*0570 Developmental Delay By Tami Jo Redinger

Definition  A student with a severe delay in developmental functions at a developmental level 2 or more standard deviations below the mean in any one area of development or 1.5 standard deviations below the mean in 2 or more areas of development.  Children each develop at their own pace and the range of normal is wide  A developmental delay is a significant lag in one or more areas of emotional, mental, or physical growth.  There are many different types of delays including:  Cognitive delays  Physical delays  Communication delays  Social or emotional delays  Adaptive delays  If a delay occurs in many or all of these areas, it is called Global developmental delay. Tahli’s Story: h?v=8T6oNDpij6s

Prevalence  In the US, 1 in 6 children have a developmental or behavioral disability such as autism, intellectual disability, or ADHD. These conditions may initially be presented as developmental delays.  Less than 50% of these children are identified as having a problem before starting school, by this time significant problems may have occurred and opportunities for treatment have been missed.  More males are affected than females

Causes  Often there is no cause for Developmental Delay, but of the many causes, Some include:  Cognitive developmental delay:  genetic defects or disorders  Learning disabilities  Severe newborn medical problems  ASD  Institutionalization or neglect during early childhood or infancy  Exposure to alcohol or toxins before birth  Speech and Language:  Exposure to more than one language  A Learning disability  Dysarthia (problems with muscles that control speech)  Hearing loss  ASD  Vision delays  Lazy eye  Cataracts  Cross eyes  Retinopathy of prematurity  Motor Skills Delays  Ataxia  Cerebral palsy  Cognitive delays  Myopathy  Vision problems  Spina bifida  Social and emotional Delays  Neglect  Ineffective parenting  Cognitive delays  PDD aka ASD

Diagnosis  Doctors and Nurses can do a screening to tell if a child is learning basic skills when they should.  The doctor may ask the parents questions or talk and play with the child during the exam to see how he or she learns, speaks, behaves, and moves.  After the screening the doctor will refer them to a specialist for a developmental evaluation.  The developmental evaluation is an in- depth assessment of a child’s skills that is administered by a highly trained professional. Some examples of people who might administer it include: a developmental psychologist or pediatrician, or pediatric neurologist.  If the delays are suspected in only 1 area, the child might be referred to a specialist in that area such as a physical or occupational therapist or speech and language pathologist  If confirmed the child will be referred to one of the above specialists to try and figure out why the child is delayed.

Treatment  Cognitive  Educational intervention  Educators and therapists may recommend specific steps to take at home to help your child as well.  Speech and Language  Communicating more with the child  Read to them  Reinforce speech and language  Treatment for middle ear infections  Vision  Glasses  Special glasses  Surgery  Eye patch  Motor skills  Physical therapy  Physical activity  Occupational therapy  Social and emotional  Special types of behavioral and skill- oriented therapy  Medication may help some behaviors that are problematic  Treatment may vary due to the diagnosis

Outcomes  The bad news…  Children diagnosed with a developmental delay are often later diagnosed with a developmental disability.  A child with poor motor skills may later be diagnosed with cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.  A child that is not reaching their cognitive or social milestones might later be diagnosed with intellectual disability, learning disability, or autism.  In some children the underlying reason for persistent developmental delay is not identifiable despite extensive evaluation.  The good news…  In some children, the developmental delays resolve and no diagnosis is made  We know more about the different diagnosises the children are given and can help these children through their lives.

Sources    SD elegibility guide Oct 2014