If your toddler does not achieve key developmental milestones according to a typical schedule, his pediatrician may diagnose him with a developmental delay. Many medical conditions, including Down syndrome, autism-spectrum disorder and cerebral palsy, can cause developmental delays. However, delays can also arise in children with no known risk factors. Depending on the cause and severity of your child's developmental delay, your pediatrician may recommend any of several possible treatments.
Physical Therapy
If your child has a gross motor developmental delay or a fine motor delay, your pediatrician may refer her to a specialist for physical therapy. A therapist can engage your child in specialized exercises to improve the tone and flexibility of her muscles. These exercises are particularly useful to children with skeletal and muscular disorders, such as spina bifida or muscular dystrophy.
Home Treatment
Minor delays in speech and language may be treated using simple learning exercises at home. The National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families recommends that parents read regularly to their toddlers, engage their children in conversation and encourage make-believe play. Your pediatrician may recommend these techniques if your child's delays are not severe enough to warrant more intensive forms of treatment.
Special Education
If your pediatrician determines that your child has multiple developmental delays, he will refer your toddler to a local early intervention program for evaluation and possible treatment. The developmental experts who work in early intervention will help you to formulate an individualized education plan, or IEP, for your child. This personalized plan will address your toddler's specific needs, enabling him to adapt to an academic environment as he reaches school age. According to the University of Michigan, special education and IEP programs are highly successful in fostering academic performance in children.
Speech and Language Therapy
According to the nonprofit organization First Signs, speech and language therapy may be used as a component of your delayed toddler's special education program. During a speech-therapy session, an expert will work with your child to help him overcome errors in syntax, pronunciation and language use. The speech pathologist may also offer you helpful guidelines for employing these techniques in your own home.
Complementary Treatments
Few large-scale studies have proven the effectiveness of most complementary treatments for developmental delay. However, First Signs notes the popular use of animal therapy, color therapy, art therapy and music therapy for children with developmental disorders. Experts may recommend that your child interact with specially trained animals such as horses, dogs or dolphins to overcome physical, social or linguistic delays. Music therapy may soothe sensory processing errors and emotional struggles associated with developmental delay. Consult your toddler's pediatrician for more information about these unconventional complementary treatments.
