Child Development

I sometimes forget that everyone is not use to the same special educational language that I have become accustomed to in my life.  Then, every once in awhile something happens that makes me realize not everyone is knowledgeable about child development and special education.  So I thought that I might explain and give some resources for developmental delays.  I cannot stress the importance of early intervention enough.  Trust your instinct!  If you think that a child may be having trouble with some skills, get help.  For many people it is free and for others there is just a small monthly fee.  If it does cost you anything – it is money well spent.  You wouldn’t make your child walk around on a broken leg for months and expect it to fix itself.  So don’t expect a developmental delay to magically fix itself either.  Speak to your child’s pediatrician or call 211 CT’s info-line.  The earlier you get help the more help they will receive.

The following is from http://www.howkidsdevelop.com/developSkills.html

Let’s start with the five main areas of development-

1. Cognitive Development
   This is the child's ability to learn and solve problems. For example, this includes a two-month-old baby learning to explore the environment with hands or eyes or a five-year-old learning how to do simple math problems.
2. Social and Emotional Development
   This is the child's ability to interact with others, including helping themselves and self-control. Examples of this type of development would include: a six-week-old baby smiling, a ten-month-old baby waving bye-bye, or a five-year-old boy knowing how to take turns in games at school.
3. Speech and Language Development
   This is the child's ability to both understand and use language. For example, this includes a 12-month-old baby saying his first words, a two-year-old naming parts of her body, or a five-year-old learning to say "feet" instead of "foots".
4. Fine Motor Skill Development
   This is the child's ability to use small muscles, specifically their hands and fingers, to pick up small objects, hold a spoon, turn pages in a book, or use a crayon to draw.
5. Gross Motor Skill Development
   This is the child's ability to use large muscles. For example, a six-month-old baby learns how to sit up with some support, a 12-month-old baby learns to pull up to a stand holding onto furniture, and a five-year-old learns to skip.

The National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities has recently launched a campaign to promote child development. For more information on child development, visit the Act Early website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/actearly/.