Milestone Delay in Children
Delayed milestones is the term given to a kid if s/he fails to achieve a particular activity that is considered ‘normal’ for his/her age. For example, a child should be able to sit at the age of 6 months, if a child fails to do so even at the age of 9 months or so, s/he can be diagnosed as a delayed milestone child. The reason behind delayed milestones can be many and in most cases the child becomes completely normal. In some cases where the underlying disorder is the cause, the delayed milestones treatment needs various supportive therapies as well. To get your child’s milestones accessed, book an appointment with the best Child specialist in Noida, Dr Nalin Agarwal, call us at 8588880662
Hospitalization Required – Not in most cases
Same Day Appointment Available – Yes
Emergency Treatment – Available
About Dr Nalin Agarwal - Best Pediatrician in Noida
Treating infants, children, and adolescents takes a lot of patience, skill, and experience on a doctor’s part. Dr. Nalin Agarwal’s 30 years of experience in the field of pediatrics has made him a natural with children and adolescents alike. After graduating from the prestigious King George Medical College, Lucknow, Dr. Nalin worked at Holy Family hospital and St. Stephen’s hospital in Delhi. The exposure of such hospitals has given him great experience in the field of neonatology and pediatrics, which has helped him become the best child specialist in Noida, India today.
Apart from immunizations/vaccines and medications, Dr. Nalin believes in boosting the overall health of his patients with the right lifestyle and nutrition guidelines. He believes in training the new parents about the challenges of parenthood beforehand to help them make wise choices in the future for their child’s health and wellness. His hands-on training for new parents about feeding, burping, and weaning neonates is just a part of that commitment.
Dr. Nalin specializes in nutritional disorders, respiratory diseases, and febrile illnesses in children and adolescents. He normally deals with patients below 18 years, right from a new-born to an adolescent. With the best-trained staff at Aayushman Medicare Clinic and excellent diagnostic services, Dr. Nalin is running a full-fledged pediatric clinic in Noida for his patients.
Reason of Delayed Milestone in Children
- Heredity
If the milestone delay has been running in the family then it can be the reason for the same. It is not pathological and can normalise with time.
- Pregnancy issues
Problems in pregnancy either due to chromosomal abnormalities (down syndrome), substance abuse or any other complication can lead to delayed milestones in the baby.
- Premature Birth
The premature babies don’t have the same strength in their limbs as compared to the full term birth babies. This can lead to delayed milestones which can become completely normal with some supportive measures and time.
- Cerebral Palsy
A non-progressive neurological disorder that can make the limbs of the child either too stiff or too soft, depending on the type of it. The pathological reflexes are present. Either the normal reflexes not present at all or they persist when they should disappear. The motor and sensory functions are delayed in this disorder.
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
The autistic child fails to respond to the name calling, resists the touch and wants to remain aloof. The child has coordination problems and inability to make direct eye contact.
- Failure to Thrive
Failure to thrive means that the infant is unable to gain weight and height as per his/her age. It can happen due to underlying diseases or malnutrition. This can also lead to delayed milestones which can be corrected by treating the underlying cause. Read more about failure to thrive here.
Normal Milestones in Children As per the Age
- At 3 months age
- Can hold head
- Smile
- Response to gestures
- Reaching for toys
- At 6 months
- Can sit with support
- Roll from stomach to back and vice versa
- Laughs
- At 9 Months
- Can sit without support
- Crawls
- Babbles unclear words ranging from ‘ da-da’ to ‘mumma-papa’ etc
- At one year
- Can stand, speak one to two clear words such as ‘Happy B’day’
- Can take a few steps with or without support
- At Two years
- Walks well
- Run or jump
- Can speak around 10 to 20 words
- Can follow some instructions
- Can point towards different body parts
- At Three Years
- Climbs
- Speaks in sentences
- Can recognize blocks shapes and different colors
- At Five Years
- Becomes Social
- Can Talk to people
- Can draw simple shapes
- Can ride a tricycle
- Can tell names and address
- Counts up to 10 or more
Symptoms other than Delayed Milestones to look out for
- Loose or stiff limbs
- Tremors and involuntary movements
- Inability to sit and stand even after 9 months and 1 year of age respectively
- Speech Delay
You can book an appointment with Dr. Nalin Agarwal for any kind of development delay consultation or any issues related to your kid. To Book an Appointment, Call us at +91- 8588880662
Question 1. Is there always a disease behind the developmental delay?
Answer. No, many children are perfectly normal and just face the delay in achieving milestones. They are perfectly normal after that.
Question 2. If my baby is experiencing delays in milestones, what should I do?
Answer. When in doubt, always consult a specialist. Delayed milestones if not accompanied by any other abnormality, don’t need any treatment but to wait. However if it has other symptoms or the child has crossed the upper limit of delay as well, then supportive measures are required.
Question 3. My baby is developing okay but he doesn’t respond to voices properly. What can be the reason?
Answer. Ear infections are the most common reasons in most cases. An examination is required to diagnose and treat it. You can book an appointment here.
Question 4. Can high fever, meningitis etc can create a developmental delay?
Answer. Yes, these can delay child’s milestones considerably.
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