideas. These kinds of skills are difficult to notice in very young babies, at best you will see your babies interest in the world around them as a sign that these skills are growing. In toddlers, these skills manifest themselves in ways like learning new words and learning new concepts such as counting and naming colours.

Social and emotional skills:

This is the ability to interact with other human beings. This includes everything to do with interpersonal interactions and reactions. Expressing and controlling emotions are also a very important part of this skill. Speaking, smiling, asking for help and expressing feelings are all important factors to monitor in your child.

Speech and language skills:

In babies, this is babbling and making sounds. In toddlers, this includes using words in a meaningful way that others understand and understanding what is said to them. In many cases of developmental delay, speech therapy can help to overcome problems with speech and language skills.

Fine and gross motor skills:

These skills include grabbing, kicking, crawling and rolling over in babies. In toddlers or pre-schoolers these skills will include holding utensils, drawing, jumping, running and climbing stairs.

It is difficult to pinpoint the cause of developmental delays, while in many cases there seems to be no underlying cause there are still some risk factors to consider:

• Being born prematurely or not receiving enough oxygen at birth.
• Heavy metal poisoning.
• Poor nutrition.
• Exposure to narcotics during pregnancy.
• Environmental trauma. An example of this would be an abusive family environment.
• Medical conditions that may affect normal growth patterns. An example of this may be a serious ear infection that hampers normal hearing development.

Kay-Dee Educare Centre Mowbray

Many Parents often feel guilty that they may have somehow contributed to their child's developmental issues, however, this is almost never the case.

As a parent, the best thing you can do for your child is to face the problem head on and work with a healthcare professional to help your child overcome the obstacles in his or her life.

At Kay Dee Educare Centre, all of our staff have undergone early childhood development courses and are able to provide the correct care for children who have developmental delays.

For more information about our day care or educare curriculum, please contact us.