Parents anticipating the birth of a normal, healthy child can find themselves facing a challenge if their child is born with, or develops, developmental delays due to genetics, an illness or events during pregnancy. These events can create an environment in which developmental delays become evident to medical personnel and the parents.
Genetic Causes
The child born with a genetic abnormality such as Down Syndrome experiences developmental delays, meaning he doesn't reach his developmental milestones within the "normal" ranges, according to the University of Michigan Health System. For instance, he may not roll over, lift his head or support his upper body with his arms until much later than other children his age.
Your child is closely monitored by his pediatrician at his well-baby visits, and his progress is noted. The doctor and other medical staff will ask you what you have observed your child doing. Because of his diagnosis, the doctor will refer you and your child to an early intervention program, which is designed to assess where your child is experiencing delays. After the assessment, therapists will work with your child to help him develop to his fullest potential, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Premature Birth
Your child can be at risk of developmental delays if she was born prematurely. Premature birth is defined as being born anywhere "from one to four weeks" early, according to the National Institutes of Health. This means infants born between the gestational ages of 33 to 36 weeks are likely to experience developmental delays in "one or two developmental milestones for a given age category, from birth through 47 months of age," reports the National Institutes of Health.
Even children who were born smaller than normal are at a higher risk for experiencing a developmental delay.
Hearing Loss
The child who appears to hear normally at birth, but then loses hearing at a later age, is diagnosed with a childhood acquired hearing loss, according to the North Carolina Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program or NCEHDIP. A hearing loss interferes with the development and understanding of speech. This can interfere with communication skills and school performance, according to the NCEHDIP.
Children can lose normal hearing from a range of causes, such as illness--recurrent ear infections, with fluid accumulation; bacterial meningitis--some medications, family history of hearing loss or head injury. This loss can cause learning problems to develop. These include speech delays, emotional and behavioral problems and learning difficulties in school.
References
- University of Michigan Health System: Developmental Delay
- National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities: Developmental Delay
- National Institutes of Health: Even Moderately Premature Birth Poses Risk for Developmental Delays
- North Carolina Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Program: Childhood Acquired Hearing Loss
