A developmental delay refers to a child who has not gained the developmental skills expected of him or her, compared to others of the same age. Delays may occur in the areas of motor function, speech and language, cognitive, play, and social skills. Global developmental delay means a young child has significant delays in two or more of these areas of development.
There are many different signs and symptoms of delay that can exist in children and often vary depending upon specific characteristics. Sometimes you may see signs in infancy, but in other cases they may not be noticeable until your child reaches school age. Some of the most common symptoms can include:
- Learning and developing more slowly than other children same age
- Rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or walking much later than developmentally appropriate
- Difficulty communicating or socializing with others
- Lower than average scores on IQ tests
- Difficulties talking or talking late
- Having problems remembering things
- Inability to connect actions with consequences
- Difficulty with problem-solving or logical thinking
- Trouble learning in school
- Inability to do everyday tasks like getting dressed or using the restroom without help
If there is an underlying medical reason that causes the developmental delay, identification and treatment of that condition may improve your child’s developmental skills.