| a.
What is Global Developmental Delay? |
| b.
Causes |
| c.
Outcome |
| d.
Management |
| What
is Global Developmental Delay? |
A child with developmental delay is
a child who is not achieving certain
skills as quickly as expected. In
otherwords, the child is not reaching
developmental landmarks at the usual
age.
One
subset of children with developmental
delay includes those with very early
onset of their disorder. These children
have delay in walking and other
motor skills and their motor difficulties
do not get worse over time. This
is often referred to as "cerebral
palsy." Conditions that are
genetic (inherited) are not usually
included in this category. Very
low birth weight infants account
for many, but not all, children
who meet the criteria for "cerebral
palsy."
|
|
| Causes |
There are numerous causes of developmental
delay. One of the goals of the Pediatric
Neurologist is to identify the cause of
a child's neurologic or develomental problem.
Sometimes this task is easy (for example,
if a child had obvious brain injury from
a severe brain infection), but more often
it is difficult and may require a variety
of different tests. The tests we recommend
are based on the information we gather from
parents and the findings on physical examination.
It often takes more than one clinic visit
to identify a specific disease, condition
or syndrome. Children are constantly changing.
As we follow this pattern of change, new
diagnoses may be considered. Often, despite
the tests and several clinic visits, we
are unable to identify a specific diagnosis.
There
are at least two major reasons for trying
to arrive at a specific diagnosis for
your child.
We need to know what caused the developmental
delay to tell parents, siblings and other
family members whether another child with
developmental delay is likely to be born
in this family. Some causes of developmental
delay are inherited and others are chance
events that are unlikely to recur.
Assigning a specific diagnosis allows
us to better predict the outcome for a
given child and to anticipate any other
problems that might arise.
|
| Outcome |
Parents often wonder what developmental
delay will mean for the child as he or she
gets older. This depends in part on the
cause of the developmental delay, but some
generalizations are useful. Sometimes, mildly
delayed children will catch up during early
childhood. Often, however, children who
are delayed continue to have problems in
adulthood. These problems may affect primarily
the motor system and lead to difficulty
walking, or even the inability to walk.
Sometimes developmental delay affects primarily
language or ability to learn. Some children
with developmental delay will have other
associated problems, such as abnormalities
of vision or hearing, behavioral problems,
or seizures. In many children all systems
are affected. Most children who are delayed
have strengths and weaknesses and parents
are often the first ones to recognize their
child's strengths.
The
end point of achievements for a child
who is developmentally delayed is often
different from that of the average child.
Exactly what will be achieved in adulthood
can vary dramatically within the developmentally
delayed population as it does within the
"average" population.
|
| Management |
There is almost never a specific medicine
or surgical procedure that will correct
developmental delay. The most important
thing a parent can do for a delayed child
is provide a loving and stimulating environment.
We often recommend contact with the physical
or occupational therapist to assist you
in providing appropriate exercises and stimulation
for your child. This is usually through
the AEA (Area Educational Agency) for families
in Iowa. We may also refer your child to
other specialists for management of specific
problems such as tight muscles or abnormalities
of vision. The goal of treatment is to maximize
abilities while preventing new problems
as much as is possible. |
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Source:
Kathy Mathews, M.D.
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