Developmental delays can range from a slight delay that will resolve over time to the symptoms of an underlying condition that may require treatment and have permanent impacts on the child’s life. Ultimately, the outcome depends on the cause of the delay and what is done to treat it.
Although parents should not panic if their child is a little late to begin holding the head up, making babbling sounds, or rolling over, it is something that parents should notify the doctor about as soon as possible. Medical personnel can run some tests to determine whether the developmental delay is connected to a medical condition and if your child may be able to outgrow it.
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Spotting Developmental Delays
It is important for parents to pay attention to how a child is developing various physical, social, and emotional skills as he or she ages. Sometimes called developmental screening, this simply involves taking notes when your baby reaches a variety of milestones. Share these dates and accomplishments with your doctor can help them track your child’s progress and look for delays.
Common Social and Language Milestones
Some of the language and social developmental milestones you should pay attention to as the child ages in his or her first year of life include:
- Smiles and makes cooing sounds by two months
- Copies facial expressions and recognizes people by four months
- Enjoys playing and interacting with people and begins babbling regularly by six months
- Begins to use fingers to point at items and may begin using words by nine months
- Attempts to copy words that others say by 12 months
Common Physical Milestones
Some of the common developmental milestones on the physical side include:
- Begins to lift the head when laying on the stomach by two months
- Potentially starts rolling over from front to back by four months
- Can start to sit without assistance by six months
- Potentially able to stand when holding an object for support and crawls by nine months
- Can lift self to stand and may begin cruising by 12 months
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What to Do if You Notice Delays
If you notice some developmental delays, it is important not to panic. Some children simply reach developmental milestones more slowly than others, and there is no particular reason for it. Other babies may reach certain milestones faster than the average as well.
Although you should not panic if you notice delays, you should alert your doctor or nurse to what is happening as early as you can.
If you believe that your baby may have suffered some sort of birth injury during delivery, and you no longer trust that doctor, you can ask for a referral to a specialist to have the baby examined by someone who was not involved in the delivery.
Take Notes of What Is Happening
In addition to the notes you are taking about developmental milestones, you should also take notes about all conversations with the doctor regarding the baby. Sometimes, a doctor may not be concerned about what is happening, but you as the parent are with your baby every day, and you may be more able to notice an oddity occurring.
Should you choose to see a specialist in the future, having these notes on hand can be helpful. You also can refer to these notes as the baby ages, helping you clearly determine how your baby’s skills and milestones are progressing and what treatments, if any, the doctor has already attempted.
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We Are Ready to Stand Up for Your Family’s Rights
Some of the conditions that could cause developmental delays, such as cerebral palsy, may be the result of medical malpractice during prenatal care or delivery. If a doctor misdiagnoses or fails to diagnosis a condition related to your child’s developmental delays, causing the condition to worsen, this may also be medical malpractice.
The Birth Injury Lawyers Group helps families nationwide in medical malpractice lawsuits. If you believe that a doctor’s negligence caused your child’s delays or made them worse, our firm may be able to help you pursue compensation in settlement negotiations or on trial. Recoverable damages may include your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Call the Birth Injury Lawyers Group today at (800) 222-9529 for a free case review with a member of our team.
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