All children are born as unique individuals that grow, develop and learn at their own pace. Despite their individuality, pediatricians follow a set of standard child development milestones of verbal, physical, social and cognitive skills to help them diagnosis problems quickly. Early detection of medical, social or emotional issues leading to developmental delays is critical to treating or curing the root of the problem.
Birth Defects
According to the March of Dimes, a birth defect is "an abnormality of structure, function or metabolism present at birth." Birth defects can result in physical disfigurements, mental disabilities or even death. Roughly 70 percent of the birth defects that occur in the United States have no known cause, while others are caused by genetics or environmental factors.
Some genetic disorders, like Down syndrome or autism, impair the mental capabilities of the child, resulting in severe developmental delays. Some birth defects that cause physical disfigurement of the child or impair the vision, hearing, speech or motor skills, often result in developmental delays as a secondary symptom.
Pregnancy and Childbirth Complications
All pregnancies carry some level of risk, both for the mother and the baby. Some complications that may occur during pregnancy and childbirth can result in injuries or conditions that cause developmental delays. Premature birth, classified as babies born with 37 weeks of completed pregnancy or less, can cause serious medical complications including breathing problems, mental impairment, learning and behavioral issues, problems with vision and hearing loss. Any one of these can result in developmental delays. Complicated or emergency deliveries can result in a lack of oxygen to the baby resulting in brain damage that can also cause developmental delays.
Abuse and Neglect
Child abuse and neglect can have unfortunate physical, mental and emotional consequences on a child, resulting in long- and short-term developmental delays. Abuse too often starts during pregnancy, when a mother abuses drugs, nicotine or alcohol. Cigarette smoking during pregnancy may lead to low birth-weight babies at risk for developmental delays, while alcohol consumption may lead to fetal alcohol syndrome. Drug abuse during pregnancy can have very serious ramifications, including babies born with a drug addiction requiring long-term care, strokes, premature birth, brain hemorrhages, learning disabilities and developmental delays.
Although any form of abuse or neglect can have lasting mental and emotional impacts on a child, physical abuse can be particularly serious. Shaken baby syndrome happens when someone violently shakes a baby back and forth, causing brain damage that ultimately results in developmental delays. Neglect often results in a lack of socialization for the child, causing them to miss important physical and verbal milestones in their development. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has linked flat head syndrome, or positional plagiocephaly, to developmental delays as well. Flat head syndrome is caused when a baby is left lying on a hard surface for a long period of time before the head is fully developed and not still soft. Their study concluded that these children are at higher risk of developing problems with their cognitive and motor skills.
