DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

By

Sharmeen shakoor

Physical therapist

Dar-ul-Sukun

DEVELOPMENT

• The term 'child development' is used to describe the skill

and capacity of function acquired by children between

birth and about 5 years of age

• It is a qualitative change in the child’s functioning.

• It can be measured through observation.

DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES

Developmental milestones are the points in time when a

child learns to accomplish a specific task.

Although children grow and develop at their own pace,

these milestones are established to mark the average age

moments most children learn the specific task

WHY IS IT NECESSARY

First sign of cerebral palsy

Signs may be noticed by individuals most likely to be

aware of the child’s developmental status – parents,

health care practitioners, or education providers.

EVERY DELAYED CHILD IS CP ?

Certain milestones are reached at predictable times.

Reaching these milestones later than expected does not

necessarily indicate cause for concern; many infants

develop at their own pace. However, delay does suggest

the possibility of a problem, especially when combined

with other risk factors and anatomic or radiological signs

AGE LIMIT ..

Limit ages are the age by which they should have been

achieved. Limit ages are usually 2 standard deviations

from the mean. They are more useful as a guide to

whether a child's development is normal than the median

ages

THE FOUR DOMAINS OF DEVELOPMENT

These are:

gross motor

vision and fine motor

hearing, speech and language

social, emotional and behavioral.

GROSS MOTOR FUNCTION

As a child develops, signs of impaired or delayed gross motor function may be noticeable. The ability to make large, coordinating movements using multiple limbs and muscle groups is considered gross motor function.

Impaired gross motor functions – limited capability of accomplishing common physical skills such as walking, running, jumping, and maintaining balance.

Delayed gross motor functions – physical skills developed later than expected; often used in conjunction with developmental milestones for predictable stages of development.

Significant milestones of gross motor function include:

Rolling

Sitting up

Crawling

Standing

Walking

Balancing

Fine Motor Function

Executing precise movements defines the category of fine motor function. Fine motor control encompasses many activities that are learned, and involve a combination of both mental (planning and reasoning) and physical (coordination and sensation) skills to master. vision and fine motor development: more evident acquisition of skills from 1 year onwards

Examples:

Grasping small objects

Holding objects between thumb and forefinger

Setting objects down gently

Using crayons

Turning pages in a book

Hearing, speech and language:

a big expansion of skills from 18 months

Social, emotional and behavioral development:

expansion in skills is most obvious from 2.5

years.

Social:

The newborn infant expresses his emotion just

through cry for hunger, pain or discomfort

sensation.

THE MILESTONES

DEVELOPMENT DELAYS

Developmental problems are referred to under the umbrella term “developmental delays,” which describe any ongoing delay in a child’s meeting age-specific developmental milestones (as opposed to physical growth).

Development problems fall into several categories affecting ongoing functional developmental milestones. These milestone categories include language skills, cognitive development (thinking and learning), social and emotional development, and gross motor and fine motor skills.

Most developmental problems cross over, combining several types of developmental milestones or problems within one disorder.

CAUSES OF DEVELOPMENT DELAY

Causes of developmental delay are widespread, but

include inherited disorders, mental retardation,

neurological damage, autistic disorders, degenerative

diseases, social or environmental deprivations, deafness,

and many more causes.

Infants with unrecognized (treatable) medical

conditions, such as congenital hypothyroidism, can have

symptoms of developmental delay. Some developmental

problems can be corrected or improved by addressing

causes such as poor vision, deafness, and environmental

factors.

TREATMENT WILL BE DISCUSSED WITH

REFLEXES