What is the definition or description of: developmental delay?

Delayed milestones: A chronological delay in the appearance of normal developmental milestones achieved during infancy and early childhood, caused by organic, psychological, or environmental factors.

Lagging in skills: Developmental delay means that the child has not reached expected developmental skills by a certain age in language, physcial and/or social spheres. There is a range of time when these skills should be met, and there should be continual progress. Any lag should be addressed by your pediatrician, a developmental specialist, and early intervention.

Behind in milestones: Pediatricians track development by what are called milestones. Children should be achieving certain skills by certain ages (e.g. Sitting unsupported by 6 months, 2 word sentences by 2 years of age, etc). There is a range of normal and different severity of delay, mild to severe. A full evaluation by a specialist is important as there are several potential causes and interventions.

Alteration of skills: As children move along in age, they should also do so in developmental stages of motor, languag, and personal social areas. When these areas lag expectations, it is called a developmental delay.