9 Ways to Help Children with Developmental Delays

Does your child show signs of developmental delay? If so, you can try strategies at home and seek outside help, including early intervention services. Here are some tips you can try:

1. Stay informed about symptoms, research early

The more you know about the skills expected at certain ages, the better you will be able to spot any developmental delays. Talk to your doctor immediately if you have concerns about your child's development.

2. Take notes

Take notes on the skills you see or do not see in your child. Include dates; your notes are extremely helpful when speaking with doctors and early intervention specialists.

3. Consider the causes

For example, premature babies are often slower to meet developmental milestones. For the first year, consider gestational age, not just chronological age. If your child was born ten weeks early, expect them to crawl 10 weeks later than other children.

4. Visit the pediatrician

Your child’s doctor can rule out other issues such as hearing or vision impairment, which can interfere with development. The pediatrician can also help explain skills appropriate for your child's age, refer your child to the local early intervention agency if necessary, and arrange other screenings.

5. Look for early intervention services

Learn about early intervention services and find out who provides free developmental screenings. An early intervention agency may recommend an in-depth evaluation of your child’s physical, social, language, adaptive, and thinking skills.

6. Connect with parents online

You can exchange tips and experiences with parents through social networks; there are many regular meetings held by parents.

7. Start communicating

Stay in regular contact with your child's teacher to share information about concerns. Also discuss classroom strategies. The teacher may try informal accommodations to help build your child's skills.

8. Consider the Individualized Education Plan

Continuously follow your child's Individualized Education Plan to identify strengths and weaknesses and your child's progress, and discuss it with the teacher.

9. Track your child's progress

With school support in place, you can take notes on your child's progress. You can talk to your child's teacher about how they are progressing and learn how schools monitor student progress.

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Originally published in Arabic. This English version was produced with AI-assisted translation; the Arabic original remains the reference.