What is a Delayed Milestone?

Delayed milestone, also called developmental delays, is a descriptive term used when a young child’s development is delayed in one or more areas compared to other children.

Types of Delayed Milestone:

There are mainly 2 types of Delayed Milestone:

1) According to the areas of development

• Gross motor developmental delay
• Fine motor developmental delay
• Speech and language developmental delay
• Cognitive/intellectual developmental delay
• Social and emotional developmental delay

2) According to the nature of the developmental delay

• Transient developmental delay
• Persistent developmental delay

What causes Delayed Milestone?

The main causes of Delayed Milestones are:

• Mental Retardation
• Down Syndrome
• Cerebral Palsy
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Hydrocephalus
• Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• Cystic Fibrosis

Signs of Delayed Milestone:

The main signs of developmental delay are:

• Speech and language delay: This is very common in toddlers.
• Motor Skill or movement: Gross motor delay affects the ability to crawl or walk.
• Fine motor delay impacts a toddler’s ability to make full use of their hands/fingers. This makes simple tasks like holding crayons and lifting stuff difficult.
• Vision: Baby’s vision is normally blurry within his or her first 6 months.
• Social or Emotional: A social or emotional developmental delay causes problems with your child’s ability to interact with others.

How is Delayed Milestone Treated?

Every child is different, therefore, there cannot be one single treatment for the delay in development that would work for everyone. However, conditions can be managed through:

• Speech and Language Therapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Physical Therapy
• Behavior Therapies

In addition to these, if there are other disabilities present, medical or surgical treatments may be required to manage those conditions.

Role of Physiotherapy in Delayed Milestone:

The roles of the Physiotherapist of Tribeca Care Team are:

• The development of an effective long-term rehabilitation plan is the best and the most crucial step taken by specialized physiotherapists. This starts with a thorough assessment of the areas concerned with your child’s development.
• This long-term plan focuses on your child’s holistic development in a way that is productive, educational, and, most importantly, fun.
• Assisting your child to learn basic physical activities like sitting, standing, and crawling
• Assisting your child as he gets used to his independent mobility
• Helping your child to improve his posture, body balance, motor control, and coordination
• Helping your child to develop confidence in himself
• Providing a safe and stimulating environment