Child development and diagnoses

Observing and monitoring child development is an important tool to ensure that children meet their ‘developmental milestones’ which is the general age at which certain skills are expected to be mastered.

Child development covers the full scope of skills that a child masters over their life span including development in:

Cognition – the ability to learn and problem solve
Social interaction and emotional regulation – interacting with others and mastering self-control
Speech and Language – understanding and using language, reading and communicating
Physical skills – fine motor (finger) skills and gross motor (whole body) skills
Sensory awareness – the registration of sensory information for use

By monitoring a child’s developmental progress at particular ages, it allows a ‘check in’ to ensure that the child is roughly ‘on track’ for their age. This ‘check’ is usually carried out through child/parent services and Paediatricians as infants and toddlers, and later through preschool and school term skills assessments. The earliest possible detection (and early intervention treatment if appropriate) of developmental challenges can be helpful in minimising the impact these developmental hiccups can have on a child’s skill development and subsequently their confidence, or serve as an indicator of a possible future diagnosis. However, it is important to be aware that while child development has a predictable sequence, all children are unique in their developmental journeys and the times frames that they meet the many developmental milestones.

What to do if you have concerns around your Child’s Development:

When concerns in Child Development arise, specific assessment(s) by the best fit professional (which may include a GP or Paediatrician, Occupational Therapist, Speech Therapist, Educational Psychologist and/or Physiotherapist) can provide clarity about the developmental issues and extent of concern as well as helping to formulate a plan to overcome the challenge(s). As the process of child development involves multiple skills developing simultaneously, there may be benefits in consulting multiple professionals.

How RISE can help:

Overcoming the developmental challenges is crucial to maximising the ease and speed of development, minimising the gap that might occur between a child’s ability and those of their same aged peers as well as maintaining the confidence of the child and avoiding frustration for the child and their care givers. Child development can be actively enhanced through targeted therapeutic intervention recommended by our Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists.