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Development Delay in Children: What It Is, Screening, Treatment

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Children with developmental delays don’t meet developmental milestones at the same pace as their peers. These delays can involve physical, cognitive, language or social development.

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What is developmental delay? Developmental delay is when a child is significantly behind in developing physical, emotional, social, communication and thinking skills than expected for their age. It can be caused by various factors, such as heredity, pregnancy complications, or premature birth, but sometimes the cause is unknown. Early intervention is key for a child to overcome this.

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Developmental delay occurs when a child's progression through predictable developmental phases slows, stops, or reverses. Learn about symptoms and treatment.

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WonderBaby.org - Helping Your Baby Reach Greater Wonders

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A developmental delay is when a child is late reaching their developmental milestones compared to their peers.

Delays are common and children generally catch up.

There is a wide range of 'normal' development.

Most causes of delays are unknown and research is ongoing, but there are some known risk factors.

Developmental delays are often temporary, but they can indicate a developmental disorder. Early identification and screening are important for future outcomes.

As a parent, seeing other children mastering milestones before yours can be tricky.

I remember being sent videos of my son's peers rolling and sitting before he had and feeling like we were behind.

I'd been told that children work to their own timeline. I knew it was normal for them to reach milestones at their own pace. That didn't stop me from worrying about his development!

'Developmental delay' sounded scary to me, but knowledge is power! I found it helpful to learn the types of developmental delay, signs to watch out for, and what I should do if I was worried.

What is a Developmental Delay?

A 'developmental delay' is when a child is significantly behind attaining milestones compared to their peers. The four major types of developmental delay are cognitive, motor, speech and language, and social and emotional.

Temporary delays are rarely a reason for concern, but ongoing delays or many missed milestones can be a warning of future challenges.

If your child is experiencing an ongoing delay, they're not alone. It's estimated that in the United States, 15% of children have a developmental delay.

They're different from developmental disabilities, which are usually lifelong. Children with delays often 'catch up' with their peers, but early support is crucial. For some children, delays will develop into a long-term disorder.

It's important to remember that children with delays and disabilities can learn, succeed, and lead positive lives.

What Causes Developmental Delays in Children?

The causes of developmental delays are often unknown and unclear. Research has identified some factors which may play a role, including:

Genetic disorders -such as fragile X syndrome or chromosomal abnormalities

Toxins - use ofdrugs, alcohol, certain medications, or smoking while pregnant

Maternal infections - including rubella, malaria, and toxoplasmosis

Birth complications - including premature birth and lack of oxygen during delivery

Newborn infections -such as meningitis

Maltreatment - including physical abuse

Malnutrition - including vitamin D deficiency

What Are the Categories of Developmental Delay?

Developmental delays generally fall into one of four major categories. These are: cognitive, motor, social and emotional, or speech and language delays.

If a child's delays affect multiple areas, they may have global developmental delay.

Cognitive Delays

Cognitive delay refers to a child's adaptive and intellectual functioning. It affects their thinking, understanding, and processing of information. ​​

Children with cognitive developmental delays may have difficulties with skills such as:

remembering a sequence

following instructions

solving a problem

Cognitive skills are often used at school, so your child's teacher may be the first to notice a delay in this area. Common cognitive disorders include dyslexia and dyscalculia.

Motor Delays

Motor skills allow us to move and control our bodies to perform tasks. Motor skill delays fall into two areas: gross motor and fine motor.

Gross motor skills involve the large muscles in our bodies. If your child has a gross motor delay, they may struggle to master physical milestones. These include rolling over, sitting, and walking.

Fine motor skills affect smaller muscle movements, most noticeably in the hands. Children with fine motor delays may struggle with skills like writing and drawing. In babies, you may notice difficulties with holding small objects.

Motor delays could indicate a disorder such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.

Social and Emotional Delays
Social emotional delays affect the way your child communicates and interacts with others.
You may notice your child has trouble with all or some of the following:

understanding social cues

conversations

changes to routine

expressing and managing their emotions

They may find overstimulating environments difficult to manage and react to situations in a different way than their peers.

Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often struggle with social and emotional skills. Autism spectrum disorder is the most common socioemotional disorder.

Speech and Language Delays
A speech and language delay affects the way your child speaks and understands language.
A child with delayed speech and language skills may struggle with:

expressive speech (using words and gestures to communicate)

receptive speech (understanding concepts and words)

both expressive and receptive speech

Oral motor problems are one known cause of speech delays. Hearing difficulties can also contribute, so it can be helpful to ask your child's doctor for a hearing test if you have concerns.

How Do I Know if My Child Has a Developmental Delay?

You know your child better than anyone, so it's unsurprising that parents are usually the first to notice a delay.

Children develop at their own pace, so a 'late' milestone is not always a cause for concern. If delays are ongoing or in more than one area, it's worth further investigation.

Most signs of developmental delay are observed before children reach 2 years old. Others may become apparent after your child begins school.

Below are some of the common signs which could indicate a delay.

Cognitive
Not showing interest in toys

Difficulty problem-solving. For example, in solving an age-appropriate puzzle

Difficulty remembering information

Motor skills
Unable to support own head at around 4 months old

Appears stiff, floppy, or has low muscle tone

Misses one or more key physical milestones. These include rolling over, sitting unaided, crawling, and walking

Social and emotional
Avoids eye contact

Reacts ‌differently to peers in interactions with others

Delayed emotional skills

Speech and language
Avoids using babbling or speech to communicate. It may be difficult to understand their speech compared to peers

Doesn't use gestures such as pointing at 12 months

Reduced vocabulary or difficulty understanding words or concepts

Your well-child care visits should support you in monitoring your child's progress. Your pediatrician can help you to decide if you need to seek a further developmental assessment.

You can also make use of CDC's Developmental Milestones website or app. These do not diagnose a developmental delay but help parents to gauge if they need to seek further developmental screening.
If you're at all concerned about your child's development, your child's pediatrician can offer guidance and support.
How to Handle a Child's Delayed Development

Most delays are temporary and resolve on their own. It's still important to follow their progress carefully as it can indicate a developmental disability or disorder.
Support for your child's development should take a holistic approach and may involve a range of professionals.
Research shows that early intervention is vital to supporting your child's future development. That can feel overwhelming and it can be confusing to know where to start! It's usually best to consult your primary care provider first to share your concerns.

Treatment may include modifications to their environment, professional support, or home activity suggestions.

Common specialist treatments include:

Play therapy

Attachment therapy

Speech therapy sessions

Physical therapy

Behavioral therapy

Occupational therapy

Educational intervention (for school-age children)

FAQs

Can children "grow out" of developmental delays?

Most developmental delays in children resolve themselves and are 'time-limited'. Early intervention is still crucial, as a delay can be a marker for a developmental disorder.

Developmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder or cerebral palsy, are different. Disorders might change as your child gets older but usually are lifelong conditions. People with developmental disabilities are still able to thrive and lead fulfilling lives.

How do developmental delays work for children born preterm?

Children born prematurely do have an increased chance of developmental delay.

It's normal for premature babies to take a little longer than their peers to reach milestones. They may develop these according to their "corrected" or "adjusted" age. Your child's pediatrician can advise you further about your child's development if you have any concerns.

How can I track the development of my child with a disability?
Development Journals produced by the UK government can help families to track progress in early childhood.
There are five journals available:

For tailored support, speak to your child's doctor or school about your child's development.
Treatment options will be individual to your child and should be planned in discussion with your primary care provider.
What is the best treatment for a child with a developmental delay?

Certain specialists will be better suited to treat certain delays. For example, physical therapy can be effective for delays in gross motor skills. Speech pathologists are effective at treating speech and language delays.

Children with a global developmental delay may require a whole team approach. This may include multiple specialists supporting them in different areas.
The information WonderBaby provides is not intended to be, and does not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. Always consult with a qualified medical professional about your specific circumstances.

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The Four Major Types of Developmental Delays Explained | WonderBaby.org

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A developmental delay is when a child is late reaching their developmental milestones compared to their peers. Delays are common and children generally catch up. There is a wide range of 'normal' development. Most causes of delays are unknown and research is ongoing, but there are some known risk factors.

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Parent Resource

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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What is Early Intervention?
Early intervention:

Is the term used to describe services and support that help babies and toddlers (from birth to 3 years of age in most states/territories) with developmental delays or disabilities and their families.

May include speech therapy, physical therapy, and other types of services based on the needs of the child and family.

Can have a significant impact on a child's ability to learn new skills and increase their success in school and life.

Programs are available in every state and territory. These services are provided for free or at a reduced cost for any child who meets the state's criteria for developmental delay.

Why Early Intervention is Important
Earlier is better!
Intervention is likely to be more effective when it is provided earlier in life rather than later. ¹

"If it's autism, waiting for a child to 'catch up on his own' just won't work. Acting early can help a child communicate, play, and learn from the world now and for the future. It can also prevent frustration-so common in children with communication difficulties-from turning into more difficult behaviors." Pennsylvania clinical psychologist

The connections in a baby's brain are most adaptable in the first three years of life. These connections, also called neural circuits, are the foundation for learning, behavior, and health. Over time, these connections become harder to change. ¹

"The earlier developmental delays are detected and intervention begins, the greater the chance a young child has of achieving his or her best potential." Georgia pediatrician
Intervention works!
Early intervention services can change a child's developmental path and improve outcomes for children, families, and communities. ¹

"Acting early gives your child a chance to receive the appropriate therapy, giving him or her the best chance for a good outcome in the future. I believe that early intervention is the reason my high-functioning son is now able to blend in with his peers and attend kindergarten in a regular classroom with no supports." Kansas mom
Help your child, help your family!
Families benefit from early intervention by being able to better meet their children's needs from an early age and throughout their lives. ¹

"Action replaced fear and empowered me with the knowledge to help my son. He has overcome most of his symptoms and is headed to college next year." Florida mom
To find your state or territory's early intervention contact information, go to cdc.gov/FindEI
For more information, including what to say when you contact early intervention and how to get support for your family, visit the cdc.gov/Concerned.

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Why Act Early if You're Concerned about Development?

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Early intervention: Is the term used to describe services and support that help babies and toddlers (from birth to 3 years of age in most states/territories) with developmental delays or disabilities and their families. May include speech therapy, physical therapy, and other types of services based on the needs of the child and family.

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Reviewed by Psychology Today Staff

For more, see Autism.

The severity of autism symptoms varies widely, but a child with impaired social and communication skills, such as highly delayed speech, restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, avoidance of eye contact, and difficulty forming emotional bonds, should be evaluated by a clinician. Children with autism may also be highly sensitive to certain sounds, textures, tastes, or smells, and may display deficits in motor coordination. Many children with autism also show a strong early preference for unvarying routines of everyday life.
For more, see Autism Symptoms and Diagnosis.

Early intervention for autism can be intensive and time-consuming but there is evidence that it can be highly beneficial for young children struggling to develop social, communication, and learning skills and navigate daily life, and that the best outcomes occur when therapies begin by around age three. Early treatment also benefits parents, provide them with support, alleviating their stress, and strengthening their relationship with their child. One widely-prescribed therapy is applied behavior analysis (ABA), which focuses on the components of a behavior-the trigger, the action, and the consequence-and rewarding and reinforcing the desired behavior at each step. Whatever approach is adopted for a child, parents are typically asked to be highly involved and to consistently practice routines at home. In some cases, doctors may suggest antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants, but the decision to medicate a child should always be carefully considered, especially the potential side effects.
For more, see How Is Autism Treated?

For more, see ADHD.

Children with ADHD often face academic challenges, but it is not generally seen as a learning disability as dyslexia or dysgraphia are. But between a third and half of children with ADHD also have a learning disability; parents, teachers, and clinicians should be aware of this risk and evaluate a child's school performance carefully.
For more, see ADHD and Related Conditions and ADHD at School.

Like all children, those with ADHD need a parent's love and understanding; they may have particular need for structure and consistency at home. The symptoms of ADHD often lead to academic struggles and a lack of self-confidence; a parent's support can help a child maintain their self-esteem and discover their strengths.
For more, see Parenting a Child with ADHD.

In the case of intellectual development disorders, delayed development may become apparent at a very early age, although mild intellectual disability may not be recognizable until early school age.

When these symptoms appear, a parent should seek a professional assessment of a child's development:

Failure to meet intellectual developmental markers.

Difficulties learning academic skills.

Lack of curiosity.

Immaturity in social interactions compared with peers.

Difficulty regulating emotions and behavior.

Support needed in daily living tasks compared with peers.

Limited spoken language.

Other behavioral traits often associated with intellectual disability, although not necessarily part of a diagnosis, include aggression, dependency, impulsivity, gullibility, passivity, self-injury, stubbornness, low self-esteem, and low frustration tolerance.

The causes of intellectual disability can range widely; in many specific cases, they are likely to be unknown. Generally, the causes include prenatal and postnatal trauma, including oxygen deprivation before, during or after birth; infection; brain malformations; chromosomal abnormalities; genetic abnormalities; seizure disorders; malnutrition; environmental toxins; and severe, chronic social deprivation.

There is no cure for intellectual disability, but the right services, and parental and social support, can significantly boost a child's quality of life. Early assessment by a specialist of which typical developmental milestones have been missed is an important early step as it can lead to the right diagnosis and the start of therapeutic treatment and special education and training that can help a child reach their fullest potential and participate as fully as possible in family and community life.

Parents are often able to recognize delays in achieving motor milestones like sitting, crawling, or walking; consistent clumsiness (frequently dropping and bumping into objects); difficulty catching a ball, writing, using scissors, or riding a bike; or an unsteady walk. When these struggles interfere with routine daily living, parents should bring a child to a specialist for an evaluation so that therapies can begin as soon as possible. Children may also be tested to rule out the possibility of another medical condition or learning disorder. Since the normal pace of motor-skill acquisition can vary widely in children, developmental coordination disorder is not typically diagnosed before age five.

Children can benefit greatly when intervention efforts begin early. Physical therapy often helps, but so do practical strategies such as encouraging children who have trouble writing to use a laptop to take notes in class. Perceptual motor training, which combines physical movement with tasks that require thinking, is a widely-adopted treatment for developmental coordination disorder. While many children see eventual improvement in symptoms, more than half children continue to struggle with coordinated movement through adolescence, with varying levels of severity. The condition does not typically worsen over time, but it can continue into adulthood.

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Developmental delays can affect a child's physical, cognitive, communication, social, emotional, or behavioral skills. Often, delays affect more than one area of development. When a child has delays in many or all of these areas, it is known as global developmental delay.

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Suggestions for parents

1) Early intervention is KEY! Talk to your pediatrician if you have any concerns.

2)Play with your child.

3) Read to your child every day.

4) Know what milestones are appropriate for your child's age.

5) Limit screen time

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Click here for more parenting tips!

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Learn more about child development, positive parenting, safety, and health for each life stage.

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Use this app to know if your child is on track developmentally!

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Download CDC's free Milestone Tracker app to complete a milestone checklist for your child. Available for iOS and Android in English and Spanish.

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Parents and primary caregivers are in the best position to notice problems with their child's development that may require action. Some differences between children are normal, others are signs of developmental delays or disabilities. When comparing your child to others, you may see differences in any of the following areas:

Using large muscle groups, e.g., to roll over, sit up, stand, walk, run, etc.

Using hands to, e.g., eat, draw shapes, get dressed, play, or write.

Speaking, using gestures, and understanding what others say.

Thinking skills, e.g., learning, understanding, problem-solving, and remembering.

Relating to family, friends, and teachers. Cooperating and responding to others' feelings.

What You Can Do First steps:

If you are worried about your child, tell someone who can help you find answers. Don't accept others dismissing your concerns. You know your child best and are his or her best advocate.

If you notice your child not being able to do something he or she could do in the past, see a doctor as soon as possible. Ask for a "developmental screening."

At your child's screening, don't be afraid to ask questions. If you don't understand the words being used, ask, "what does that mean?"

Next steps:

If your child is diagnosed with a developmental delay or disability, remember you are not alone. Seek out other families of children with special needs. Find or start a support group.

Learn as much as you can about your child's special needs and options for treatment. Begin treatment early to give your child the chance to make the best possible progress.

Ask your doctor for referrals to professional agencies that can help you and your child. Some services for your child will also benefit your whole family.

Ongoing Strategies:

Take a break when you need it. Give yourself time to connect with supportive family members and friends. You will be a better champion for your child when you take the time to care for yourself.

Don't let your child's challenges become the sole focus. Watching your child grow and develop as part of your family is one of the great pleasures of being a parent.

Remember: You are your child's best advocate. Trust your feelings, be confident, and take action!

(Adapted from: https://www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/parenting_dev_ts.pdf)

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Parenting Your Child with Developmental Delays and Disabilities - Exchange Family Center

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Children develop at different rates, but there are certain skills that children are expected to develop by particular ages. When children do not reach these milestones within the expected timeframe, parents and caregivers may become concerned.

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This site can point in the right direction, to get extra help!

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Current as of August 2021
See fact sheets on other disabilities
If you're reading this, perhaps you're concerned about your child's development. We're glad you're here, because there are many immediate things you can do to help your son or daughter. First, know that there's help available to find out just what the difficulties are, if any, and a ddress those difficulties.

The good news is that this help is usually free, and it's available in every state. Keep reading if you'd like to know more.

Think of all the skills that children have to learn when they come into the world: smiling, turning over, responding to people, communicating, eating solid food, crawling, standing, and on and on. We expect these skills to emerge naturally over time and know more or less when they should. At 3 months, Susana will probably be doing this, at 4 months, she'll be doing that. By a year, well, she'll be tottering around, getting into everything.

The time-table for skills to emerge is commonly called the developmental milestones. What's considered normal development is described rather broadly. That's because we know that children don't learn skills at the same pace. Two different children born on the same day may learn the same skill months apart, and both can be considered "on schedule." It's when skills emerge as expected, more or less on that broad schedule, that parents and caregivers may become concerned.

What to do? First, you may want to talk with your pediatrician about your child's development.

Talking to Your Pediatrician

Don't be surprised if the pediatrician tells you not to worry, to be patient, to give your child more time to develop. Often, that's what parents hear, especially in the early stages of investigating their child's seeming delays. And it's often true. Children develop at different rates; the pediatrician is well aware that many children show sudden bursts in development rather than slow, steady growth.

On the other hand, your pediatrician may recommend that a developmental screening be conducted. Its purpose is to see if, yes, your child is experiencing a developmental delay. The screening is a quick, general measure of your child's skills and development. It's not detailed enough to make a diagnosis, but its results show whether or not a child should be referred for a more in-depth developmental evaluation.

Developmental Evaluation

The developmental evaluation should be conducted by a highly trained professional who can use the results to create a profile of your child's strengths and weaknesses. The evaluation needs to look at five developmental areas. Those areas are:

Physical development (fine motor skills, gross motor skills)

Cognitive development (intellectual abilities)

Communication development (speech and language)

Social or emotional development (social skills, emotional control)

Adaptive development (self-care skills)

The results of the developmental evaluation will be used to decide if your child needs early intervention services and/or a treatment plan. Early intervention services are tailored to meet a child's individual needs and, as such, are a very important resource to children experiencing developmental delays. Early intervention services can include:

Assistive technology (devices a child might need)

Audiology or hearing services

Speech and language services

Counseling and training for a family

Medical services

Nursing services

Nutrition services

Occupational therapy

Physical therapy

Psychological services

Things to Know

States have an affirmative obligation to help children who are experiencing a developmental delay in one or more areas. Through the Child Find system that states operate, developmental screenings and developmental evaluations are typically provided free of charge to families.

If you're concerned about your child's development, talk to your child's pediatrician, who can refer you to the Child Find system in your area. If your child does have a developmental delay or is found to have another disability, then he or she may be eligible for services to address areas of individual need. Depending on the age of your child, those services typically are:

Early intervention services are meant for children under the age of 3. They are provided to eligible families either free of charge or on a sliding payment scale that's determined by the family's income. Find out about early intervention services in your area by talking to your child's pediatrician, calling a local hospital, or finding your state's contact for early intervention at the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center.

Special education services are meant for children over the age of 3. Services are provided to eligible children free of charge through the public school system. If your child has passed his or her third birthday and you're concerned about a developmental delay or disability, call your local school (even if your child isn't enrolled there) and ask how and where to have your child evaluated under IDEA, our nation's special education law.

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Get to Know Your Parent Center!

You'll also want to get in touch with the Parent Center that serves your state or a given region within the state. Every state has at least one such center. Parent Centers specialize in connecting parents and others with local resources and providing them with information and training on disability topics, such as what rights you and your child have under federal and state law, how to work with service providers and schools to support your child's development and learning, the network of knowledge associated with your child's disability, and much, much more.

To find your Parent Center: Visit our Find Your Parent Center page.

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IDEA's Definition of Developmental Delay

IDEA is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Through IDEA, early intervention services and special education services are made available to our nation's children. Not surprisingly, IDEA includes a definition of developmental delay, which may be useful to know. Here it is:

Child with a disability for children aged three through nine (or any subset of that age range, including ages three through five), may...include a child-

(1) Who is experiencing developmental delays as defined by the State and as measured by appropriate diagnostic instruments and procedures in one or more of the following areas: Physical development, cognitive development, communication development, social or emotional development, or adaptive development; and

(2) Who, by reason thereof, needs special education and related services. [34 CFR §300.8(b)]

It's a good idea to find out if your state has added details to this definition of developmental delay. States are allowed to do so, if they choose. They also decide on the age range of children with whom the term may be used (3-5, 3-9, or any subset between 3-9). Your local school or early intervention program should be able to tell you the definition of developmental delay that's used in your area. It may be helpful to know that, under IDEA:

Your state may not require that your local school district also adopt and use the term developmental delay in working with children.

If your local school district decides to use the term, it must use the same definition and age range as the state does.

Your local school district may not use the term at all if your state has chosen not to use the term.

Resources for You

It's very helpful to read more about developmental delay. This has been just a brief overview, with pointers to the loads of additional info and support listed below.

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Current as of August 2021 See fact sheets on other disabilities If you're reading this, perhaps you're concerned about your child's development. We're glad you're here, because there are many immediate things you can do to help your son or daughter.

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Here you can connect with other parents with similar disabilities.

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Support for Parents of Children with Disabilities

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At Parent to Parent USA, when someone asks what we do, we say we empower and support parents, nationwide.

Why? Because we understand being a parent of a child with special needs can be a challenge - we've been there!

The journey is filled with hills and valleys and sometimes feels a little overwhelming. So, we're driven to ensure no parent feels alone. Ever.

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Home - Support for Parents of Children with Disabilities

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Parent to Parent USA provides emotional & informational support for families of children who have special needs.

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Here you can get local help with Early Intervention@

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Early Steps is Florida's early intervention system that offers services to eligible infants and toddlers, age birth to 36 months, who have or are at-risk for developmental disabilities or delays. Early intervention supports families and caregivers to increase their child's participation in daily activities and routines that are important to the family.

Positive early learning experiences are crucial for later success in school, the workplace, and the community. Research shows that children's earliest experiences play a critical role in brain development.

15 Local Early Steps (LES) throughout the state receive referrals from various primary referral sources. Infants and toddlers are assessed in the following developmental domains to determine eligibility: physical, cognitive, communication, social-emotional and adaptive.

Each child receives an Individualized Family Support Plan (IFSP) that meets his or her unique needs. Families also receive support to develop the skills and confidence needed in helping their child learn and develop.

Services will support children in their communities where they live, learn and play.

There is no income requirement to qualify for the program and although families may choose to allow access to insurance or Medicaid benefits, families are not charged for services.
For more information visit our website. To make a referral to Early Steps, contact the Local Early Steps program serving your area or call (800) 218-0001.
State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP)

Early Intervention programs nationally are required to develop a State Systemic Improvement Plan (SSIP). The purpose of the Florida Early Steps SSIP plan is to implement effective, sustainable policies and practices at the state and local levels to positively impact social-emotional development for infants and toddlers with disabilities ages 0 to 36 months.
SSIP Fact Sheet SSIP Fact Sheet (Spanish Translation)
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Early Steps, within Children's Medical Services, serves families with infants and toddlers, birth to 36 months of age, who have developmental delays or an established condition likely to result in a developmental delay. Each child receives an Individualized Family Support Plan (IFSP) that meets his or her needs.

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The program helps provide local families with in-home and in-clinic services.

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About Us

We are the only non-profit ABA program in the Panhandle to provide in-home and in-clinic services. ECAP serves children diagnosed with (or presenting symptoms of) developmental delays or disabilities, including: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Intellectual Disability.

ECAP is a non-profit (501(c) 3) early intervention and community outreach program. Our program has an approved practicum placement for graduate students enrolled in the Florida State University Master's Program in Applied Behavior Analysis.

ABA and Autism

More than 40 years of research support the use of ABA to teach children with developmental disabilities. Additionally, it is now widely acknowledged that ABA is the treatment of choice for children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

We recognize that each child is unique and that different techniques work for different children. We pride ourselves in developing individualized, research-based programs for each client.

Autism spectrum disorders are characterized by:

Symptoms vary individually per child

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Teaching strategies for student who are developmentally delayed.

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When teaching students with disabilities, it is important to realize their educational goals are about more than academics. Although those things are important, students with developmental delays may show signs of inattentiveness, aggression and an inability to socialize with others. Because of their special needs, some specific instructional strategies must be utilized to effectively reach all the students in your classroom.

Seating Arrangements

Children with developmental disorders can have a variety of issues that can effect learning for themselves and those around them. Keep in mind that a student that displays behaviors that are distracting would work better at an individual desk. If there is not a way to seat the students in the classroom in his own space, pairing him with a capable buddy that can assist with keeping the student on track without it being detrimental to his own education would be beneficial. Also, minimizing distractions and the possibility for over stimulation will assist the student with focusing. For example, do not seat the student next to a window facing the playground.

Routines

Students with developmental disabilities struggle with becoming more independent. One way to encourage that behavior is to be consistent with classroom routines. By doing the same thing each day the student knows what to expect and can begin following the same actions without additional guidance. For example, if the requirement each day is to come into the classroom, hang up her jacket, empty her back pack and put her lunch away, she will likely begin doing that independently due to the predictability and consistency.

Predictability

Routines and procedures that provide predictability are important to a student with developmental delays. Predictable procedures will not only help teach skills and promote independence, but also decrease unwanted behaviors caused by not understanding expectations. One way to do this is by providing a schedule of activities that can be understood by the student. This will vary depending on the age and cognitive level of the student. For example, one student might be successful using a daily planner with a schedule written in while another might only be able to understand an object or photo representing the activity.

Another tool to assist with predictability is a visual timer. This lets the student know when an activity will be over and they can move on to the next task. This ability to know when something must be finished can increase attentiveness. Also, by understanding that the current task will be over within a definitive amount of time, unwanted behaviors used by the student to avoid the activity may be avoided.

Things to Remember

When developing your own strategies for your classroom, it is necessary to remember the importance of promoting appropriate social interaction. Do not single out the student by doing things that will make them more of an outsider in the classroom. Using age appropriate materials is one way to avoid that. Use activities that are similar to same aged peers will provide an opportunity for interaction. These steps will allow the student to feel comfortable interacting with others and encourage peers to interact with him. Doing this will make the educational process more enjoyable and beneficial to the student.

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Teaching Strategies for Students With Developmental Delays: Tips for Teachers

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There are many types of students within a classroom and teachers may find themselves teaching a student with a developmental delay in their mainstream classroom. Learn some effective instructional strategies to encourage a student with a developmental delay to interact with others socially, and to reach their goals academically.

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Teaching tips!

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Classroom Ideas for Teaching Children with Developmental Disabilities

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Teaching children with developmental disabilities can be an extremely rewarding and captivating experience. Finding a variety of ways to teach these differently-abled kids is vital to creating that rewarding classroom environment. While a classroom of neurotypical kids may be able to learn in roughly the same ways, children with developmental disabilities may benefit from including multiple methods of learning, some of which can work as types of therapy (i.e.

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Recourses and activities for developmentally delayed students.

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It is important to implement strategies that address the needs of the individual. We recommend that you apply these strategies across home, school, and community contexts.
Go to the Site Map for a full list of resources and activities!

Adaptive Behavior (everyday skills for functioning)

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picture exchange communication system cards

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Do2Learn: Educational Resources for Special Needs

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It is important to implement strategies that address the needs of the individual. We recommend that you apply these strategies across home, school, and community contexts. Go to the Site Map for a full list of resources and activities! Adaptive Behavior (everyday skills for functioning)

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Evidence-based strategies for teachers and much more!

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Educator Strategies for Developmental delay | AllPlay Learn

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Learn about developmental delay in early childhood, understand common strengths and use evidence-based strategies to support young children with developmental delay, consider the Early Years Learning and Development Outcomes, and view relevant resources that can help to create an inclusive environme…