Developmental delays can be caused by a wide variety of physical and emotional conditions, which all have a serious impact on a child’s education. Because of this, it is important that both parents and educational professionals be able to easily recognize the signs of them. That way, children can get the treatment that they need as soon as possible. The following is a list of four of the most predominant signs to look out for:

Speech Delays

Some toddlers take a little longer to talk, especially if they were born prematurely. But by the time they reach three-years-old, they should be able to form complete sentences and carry on a basic conversation. If they can’t, then it is best to have them evaluated by health professionals at NeuroHealth Arlington Heights.

Social Intolerance

Watch out for children who have difficulty making eye-contact or spending time with others. Perhaps, they seem more content playing alone, even when they are invited to join a group of children. Or they could struggle with basic social concepts related to emotions, such as comforting a person who is sad or upset.

Cognitive Impairments

Cognitive impairments related to a developmental disability are more obvious when a child is compared to other children of the same age and socioeconomic status. Pay attention to the need for excessive repetition to learn a task that other children are able to do in one or two tries. This is usually a sign that the basic information processing areas of the brain aren’t able to function correctly.

Fine and Gross Motor Difficulties

Developmental delays can also be seen in a child’s muscle coordination, especially their gross and fine motor functioning. This refers to the ability to move the body in a specific way to complete a task. Skipping and hopping on one foot are controlled by gross motor functioning. And cutting out a small object from a piece of paper or writing with a pencil are both examples of fine motor functioning.

In conclusion, these are only four of the signs of developmental delays in children. There are others that can only be discovered through testing by a trained professional. So parents and teachers who are concerned about the well-being of a child should be sure to get help for them as soon as possible. All noticeable symptoms should be documented before the appointment, since this will offer a starting point for the testing.