Global developmental delay

Global developmental delay is an umbrella term used when children are significantly delayed in their cognitive and physical development. It can be diagnosed when a child is delayed in one or more milestones, categorised into motor skills, speech, cognitive skills, and social and emotional development. There is usually a specific condition which causes this delay, such as Fragile X syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities. However, it is sometimes difficult to identify this underlying condition. Global developmental delay is an umbrella term used when children are significantly delayed in their cognitive and physical development. It can be diagnosed when a child is delayed in one or more milestones, categorised into motor skills, speech, cognitive skills, and social and emotional development. There is usually a specific condition which causes this delay, such as Fragile X syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities. However, it is sometimes difficult to identify this underlying condition. Other terms associated with this condition are failure to thrive (which focuses on lack of weight gain and physical development), intellectual disability (which focuses on intellectual deficits and the changes they cause to development) and developmental disability (which can refer to both intellectual and physical disability altering development). Developmental delay can be caused by learning disabilities, in which case the delay can usually be overcome with time and support - such as with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists. Other causes which may cause a permanent delay in development include genetic disorders such as Down syndrome and Fragile X, childhood infections such as meningitis or encephalitis, and metabolic disorders such as hypothyroidism. Metabolic disorders are more likely to cause delayed development in older children as many congenital metabolic problems which are easily managed are screened for in the neonatal period. The use of toxic substances in pregnancy, particularly alcohol, can lead to developmental delay if they affect the neurological development of the fetus, such as in fetal alcohol syndrome. Even though there are many known causes of delay, some children will never receive a diagnosis . Developmental delay is usually initially noticed by parents or health visitors, and will then need to be assessed in order to ascertain which milestones they are missing. The child may only be delayed in one area of development, such as gross or fine motor, or in more than one. Developmental screening can be done by a trained healthcare professional, in which they will play with the child to see how they speak, move, and respond. If this indicates a delay, the child should then be assessed with a developmental evaluation, done by a highly trained professional such as a developmental psychologist or paediatrician, or a paediatric neurologist.