Delay in milestones is also commonly referred to as developmental delay. It is the process where a baby does not achieve certain growth milestones at the appropriate time. These milestones can range from physical, emotional, psychological to even thinking skills. It is important to note that babies develop at different speeds and stages. No two babies are completely similar, and hence should be closely monitored and encouraged before being diagnosed with delay in milestones.
Cate took us on her journey on how she identified a delayed milestone in her now 6 year old baby.
“Carlos could not talk for a while that I thought it was normal. But when he got to 2 years and could not interact with anyone also in baby language, I started getting worried. When he was almost three years old, I took him to a doctor and realized he had a case of apraxia. Now being African, I did not know what in the world this doctor was referring to. So in simple terms, he told me Carlos had a speech disorder. He suggested consistent speech therapy, and I would say we are making a lot of progress. I do love my boy.”
Major milestones that children go through include crawling, rolling, standing, walking, etc. Trained doctors can gauge the level of delay in milestones that a child has and how they can be corrected if possible. They do so by examining several features. Some of the factors that doctors consider are the childbirth process, any family illness history, any diseases that are pre-existing in a child, if the child has had any surgery, among others. From this, they can accurately tell what a child needs. Mothers can also identify delayed milestones when their babies are around other babies their age.
Physiotherapy is a means to help remedy delay in milestones for children. Physiotherapy creates room for independence and builds strength to enable children to achieve physical milestones. It is good to treat children early to avoid further complications.
