Approach to Child with Developmental Delay

Question 1

Areas of development

Answer 1

Gross motor, fine motor + vision, language + hearing, social behaviour + play

Question 2

Developmental delay =

Answer 2

failure to attain approproate developmental milestones for child’s corrected chronological age

Question 3

Red flags for abnormal development

Answer 3

Asymmetry of movement
Not reaching for objects by 6 months
unable to sit unsuported by 12 months
unable to walk by 18 months (check CK to exclude muscular dystrophy)
No speech by 18 months
Concerns re vision or hearing
Loss of skills

Question 4

Global development delay

Answer 4

significant delay in 2+ of gross/fine motor, speech/language, cognition, social/personal e.g downe’s syndrome

Question 5

Specific Development Delay

Answer 5

Motor, language, of sensory delays

Question 6

Cerebral palsy

Answer 6

mobility (hemiplgic, paraplegic, quadriplegic), learning difficulties, epilepsy, visual/ hearing impairment

Question 7

Autism Spectrum Disorder Triad

Answer 7

Communication, social interaction, flexibility of thought/imagination

Question 8

On exmaination in developmental delay check for …

Answer 8

dysmorphism, head circumference.

Question 9

Invx for developmental delay

Answer 9

Chromosomes, oligoarray CGH, neonatal PKU, thyroid studies, CK, and anything indicated.