Global developmental delay

Global developmental delay is an umbrella term used when children are significantly delayed in their cognitive and physical development. It can be diagnosed when a child is delayed in one or more milestones, categorised into motor skills, speech, cognitive skills, and social and emotional development. There is usually a specific condition which causes this delay, such as Fragile X syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities. However, it is sometimes difficult to identify this underlying condition. Other terms associated with this condition are failure to thrive (which focuses on lack of weight gain and physical development), intellectual disability (which focuses on intellectual deficits and the changes they cause to development) and developmental disability (which can refer to both intellectual and physical disability altering development). Developmental delay can be caused by learning disabilities, in which case the delay can usually be overcome with time and support - such as with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, vision therapists, and speech and language therapists. Other causes which may cause a permanent delay in development include genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, Fragile X syndrome and GLUT1 Deficiency Syndrome; childhood infections such as meningitis or encephalitis, and metabolic disorders such as hypothyroidism. Metabolic disorders are more likely to cause delayed development in older children, as many congenital metabolic problems which are easily managed are screened for in the neonatal period. Child born prematurely (born before 37 weeks). The use of toxic substances in pregnancy, particularly alcohol, can lead to developmental delay if they affect the neurological development of the fetus, such as in fetal alcohol syndrome. Even though there are many known causes of delay, some children will never receive a diagnosis. Developmental monitoring is performed during wellness visits to check a child's development. Health authorities encourage parents to monitor their child's development, the CDC's program "Learn the Signs.