Developmental delays can be a big worry and concern for parents. When young kids don’t progress at the same rate as other children in physical, emotional, social, communication, and thinking skills, it may be due to a developmental delay. A child with developmental delay needs extra help to do everyday things compared to children of the same age.
Understanding that children grow and develop at their own pace is so important. If you’re worried about your child’s progress being ‘normal’, remember that ‘normal’ can mean lots of different things!
But as a general guide, you might be concerned about developmental delay if you notice that, over several months, your child isn’t developing motor, social or language skills at the same rate as other children the same age.
Developmental delay can be short term, so it’s important to seek help early to help your child grow and develop.
This blog shares tips on supporting a child with developmental delays, with a focus on early childhood intervention, available supports, the NDIS, and the role of early childhood key workers.
Developmental delay refers to a condition where a child is slower to reach developmental milestones than other children. It can affect various areas, including speech and language, motor skills, cognitive abilities, and social-emotional development.
Children with developmental delay may have trouble playing with other children, getting themselves dressed, talking, or understanding simple instructions.
Kids grow and learn at their own pace. If you’re wondering if your child’s development is ‘normal’, it’s good to know that ‘normal’ can look different for every child. But as a general rule, if you see your child not picking up motor, social, or language skills like other kids their age over a few months, you may want to talk to a health professional such as your GP, maternal health nurse, or your pediatrician.
What is considered developmentally “normal” for a child varies greatly. Signs of developmental delay in a child could include [2]:
Poor language and communication skills such as:
Delayed social and emotional skills examples:
Delayed gross and fine motor skills examples:
Concerns with vision or hearing examples:
Delays in learning or cognition examples:
If your child has a delay in one of these areas, they may be assessed as having a developmental delay.
When a child has a significant delay in two or more domains below, this is called a Global Developmental Delay or GDD:
Developmental delay and global developmental delay require a comprehensive evaluation by healthcare professionals with expertise in developmental disorders.
Developmental delay can be long or short term. Conditions such as Cerebral Palsy, intellectual disability and learning disability are examples of long-term developmental delays.
Most importantly, most children with short term developmental delays do catch up. Early intervention is key to helping your child with a delay reach developmental milestones.
If you notice that your child seems to be developing or growing slower than other children of the same age, make an appointment with your GP or visit your Maternal and Child Health Nurse.
The term ‘developmental delay’ is often used by health professionals as a broad description of the child’s condition. Once the cause of the delay is determined, a more specific term will be used.
Early Childhood Partners are teams of early childhood professionals including early childhood educators, speech pathologists and occupational therapists. Your Early Childhood partner will gather information as evidence to determine whether your child fits the criteria for a developmental delay [1].
This evidence can be gathered through:
Your Early Childhood Partner will use this evidence to recommend appropriate supports for your child. If your child is likely to fit the criteria for developmental delay, they may suggest applying to the NDIS.
Which strategies may be best for your child depends on their functional challenges.
They may also be limited by the capacity of your child’s environment to address their needs (due to access to resources, etc).
Your child’s support workers will tailor strategies to suit your child and their goals.
As a parent, one of the most important things you can do is have a good relationship with your child’s teacher and school. Having consistent communication will help strategies to be implemented in the classroom and their effectiveness relayed back to you.
Some suggestions could be:
An Early Childhood Intervention Specialist will use their expertise to assess the functional impact of your child’s developmental delay. They will be able to identify realistic goals and refer you to the correct supports to help your child reach the best possible outcomes [3].
A key worker is one consistent point of contact for you and your child’s early intervention services. They are qualified to deliver therapies outlined by your child’s Occupational Therapist, Speech Pathologist, Behavioural Therapist and other specialists.
The key worker gets to know your child and family on a deeper level, focusing on building relationships and trust to be able to tailor therapies to suit your child and ease the stress of transitions.
The most impactful way to achieve positive outcomes for your child is to have a skilled early intervention team working collaboratively to support them and their unique needs.
A diagnosis is a label of a specific set of symptoms experienced by your child. This label can help specify which therapies may be beneficial to your child and help you communicate your child’s challenges to others.
Developmental delay is a general description of slower development of certain skills or milestones compared to other children of the same age.
What is ‘normal’ development for a child varies greatly and many who are determined as having a developmental delay catch up to their peers! Achieving positive outcomes is closely linked to starting intervention as early as possible.
There are many ways to help a child with developmental delay; utilising strategies at home and at school or education setting are important to encourage their participation and ability to complete everyday activities.
If you’re concerned about your child’s development or wondering whether additional support may help, you don’t need to navigate it alone.
At Everyday Independence, our key workers, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, physiotherapists and behaviour support practitioners work alongside families to understand their goals and create practical strategies that support participation in everyday life.
If you’re looking for early intervention support and aren’t sure where to start, our team can help you understand your options and find the right support for your child and family. Complete an online form and our team will be in touch.
[1] NDIS, 2024. Developmental Delay and the Early Childhood Approach. https://www.ndis.gov.au/understanding/families-and-carers/early-childhood-approach-children-younger-9/developmental-delay-and-early-childhood-approach
[2] WebMD, 2023. Recognising Developmental Delays in Young Children. https://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/recognizing-developmental-delays-birth-age-2
[3] Raising Children Network, 2022. Developmental Delays 0-8 Years. https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/a-z-health-reference/developmental-delay
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