According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “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. “ The CDC developed a milestone checklist you can use to monitor the development of your child at the following ages.
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If your child in between these age groups or older than five, here’s an Interactive Tools for Parents to gauge the development of your child. If parents do have a concern about a child’s development, it’s critical to address that issue with your pediatrician or family doctor. Here’s a list of doctors who have participated in the Developmental Screening Learning Collaborative, an ADEPP created program that incorporates screening for developmental delays during well child visits.
If your doctor doesn’t screen for developmental delays, you still have resources available. First Signs, Inc. is a “National non-profit organization dedicated to educating parents and professionals about the early warning signs of autism and related disorders.” They’ve developed a tip sheet for parents on how to share concerns about their child’s deveoplement. If you have concerned about the child of a friend of family member, they also have advice on how to appropriately address your worries.
Sharing Concerns: Parent to Physician Sharing Concerns: Physician to Parent |
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