Infants laugh and coo, babble and scream, and eventually learn to communicate their needs. They are, of course, normal infant actions, but they also represent so much more.
They are known as developmental milestones and help parents and educators track a child's progress toward typical growth. However, developmental delays are not uncommon in children. In other words, the youngster is not reaching age-appropriate milestones in their growth. However, it must be borne in mind that these markers of growth are only suggestions. Just when a child misses a developmental milestone by, say, a month, that doesn't indicate they have a delay.
Everything about caring for a newborn is novel, from changing diapers to dealing with sleep disruptions. Whether or if your child is reaching typical age-appropriate milestones may not be something you constantly think about.
Contrary to popular belief, developmental delays are rather frequent. The need of taking your child to the doctor for regular checkups cannot be overstated, especially given that the CDC reports that one in six children suffer from some form of developmental delay. Through these checkups, your doctor will be able to keep a careful eye on your child's growth and development from the very beginning. Classic developmental indicators include a child's first smile, first sounds, first words, first tummy time, first steps, and first year of life.
Many children with autism also show delays in other areas of development, such as language and social skills, although not all children with delays in these areas are diagnosed with autism.
Common symptoms of autism include impaired social interaction, odd or restricted play abilities, a lack of interest in or ability to communicate with others, a hypersensitivity to specific noises and textures, and repetitive actions and gestures. A kid with autism may not smile or make eye contact with others, may not babble until they are 12 months old, and may not pronounce any words until they are 16 months old.
Raising one's understanding of normal growth and development might help one see discrepancies more quickly. There are a lot of places to turn to if you suspect something is wrong with your kid, and if you act soon, you can start to address worries at an early stage. Children with developmental delays have better life outcomes when they are identified as early as possible.
Parents should also find out whether their school system offers any kind of early intervention programmes. Parents of children older than three years old should inquire about these programmes directly with their school district.
