If your child is not able to steadily hold his/her neck by 4 months, it is advisable to seek medical help. This is a possible sign of motor delay, which is a common type of developmental delays in children. Read to know more about developmental delays in children, including the causes and signs and symptoms.
"A developmental delay occurs in the child when he/she fails to achieve specific age-appropriate developmental milestones when compared to others of the same age. Delays may occur in the areas such as motor function, speech and language, cognitive, play, and social skills," said Dr Tushar Parikh, Consultant Neonatologist & Paediatrician, Motherhood Hospital, Kharadi, Pune.
He added, "Many times, the cause of such delay is not obvious, but some children may have delayed development related to diseases in the neonatal period such as asphyxia, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) or infections, etc., or sometimes genetic disorders such as Down syndrome. In some children, it may be related to severe psychosocial trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or even serious early infantile infections."
Dr Parikh also highlighted the various types of developmental delays in children. These include:
Motor delays: Here, the child will not be able to coordinate large muscle groups, such as those in the arms and legs, and smaller muscles, like in the hands. Infants with motor delays may have difficulty in neck holding, sitting or crawling at the correct ages. Older children will become clumsy or have trouble walking up and downstairs. One will not be able to hold objects such as toys or even brush the teeth. Motor delays happen commonly due to cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy or sometimes genetic conditions. Many a time, the cause is not clear.
Cognitive delays: Cognition refers to the intellectual capacity of a child. There is significant delays in recognizing parents, smiling, and establishing of eye contact. Learning difficulties are usually apparent when the child starts going to school. Children with cognitive delays may also have difficulty communicating and playing with others. They will be unable to convey what exactly they want to say or feel. Such delay may occur in children who have experienced a brain injury due to an infection like meningitis (that is the swelling in the brain known as encephalitis), seizure disorders, and chromosomal disorders that affect intellectual development, such as Down syndrome. Sometimes the cause is not clear. As parents, you need to consult the doctor to identify developmental delays in children.
Social, emotional and behavioral delays: They are seen due to autism spectrum disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), often also have social, emotional, or behavioral delays. These delays can have a negative impact on a child's ability to learn, communicate, and interact with others. Such children will be unable to communicate, strike a conversation, won't understand properly, or avoid mingling with other children. These children will also have tantrums.
Speech delays: Children with speech delays may have trouble identifying colours, body parts or shapes. Such children will have reduced vocabulary, and will not be able to form sentences. Children may have speech delays due to physiological causes (poor social/speech interaction), or serious causes such as brain damage, genetic syndromes, or hearing loss. The doctor is the right person to determine the cause behind the child's delayed speech. All newborn babies are advised for hearing screening tests during the first 1 month for this reason.
According to Dr Parikh, parents should consult their pediatrician in the below situations:
Dr Parikh noted that physical, occupational, speech and language, and behavioral therapy can be helpful for such children to develop and achieve milestones of their age.
He added, "As a parent, it is important to be watchful for delays in development and seek the help of a pediatrician. The treating doctor will determine the right kind of treatment for the child and as parents, you need to make sure that the child follows all the instructions."
