18 May Gross Motor Developmental Delay
All infants and kids develop specific milestones at their own pace, but every child should do certain tasks by a specific age. If they don’t progress as expected, this is known as a developmental delay.
Gross motor skills include rolling, sitting, crawling and walking. The other main developmental categories are fine motor skills, language skills, thinking skills and social interaction.
Don’t panic if your child doesn’t meet the time line. The delay may be just a minor problem, such as lack of practice or opportunity for a particular skill, or even the baby’s temperament (cautious nature or content just to watch the world). Premature infants may not develop muscle strength as fast which may delay the development of motor skills, but they soon catch up.
Early intervention is the key. Studies show that children who receive treatment earlier do better than those who don’t. If you have concerns about your child’s development, an assessment from a physiotherapist specialising in paediatrics will be a benefit, and the sooner the better. Contact Western Paediatric Physiotherapy for help. Ideally, treatment should start as early as possible.
The physiotherapist will do a detailed assessment of your child’s motor skills, both gross and fine, balance, posture, muscle strength, range of movement, reflexes and sensory development. A discussion with you will follow, addressing your concerns and developing a treatment program.
The treatment aims to help your child achieve physical milestones, gain more independence in daily activities, improve posture, balance, muscle strength and coordination, and improve confidence.
If you believe your child could benefit from gross motor skill training, or any other issues where a good paediatric physiotherapist can help, contact Western Paediatric Physiotherapy today and make an appointment.
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