Frequently Asked Questions.
What is child development?
A child's growth is more than just physical. Children grow, develop, and learn throughout their lives, starting at birth. A child's development can be followed by how they play, learn, speak, and behave.
What is a developmental delay? Will my child just grow out of it?
Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving "bye bye" are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in playing, learning, speaking, behaving, and moving (crawling, walking, etc.). A developmental delay is when your child does not reach these milestones at the same time as other children the same age. If your child is not developing properly, there are things you can do that may help. Most of the time, a developmental problem is not something your child will "grow out of" on his or her own. But with help, your child could reach his or her full potential!
What is developmental screening? Why is developmental screening important?
Doctors and nurses use developmental screening to tell if children are learning basic skills when they should, or if they might have problems. Your child's doctor may ask you questions or talk and play with your child during an exam to see how he or she learns, speaks, behaves, and moves. Since there is no lab or blood test to tell if your child may have a delay, the developmental screening will help tell if your child needs to see a specialist.
When a developmental delay is not recognized early, children must wait to get the help they need. This can make it hard for them to learn when they start school. In the United States, 17 percent of children have a developmental or behavioral disability such as autism, intellectual disability (also known as mental retardation), or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). In addition, many children have delays in language or other areas. In addition, many children have delays in language or other areas. But, less than half of children with problems are identified before starting school. During this time, the child could have received help for these problems and may even have entered school more ready to learn.
What is autism?
Autism is a developmental disorder that affects a child's ability to communicate, interact, and play with other children and adults. Most children with autism have significant delays in learning to talk and do not have the motivation to communicate using gestures. They may repeat what they have just heard rather than answer a question. They have trouble carrying on a conversation and may actually speak in language that is memorized from previous conversations or from television or movies. They make poor eye contact with people. They have trouble initiating interaction and sustaining it. This leads to problems establishing relationships with other children and adults. Children with autism have difficulty recognizing and responding to the feelings of others. They also have a great deal of difficulty adjusting to changes in their daily routine and their environment. This tendency to insist on things being the same all the time can lead to significant anxiety. Children with autism do not play with toys the way they were designed. They may tend to line them up, sort them, or look at them from odd angles. They may be fascinated with part of a toy, or repeat an activity over and over. They don't imitate others and do not develop imaginary play. The biggest concern in children with autism is that they are socially "aloof." They don't seem motivated to respond to the social bids of others. This social aloofness is the core problem that separates children from autism from children with other developmental disorders.
What causes autism?
The best research on the causes of autism indicates that it is a genetic disorder. Recent studies indicate that there are likely to be multiple genes that come together to lead to the developmental picture we call autism. As a result, there may not be a family history of autism. At the same time, we know that if one of a set of identical twins has autism, there is a 90% chance that the other twin will fall somewhere in the autism spectrum. We also know that if a child has one child with autism, there is a 5-10% chance that there other children will fall in the autism spectrum. In some cases, genetic testing allows us to actually identify the genes that cause autism, but in most cases our genetic tests are not yet good enough to find the genes that are at fault. This leads to frustration for many families, and to searches for other causes. There is no science to support the role of vaccines, mercury, yeast, diet, or vitamin deficiency as causes of autism. There is growing research that indicates that the changes in brain development that are seen in autism are beginning to occur in the first few weeks of pregnancy. Autism is not something that you catch; it is something that is genetically determined before birth.
Is there a cure?
No. But there is plenty of evidence suggesting early intervention dramatically can improve the function and quality of life with children on the autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
Why has it become such a prevalent issue across Ohio and the nation?
Recent studies indicate that autism occurs in 1 in 150 people. It is important to keep in mind that only recently have we been able to systematically track the number of cases of developmental disorders. In fact, autism was not officially recognized as a separate diagnosis until 1980, when it was included in the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual(DSM). In 1991, the U. S. Department of Education included Autism as a separate category of special education for the first time. In 1994, the APA revised the DSM in its fourth edition to broaden the definition of Autism to include milder cases, including Asperger's syndrome. As public awareness has increased over the last 15 years, there have been increasing numbers of people identified in the autism spectrum. Because definitions have changes and because ways to track have improved, it is actually unclear as to whether there is a true increase in the numbers of people with autism. It seems likely that some people who are identified with autism spectrum disorders today would have had a different diagnosis or even perhaps no diagnosis in the past.
How can I help my child's development?
Proper nutrition, exercise, and rest are very important for children's health and development. Providing a safe and loving home and spending time with your child – playing, singing, reading, and even just talking – can also make a big difference in his or her development.
Where can I go to learn more?
You don't have to go anywhere. You can track your child’s development through a new instrument created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We also have a list of doctors taking part in a program to screen for developmental delays. And if you’re searching for more specific information on specific delays, we’ve got a list of local resources to help you in your search.
The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention created portions of this content.