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What is Developmental Delay?
Developmental delay is used to highlight that a child has not reached typical developmental milestones during an expected time period, throughout infancy and early childhood. A classic representation of a developmental milestone for a child would be learning the skill to walk. Most children tend to acquire this milestone between 9 and 15 months old.
Above: passive stretches and mobilisations of the hip, knee and ankle by an experienced paediatric physiotherapistWhat causes Developmental Delay?
The specific cause of Developmental Delay is unknown, but numerous factors are thought to have the ability to contribute. Such factors may include genetic causes such as Down?s Syndrome or pregnancy and birth complications such as premature birth or infection. Other environmental causes which could contribute to delay may include, but are not limited to, poor nutrition and exposure to toxins e.g. drugs.
What are the effects of Developmental Delay?
Sometimes it is not always possible to make an accurate diagnosis soon after birth. However, by detecting the developmental delay early enough, it is possible to apply the appropriate interventions, which will help to deter the effects of further developmental delay.
Developmental delay can have effects on a child?s language or speech, vision, movement ? motor skills, social and emotional skills and cognitive thinking.
The general symptoms of potential developmental delay can be defined as:
- Lacks the ability to focus and pay attention for long periods of time
- Can show violent/aggressive behaviour
- Demonstrates frustration when trying to complete simple tasks
- Visual problems
- Has stiff arms and/or legs
- Uses one side of the body more dominantly than the other
- Hearing problems
- Has a limp body posture when compared to children of same age
- Clumsy manner
Physiotherapy for Cerebral Palsy
Physiotherapy treatment for children presenting developmental delay has the ability to help the child develop independence with everyday tasks. Our paediatric physiotherapists, along with correct physiotherapy interventioncan help the development potential of your child to be reached. Physiotherapy can assist with the child?s development in areas including gross motor skills such as mobility, muscle strength, joint flexibility and balance and fine motor skills such as grip strength and handwriting. Common techniques include muscle strengthening and exercise plans. Our paediatric physiotherapists at Physio.co.uk will work with your child to help them to achieve developmental milestones such as; sitting, rolling, reaching, crawling and walking paediatric physiotherapists at Physio.co.uk will work with your child to achieve.
To arrange a physiotherapy appointment call Physio.co.uk on 0330 088 7800 or book online today!
