Guidelines for child development are just that: guidelines, not rules. But while development varies from child to child, and happens on a continuum, children who do not meet certain guidelines may be exhibiting signs of developmental delays. Some delays may be a sign of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), so knowing what the warning signs are can help parents to secure early screening, diagnosis, and treatment if warranted.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are warning signs or “red flags” that may signal a developmental delay for children aged 12 to 18 months.
If, at age 1 year, a child is not crawling, or dragging one side of his body while crawling, doesn’t use single words like “dada” or “mama,” and fails to point at objects or pictures, he or she may have a developmental delay. By age 1, babies should be able to stand when supported if not on their own, and use gestures like waving or shaking one’s head. At this age, babies should search for objects hidden while they watch. Babies and children at any age who display a dramatic loss of skills once mastered may have a developmental delay or disorder.
By 18 months, toddlers should be able to walk; being unable to is a warning sign of a delay. If, after several months of walking, a toddler does not have a heel-toe pattern or walks only on his or her toes, a delay may be present.
Toddlers should use about 15 words by age 2, so if a child at 18 months is not using any words, a delay may be present. If, by age 15 months, a child doesn’t seem to know the function of everyday objects like hairbrushes or silverware, then he or she may have a delay. Children 12 to 18 months should begin to imitate actions or words and be able to do so by age 2. Again, any loss of skills once mastered at this or any stage may be the sign of a delay.
It is important for parents to bear in mind that there are no bright lines for child development; children do not suddenly acquire skills, although it may seem that they have “explosions” of gross motor and language development. Children may seem to focus on development of one area for a while, and then focus on another. Some variations in development, then, are normal. Since behaviors that are measured in developmental assessments necessarily build upon each other, there is leeway in what is considered normal development.
Equally important is the fact that a dramatic loss of skills, such as no longer being able to use words once used, or to perform physical tasks like walking or climbing, can be indicative of a developmental delay or disorder. If you are concerned about any aspect of your child’s development, seek the advice of his or her health care practitioner right away.