developemntal milestones, etiology, classification, approach through history, physical examination and investigations and management

1. APPROACH TO
DEVELOPMENTAL
DELAY
Omar Banat
Bashar Mudallal

2. Objectives
◦Introduction: definitions, Transient and Persistent
developmental delays
◦Developmental milestones: normal for age,
warning signs.
◦Etiology: causes of global developmental delay, high
risk children
◦Approach to a Child with Developmental Delay:
History, Physical exm, Invistigations, Screening
◦Resources

3. Introduction

4. What is child development?
◦Child development refers to how a
child becomes able to do more
complex things as they get older.
◦Growth only refers to the child
getting bigger in size.

5. What is developmental delay?
◦Developmental Delay is when a child does
not reach their developmental milestones at the
expected times.
◦ It is an ongoing major or minor delay in the process of
development.
◦Delay can occur in one or many areas—for
example, gross or fine motor, language, social,
or thinking skills.

6. ◦Developmental delay is not uncommon and
occurs in 2-3% of all children. (~)
◦The term developmental delay is often used
until the exact nature and cause of the delay is
known.
◦The significance of the delay is often only
determined by observing the child’s
development over time.

7. Transient developmental delay
◦ Some children have a transient delay in their
development.
◦ For example, some extremely premature babies may
show a delay in the area of sitting, crawling and
walking but then progress on at a normal rate.
◦ Other causes of transient delay may be related to
physical illness and prolonged hospitalization,
immaturity, family stress or lack of opportunities to
learn.

8. Persistent developmental delay
◦ If the delay in development persists it is usually related to
problems in one or more of the following areas:
 understanding and learning
 moving
 communication
 hearing
 seeing.
◦ An assessment is often needed to determine what area or
areas are affected.
◦ Disorders which cause persistent developmental delay are often
termed developmental disabilities .

9. Developmental disability
◦ Developmental disability is estimated to occur in 5-10% of
the population with enormous psychological, emotional, and
economic impact on the affected individuals and society.
◦ Studies have shown that developmentally delayed children who
are recognized at an early age receive more developmental
optimization and greater gains than those who are identified
later in life.
◦ Early recognition of children with developmental problems is
therefore important.
◦ There are several disabilities in the classification of
developmental delay:

10. Disability Description
Gross motor delay Significant delay in fine or gross motor skills
with no impairment in other developmental
areas
Developmental language disorders Significant delay in receptive and/or expressive
language skills with no delay in other
developmental domains
Global developmental delay Significant delay in two or more developmental
streams as measured by appropriate
standardized screening tests. This term is
reserved for children less than 5 years of age
Cerebral palsy Early-onset non-progressive motor
impairment with associated abnormalities in
muscle tone
Hearing sensory impairment A reduction in the ability to hear sound, ranging
from slight to complete deafness

11. Disability Description
Visual sensory impairment An optically or medically diagnosable condition
in the eye(s) or visual system that affects the
development and normal use of vision, ranging
from slight to complete blindness
Learning disabilities Significantly lowered individual achievement
than predicted by intellectual ability as
measured by standardized psycho-educational
tests assessing reading, mathematics, or written
expression
Pervasive developmental delay (PPD) /
Autism
Impairments in social skills, communication
skills and restrictive / repetitive patterns of
behavior
Pervasive developmental disorders not
otherwise specified / Autism Spectrum
Disorder
Similar to PDD but not enough symptoms to
warrant a PDD diagnosis

12. DEVELOPMENTAL
MILESTONES

13. What are developmental
milestones?
◦Developmental milestones are a set of functional
skills or age-specific tasks that most children can do
at a certain age range.
◦ A pediatrician uses milestones to help check how a
child is developing.
◦ Although each milestone has an age level, the actual
age when a normally developing child reaches that
milestone can vary quite a bit. Every child is unique!
◦ CDC’s milestone checklists

14. In these categories…
◦ Gross motor: using large groups of muscles to sit, stand, walk,
run, etc., keeping balance, and changing positions.
◦ Fine motor: using hands to be able to eat, draw, dress, play,
write, and do many other things.
◦ Language: speaking, using body language and gestures,
communicating, and understanding what others say.
◦ Cognitive: Thinking skills: including learning, understanding,
problem-solving, reasoning, and remembering.
◦ Social: Interacting with others, having relationships with
family, friends, and teachers, cooperating, and responding to the
feelings of others.

16. 1 month
• Makes jerky, quivering arm thrusts
• Brings hands within range of eyes and
mouth
• Moves head from side to side while
lying on stomach
• Head flops backward if unsupported
• Keeps hands in tight fists
• Strong reflex movements
Movement
Milestones

17. 1 month
• Focuses 8 to 12 inches (20.3 to 30.4 cm)
away
• Eyes wander and occasionally cross
• Prefers black-and-white or high-contrast
patterns
• Prefers the human face to all other patterns
• Hearing is fully mature
• Recognizes some sounds
• May turn toward familiar sounds and voices
Visual and
Hearing
Milestones

18. 1 month
• Prefers sweet smells
• Avoids bitter or acidic smells
• Recognizes the scent of his own
mother’s breastmilk
• Prefers soft to coarse sensations
• Dislikes rough or abrupt
handling
Smell and
Touch
Milestones

19. 3 months
• Raises head and chest when lying on stomach
• Supports upper body with arms when lying on
stomach
• Stretches legs out and kicks when lying on stomach
or back
• Opens and shuts hands
• Pushes down on legs when feet are placed on a firm
surface
• Brings hand to mouth
• Takes swipes at dangling objects with hands
• Grasps and shakes hand toys
Movement
Milestones

20. 3 months
• Watches faces intently
• Follows moving objects
• Recognizes familiar objects and people at a
distance
• Starts using hands and eyes in coordination
• Smiles at the sound of your voice
• Begins to babble
• Begins to imitate some sounds
• Turns head toward direction of sound
Visual and
Hearing
Milestones

21. 3 months
• Begins to develop a social smile
• Enjoys playing with other people
and may cry when playing stops
• Becomes more communicative and
expressive with face and body
• Imitates some movements and
facial expressions
Social and
Emotional
Milestones

22. 7 months
• Rolls both ways (front to back, back
to front)
• Sits with, and then without, support
of her hands
• Supports her whole weight on her legs
• Reaches with one hand
• Transfers object from hand to hand
• Uses raking grasp (not pincer)
Movement
Milestones

23. 7 months
• Develops full color
vision
• Distance vision matures
• Ability to track moving
objects improves
Visual
Milestones

24. 7 months
• Responds to own name
• Begins to respond to “no”
• Distinguishes emotions by tone of
voice
• Responds to sound by making sounds
• Uses voice to express joy and
displeasure
• Babbles chains of consonants
Language
Milestones

25. 7 months
• Finds partially hidden
object
• Explores with hands and
mouth
• Struggles to get objects
that are out of reach
Cognitive
Milestones

26. 7 months
• Enjoys social play
• Interested in mirror images
• Responds to other people’s
expressions of emotion
and appears joyful often
Social and
Emotional
Milestones

27. 12 months
• Gets to sitting position without assistance
• Crawls forward on belly by pulling with arms and
pushing with legs
• Assumes hands-and-knees position
• Creeps on hands and knees supporting trunk on hands
and knees
• Gets from sitting to crawling or prone (lying on
stomach) position
• Pulls self up to stand
• Walks holding on to furniture
• Stands momentarily without support
• May walk two or three steps without support
Movement
Milestones

28. 12 months
• Uses pincer grasp
• Bangs two cubes together
• Puts objects into container
• Takes objects out of container
• Lets objects go voluntarily
• Pokes with index finger
• Tries to imitate scribbling
Milestones
In Hand
and Finger
Skills

29. 12 months
• Pays increasing attention to speech
• Responds to simple verbal requests
• Responds to “no”
• Uses simple gestures, such as shaking
head for “no”
• Babbles with inflection
• Says “dada” and “mama”
• Uses exclamations, such as “oh-oh!”
• Tries to imitate words
Language
Milestones

30. 12 months
• Explores objects in many different ways
(shaking, banging, throwing, dropping)
• Finds hidden objects easily
• Looks at correct picture when the
image is named
• Imitates gestures
• Begins to use objects correctly (drinking
from cup, brushing hair, dialing phone,
listening to receiver)
Cognitive
Milestones

31. 12 months
• Shy or anxious with strangers
• Cries when mother or father leaves
• Enjoys imitating people in play
• Shows specific preferences for certain people and toys
• Tests parental responses to his actions during feedings (What do
you do when he refuses a food?)
• Tests parental responses to his behavior (What do you do if he
cries after you leave the room?)
• May be fearful in some situations
• Prefers mother and/or regular caregiver over all others
• Repeats sounds or gestures for attention
• Finger-feeds himself
• Extends arm or leg to help when being dressed
Social and
Emotional
Milestones

32. 2 years
• Walks alone
• Pulls toys behind her while walking
• Carries large toy or several toys while walking
• Begins to run
• Stands on tiptoe
• Kicks a ball
• Climbs onto and down from furniture
unassisted
• Walks up and down stairs holding on to
support
Movement
milestones

33. 2 years
• Scribbles spontaneously
• Turns over container to pour
out contents
• Builds tower of four blocks or
more
• Might use one hand more
frequently than the other
Milestones
in hand
and finger
skills

34. 2 years
• Points to object or picture when it’s named for him
• Recognizes names of familiar people, objects, and
body parts
• Says several single words (by fifteen to eighteen
months)
• Uses simple phrases (by eighteen to twenty-four
months)
• Uses two- to four-word sentences
• Follows simple instructions
• Repeats words overheard in conversation
Language
milestones

35. 2 years
• Finds objects even when
hidden under two or
three covers
• Begins to sort by shapes
and colors
• Begins make-believe play
Cognitive
milestones

36. 2 years
• Imitates behavior of others, especially adults
and older children
• Increasingly aware of herself as separate from
others
• Increasingly enthusiastic about company of
other children
• Demonstrates increasing independence
• Begins to show defiant behavior
• Increasing episodes of separation anxiety
toward midyear, then they fade
Social and
emotional
milestones

37. 3-4 years
• Hops and stands on one foot up to five
seconds
• Goes upstairs and downstairs without
support
• Kicks ball forward
• Throws ball overhand
• Catches bounced ball most of the time
• Moves forward and backward with agility
Movement
milestones

38. 3-4 years
• Copies square shapes
• Draws a person with two to
four body parts
• Uses scissors
• Draws circles and squares
• Begins to copy some capital
letters
Milestones
in hand
and finger
skills

39. 3-4 years
• Understands the concepts of “same”
and “different”
• Has mastered some basic rules of
grammar
• Speaks in sentences of five to six words
• Speaks clearly enough for strangers to
understand
• Tells stories
Language
milestones

40. 3-4 years
• Correctly names some colors
• Understands the concept of counting and may
know a few numbers
• Approaches problems from a single point of
view
• Begins to have a clearer sense of time
• Follows three-part commands
• Recalls parts of a story
• Understands the concept of same/different
• Engages in fantasy play
Cognitive
milestones

41. 3-4 years
• Interested in new experiences
• Cooperates with other children
• Plays “Mom” or “Dad”
• Increasingly inventive in fantasy play
• Dresses and undresses
• Negotiates solutions to conflicts
• More independent
• Imagines that many unfamiliar images may be “monsters”
• Views self as a whole person involving body, mind, and
feelings
• Often cannot distinguish between fantasy and reality
Social and
emotional
milestones

42. 4-5 years
• Stands on one foot for
ten seconds or longer
• Hops, somersaults
• Swings, climbs
• May be able to skip
Movement
milestones

43. 4-5 years
• Copies triangle and other geometric
patterns
• Draws person with body
• Prints some letters
• Dresses and undresses without assistance
• Uses fork, spoon, and (sometimes) a table
knife
• Usually cares for own toilet needs
Milestones
in hand
and finger
skills

44. 4-5 years
• Recalls part of a story
• Speaks sentences of more
than five words
• Uses future tense
• Tells longer stories
• Says name and address
Language
milestones

45. 4-5 years
• Can count ten or more objects
• Correctly names at least four
colors
• Better understands the concept of
time
• Knows about things used every
day in the home (money, food,
appliances)
Cognitive
milestones

46. 4-5 years
• Wants to please friends
• Wants to be like her friends
• More likely to agree to rules
• Likes to sing, dance, and act
• Shows more independence and may even visit
a next-door neighbor by herself
• Aware of sexuality
• Able to distinguish fantasy from reality
• Sometimes demanding, sometimes eagerly
cooperative
Social and
emotional
milestones

47. What are the
Warning signs of
a physical
developmental
delay ?

48. Newborn to 2 months
after 2 months, doesn't hold his head up when you pick
him up from lying on his back
after 2 months, still feels particularly stiff or floppy
after 2 months, overextends his back and neck (as if
he's pushing away from you) when cradled in your arms
after 2 or 3 months, stiffens, crosses, or "scissors" his
legs when you pick him up by the trunk

49. 3 to 6 months
by 3 or 4 months, doesn't grasp or reach for toys
by 3 or 4 months, can't support his head well
by 4 months, isn't bringing objects to his mouth
by 4 months, doesn't push down with his legs when his feet are
placed on a firm surface
after 4 months, still has Moro reflex (when he falls backward or is startled, he throws
out his arms and legs, extends his neck, and then quickly brings his arms back
together and begins to cry)

50. 3 to 6 months
after 5 or 6 months, still has the asymmetrical tonic neck reflex (when
his head turns to one side, his arm on that side will straighten, with the
opposite arm bent up as if he's holding a fencing sword)
by 6 months, can't sit with help
after 6 months, reaches out with only one hand while keeping the other
fisted
doesn't roll over in either direction (back to front or front to back) by 5
or 6 months

51. 7 to 9 months
at 7 months, has poor head control when pulled to a sitting
position
at 7 months, is unable to get objects into his mouth
at 7 months, is not reaching for objects
by 7 months, doesn't bear some weight on his legs
by 9 months, can't sit independently

52. 9 to 12 months
after 10 months, crawls in a lopsided manner, pushing
off with one hand and leg while dragging the
opposite hand and leg
at 12 months, is not crawling
at 12 months, can't stand with support

53. 13 to 24 months
by 18 months, can't walk
after several months of walking, doesn't walk
confidently or consistently walks on toes
after his second birthday, is growing less than 2
inches per year (get more on a normal growth rate)

54. 36 months
falls frequently or is unable to use the
stairs
drools persistently
can't manipulate small objects

57. ETIOLOGY

58. Why is finding a cause
important?
◦ Establishing a cause has many benefits for the child and family and improves
overall quality of life:
◦ The family gains understanding of the condition, including prognostic information.
◦ Lessens parental blame.
◦ Ameliorates or prevents co-morbidity by identifying factors likely to cause secondary
disability that are potentially preventable e.g. surveillance of other systems such as
vision and hearing.
◦ Appropriate genetic counselling about recurrence risk for future children and the
wider family.
◦ Accessing more support (e.g. within education services and specific syndrome support
groups).
◦ To address concerns about possible causes e.g. events during pregnancy or delivery.
◦ Potential treatment for a few conditions.

59. Causes of Global
Developmental Delay
◦ Global developmental delay can be the presenting feature of a
huge number of neurodevelopmental disorders (from learning
disability to neuromuscular disorders).
◦ It is not possible to provide an exhaustive list.
◦ Careful evaluation and investigation can reveal a cause in 50-70%
of cases.
◦ This leaves a large minority where the cause is not determined.
◦ It is still useful to investigate globally delayed development
whatever the age of the child (occasionally older children with
significant disability may not have been investigated adequately)

61. Environmental Factors that
May Place a Child at Risk
◦ Living in families that are at lower socioeconomic levels;
◦ Living in families with varied cultural backgrounds;
◦ Living in families classified as dysfunctional;
◦ Being born to teenage mothers or mothers more than forty years old;
◦ Growing up in homes where English is not the primary language spoken:
(racism?)
◦ Being exposed prenatally to viruses, drugs, or alcohol;
◦ Being born into families with other children who have developmental
delays;
◦ Being born to mothers who were malnourished during pregnancy;
◦ Being born to mothers who have diabetes, thyroid disorders, syphilis, or
other viral infections.

62. OUR APPROACH

63. An Approach to a Child with
Developmental Delay
◦ A child’s development is a dynamic process, and assessment at any point
in time is merely a snap shot of the bigger picture and should be
interpreted in the context of the child’s history from conception to the
present.
◦ While a child may appear to have normal development for the first twelve
months of life, a deviation in the course of the child’s development in
subsequent years is indicative of an underlying disability.
◦ It is important to keep this in mind as you assess a child, and to keep
reassessing children in subsequent office visits.
◦ Developmental assessment involves three aspects: screening,
surveillance, and definitive diagnostic assessment.

64. Developmental Assessment
◦ Developmental screening is identifying children who may need more comprehensive
evaluation. It is a brief assessment procedure designed to identify children who should
receive more intensive diagnosis or assessment. This is accomplished in the pediatrician’s
office through thorough history taking +/- the use of screening tools such as the Denver
or Bayley Scales of infant development.
◦ Developmental surveillance is a continuous process whereby the child is followed over
time to pick up on subtle deficiencies in the child’s developmental trajectory. The
components of developmental surveillance include eliciting and attending to parental
concerns, obtaining a relevant developmental history, observing the child’s development
in the office and referring for further assessment of development by other relevant
professionals such as OT/PT for motor developmental concerns or hearing tests for
concerns with language acquisition.
◦ Diagnostic assessment is performed on a child who has been identified as having a
potential problem. This step requires extensive involvement of various team players such
as a psychologist, educator, social worker, developmental pediatrician, geneticist, and/or
other medical professionals.

65. History
◦ To perform a developmental assessment, a detailed history
from conception to the present is required to assess
developmental level.
◦ Knowing the appropriate milestones is key to this
assessment.
◦ Any signs of developmental regression should be regarded as
a medical emergency and an urgent medical workup is
indicated.
◦ An underlying etiology for developmental delay should be
sought through attention to the following clues on history:

66. Prenatal History
◦Complications
◦Prenatal diagnoses made (eg. Down
Syndrome)
◦Infections (eg. TORCH)
◦Exposures (eg. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome)

67. Obstetrical History
◦Complications
◦APGAR scores
◦Infections (eg. Group B Strep)
◦Seizures
◦Hearing test performed
◦Newborn screening performed

68. Past medical history and
medications
◦Ototoxic antibiotics eg. Gentamicin
◦Frequent ear infections may lead to
effusions affecting hearing

69. Behavior since birth
◦Behavioral disturbances – aggression, self
injury, defiance, inattention, anxiety,
depression, sleep disturbances, stereotypic
behaviors, poor social skills, hyperactivity,
difficult temperaments

70. Family History
◦Relatives with developmental delay,
genetic abnormalities, syndromes
◦Consanguinity

71. Social History
◦ Evidence of neglect or abuse which may have a negative
influence on development.
◦ Primary languages. ESL children may have relative delay in
English language acquisition.
◦ In children with a previously identified delay it is important to assess
the resources already accessed to support the family such as personal
tutors in the educational system, OT/PT for speech and language
therapy,etc. The “Infant development program” is a regional resource
supplying support to children until age 3. The “At home” program is a
federal incentive to provide financial support and respite care to
families with an affected child.

72. Screening Tools
◦ There are various screening instruments used for
assessing developmental.
◦ The Denver II assesses gross motor, fine motor,
adaptive and social skills.
◦ It is designed for children between the ages of 0 and
6.
◦ Similar tools are the “Ages and Stages”
questionnaires and the Bayley infant development
scales.

73. Physical Examination
◦A thorough physical examination is important
in the assessment of a developmentally
delayed child.
◦Characteristic findings on physical exam may
provide clues as to the cause of the
developmental delay.
◦Some clinical signs and their corresponding
clinical significance are listed below:

74. Growth Parameters
◦Microcephaly: eg in Rett’s Disorder
◦Macrocephaly: eg in hydrocephalus
◦Short stature: Turner syndrome, Williams
syndrome
◦Obesity: Prader-Willi syndrome, Beckwith-
Wiedemann syndrome

75. Head and Neck
◦ Flat occiput: Down syndrome, Zellweger syndrome
◦ Prominent occiput: trisomy 18
◦ Craniosynostosis: Crouzon syndrome, Pfeiffer
syndrome
◦ Midface hypoplasia: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS),
Down syndrome
◦ Prominent nose and chin: Fragile X syndrome
◦ Round facies: Prader-Willi syndrome

76. Head and Neck
◦Triangular facies: Turner syndrome
◦Hypertelorism: Fetal hydantoin syndrome
◦Hypotelorism: maternal PKU effect
◦Brushfield spots: Down syndrome
◦Prominent eyes: Beckwith-Wiedemann
syndrome
◦Lisch nodules: neurofibromatosis

77. Head and Neck
◦Large pinna: Fragile X syndrome
◦Malformed pinna: Treacher Collins syndrome,
CHARGE association
◦Broad nasal bridge: Fragile X syndrome
◦Low nasal bridge: Down syndrome
◦Long philtrum: FAS

78. Head and Neck
◦ Cleft lip and palate: may either be isolated or
part of a syndrome
◦Micrognathia: Robin sequence
◦Macroglossia: Beckwith-Wiedemann
syndrome
◦Abnormal hair whorls: Down syndrome
◦Webbed neck: Turner syndrome

79. Genitourinary
◦Macroorchidism: Fragile X
syndrome
◦Hypogonadism: Prader-Willi
syndrome

80. Extremities
◦Small hands: Prader-Willi syndrome
◦Clinodactyly: trisomies including Down
syndrome
◦Transverse palmer crease: Down
syndrome

81. Skin
◦Nail hypoplasia or dysplasia: FAS
◦Facial port wine hemangioma: Sturge-
Weber syndrome
◦Café au lait spots: Neurofibromatosis
◦Ashleaf spots: Tuberous Sclerosis

82. Neurological Exam
◦ Cranial nerves
◦ Specific vision tests: red reflex, normal fundi,
response to visual stimuli, field of vision
◦ Specific auditory tests: response to auditory stimuli
◦ Receptive or expressive language delay
◦ Abnormal speech (eg. articulation)
◦ Persistently present Babinski response (older than 2
years of age)

83. Neurological Exam
◦ Hyper- or Hypotonia
◦ Sensory
◦ Motor strength
◦Gait
◦Deep tendon reflexes
◦ Primitive reflexes – Moro, Gallant
◦Postural reflexes – propping response

84. Investigations: Genetics
◦Karyotyping to assess for chromosomal
abnormalities
◦FISH analysis to assess for microdeletions
◦Many of these investigations will be
performed through specialist referral. Medical
Genetics consultation should be done at this
time.

85. Endocrinology
◦TSH, free T4
◦Referral to endocrinology should be
considered.

86. Metabolic
◦Metabolic screening – glucose, electrolytes,
serum lactate, ammonia, liver function tests,
pyruvate, albumin, triglycerides, uric acid,
serum quantitative amino acids, urine organic
acids, acylcarnitines, creatine phosphokinase
(if suspecting myopathy)
◦Referral to metabolic diseases specialists
should be considered.

87. Neurology
◦EEG
◦Head CT
◦Referral to Neurologists if any of these tests
are considered.

89. MANAGEMENT

90. ◦ After completion of a comprehensive medical and
developmental evaluation of the child with developmental
problems and the establishment of developmental diagnoses and
identification of associated medical conditions, a plan for active
treatment and comprehensive management can be initiated by
the physician.
◦ Beginning with early identification of these problems, an
affected child can receive educational and intervention services
aimed at improvement of the child’s development through local
early intervention and special education programs, as established
in the United States through federal law under the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act.

91. ◦ Beginning as early as birth and continuing through age 3
years, any child with a known disability, significant delay, or
condition with a high risk for disability (eg, Down syndrome)
is entitled to early intervention services that provide
developmental therapies intended to improve performance in
one of the developmental spheres.
◦ These can include traditional therapies, such as physical
therapy, occupation therapy, and speech-language therapy, as
well as broader services such as special instruction,
counseling, and family training.

92. ◦ Many programs provide for parent training or home-based
therapy to allow for generalization of skills
learned.
◦ For children 3 years and older and continuing into
the school-age years, the child with disabilities is
entitled to an individualized, free, and appropriate
education along with related therapy services.

93. ◦ Specific medical treatments targeted towards a child’s related
medical conditions should also begin with diagnosis.
◦ For example, along with receiving physical therapy and other
early intervention services, the child with cerebral palsy
should be considered for medical treatment of tone
abnormalities with oral agents, intramuscular botulinum
toxin, or intrathecal baclofen.
◦ The child with behavior disorders accompanying a
communication or intellectual disability is a candidate for
psychopharmacologic treatments, such as stimulants for
ADHD and risperidone for aggression.

94. ◦ Finally, the child with a developmental disability should have
a medical home as a child with special health care needs.
◦ This allows the primary care provider a program of chronic
condition management for regular health monitoring for
chronological age and developmental monitoring in order to
provide anticipatory guidance for developmental age.
◦ Specialized, condition-related office visits, written care plans,
explicit co-management with medical specialists, appropriate
patient education, and an effective system for monitoring and
tracking should be put in place

95. ◦ Both the primary care physician and the specialist can refer
the family to community-based support services, such as
respite care, parent-to-parent programs, and advocacy
organizations.
◦ Parent organizations such as Family Voices, and condition-specific
organizations, such as Autism Speaks and The Ark,
can provide further support, assistance, and information.
◦ Some children will qualify for additional benefits such as
Supplemental Security Income, public insurance, waiver
programs, and state programs for children with special health
care needs.

96. Resources
◦ Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics, 19th Edition.
◦ http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/devmile.htm
◦ http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/devdel.htm
◦ http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/default.aspx
◦ http://www.babycenter.com/0_warning-signs-of-a-physical-developmental-delay_6720.bc
◦ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2791071/
◦ Center of Disease Control’s checklist of developmental milestones.
◦ The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne; developmental delay: an information guide to parents.
◦ Developmental Delay – Causes and Investigation, Angharad V Walters
◦ http://learnpediatrics.com/body-systems/nervous-syste/basics-to-the-approach-of-developmental-
delay/
◦ http://www.medmerits.com/index.php/article/developmental_delay_in_children_evaluation_and_
management/P3

97. THANK YOU
The End