Signs of Developmental Delays in Toddlers

Some developmental delays in toddlers are caused by medical conditions like cerebral palsy, or chromosomal defects like Down Syndrome. In other cases, the cause is never found. Whatever the cause may be, there are some signs to be aware of when looking for delays.

  1. Speech and Communication

    • Speech delays include not responding to her name at one year, not having five words by eighteen months, not forming two-word sentences by her second birthday, and stuttering.

    Gross Motor

    • A toddler with a gross motor delay will have trouble with walking, running, kicking a ball, climbing on furniture, or attempting to stand on one foot.

    Fine Motor

    • Some warning sings of fine motor delay in a toddler include the inability to stack five blocks, not using a spoon to feed himself, and not picking up small objects using the pincher grasp (thumb and forefinger).

    Cognitive

    • A toddler with a cognitive delay will not participate in pretend play, sort objects by colors or shapes, or identify familiar people or objects in pictures.

    Social

    • A toddler with a social delay will not participate in parallel play, but will separate herself from her peers. She will not look for a reaction from others when she does something wrong and may be complacent and not express independence--toddlers are supposed have some degree of defiance in normal development.

    Self Help

    • Signs of a self help delay include using a bottle by his second birthday, not assisting in dressing himself, not washing his hands, and not recognizing fragile items and handling them with care.

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