How To Recognize and Address Developmental Delays

Watching your child achieve developmental goals like walking and talking can be very exciting for a parent. However, it’s important to know how to recognize developmental delays so they can be addressed early. Dr. Ramesh Kadewari at Pediatric Medical Center of Lehigh Valley provides comprehensive medical services for children, including developmental assessments and treatment of developmental delays. He has two convenient office locations in Easton and Bethlehem, PA.

What You Need To Know About Developmental Delays

As you watch your child grow and develop, you can look for signs of potential developmental delays in:

• Talking
• Remembering things
• Rolling over, sitting up, crawling, and walking
• Using fine motor skills
• Understanding what other people are saying
• Problem-solving
• Social situations with other children

If you notice your child is having problems with any of the activities listed above, you should schedule a developmental assessment with your pediatrician. A developmental assessment can help to:

• Identify developmental delays early to begin treatment
• Identify whether your child has achieved appropriate developmental milestones
• Assess the effectiveness of treatment

When you schedule a developmental assessment, your pediatrician will:

• Perform a comprehensive medical record review, including medications your child is taking, recent illnesses, and hospitalizations
• Observe behaviors, mannerisms, cognitive abilities, emotional and physical delays, and other factors
• Provide questionnaires, checklists, and surveys to gather important developmental information
• Interview you and members of your household, your child’s teachers, and others close to your child

After the developmental assessment, your pediatrician will create a treatment plan to help your child. The treatment plan is designed to improve your child’s performance, behavior, and development of new life skills.

According to the American Pediatric Association, developmental assessments should happen at 9, 18, and 30 months. Your child will also be screened for autism at 18 and 24 months. Please click here to learn more about the American Pediatric Association guidelines for developmental assessment.

Want To Know More About Developmental Delays?

To learn more about recognizing and addressing developmental delays and how your pediatrician can help, call Dr. Ramesh Kadewari at Pediatric Medical Center of Lehigh Valley. You can reach him in the Easton, PA, location by calling (610) 252-3042 or in Bethlehem, PA, by calling (610) 861-8830, so call today.