Five Questions of Concern in a Child’s Development
Harvest Intervention Services provides developmental and academic services to young children ages birth to eight years old and their families. Some children can show delays in development in their use of language, they’re playing and thinking skills, their ability to move around, and their behavior. As a concerned parent, you may have questions and want help with what you are seeing. Or maybe you do not know if what you are seeing is what your child should be doing. Below are five questions that may help begin to offer answers.
- When should my child be using words? By 12 months of age a child should have one or two words such as hi, dog, dad or mama. They should understand spoken words like cup, shoe, book, or juice and they will begin to respond to simple request like “come here” or “want more”. They will use gestures such as pointing, waving and holding arms up. By 24 months of age they should use 50 or more words and begin putting two words together to form phrases such as “more cookie.”
- What signs do I need to look for in my child’s development that need to be addressed? Children who are born with a medical diagnosis such as, but not limited to, low birth weight, prematurity, Down syndrome are at high risk for delays in development. Environmental factors also influence a child’s overall healthy development. If a child is exposed to smoking, malnutrition, and lack of proper stimulation and nurture they are also at high-risk for delays in development. Some signs are, but not limited to, no words or lack of pointing by 18 months of age, poor eye contact, little to no socialization with familiar people, and not walking by 15 months of age. Check with your child’s pediatrician about the developmental milestones they should be reaching as they grow. And research various websites that discuss developmental milestones and monitor your child’s development based on the knowledge and awareness you gain from the research.
- Why does my child tantrum (cry, scream, bite, fall on the floor and/or throw things) frequently? Tantrum behavior typically happens when a child does not understand or is not being understood. For example, if your child is trying to tell you they want something specific but have no words to say it and do not point, when they are misunderstood, they can show their frustration through tantrum behavior. Also, when a child does not understand what they can have or why they cannot have it, they can tantrum to show their disappointment. For example, children desire their parent’s attention and when they do not receive positive attention, they can tantrum to gain attention even if it’s negative attention.
- What can I do to help my child? You can begin by talking with your pediatrician about your child’s development. You can also research child development milestones and compare what the information says to what you are observing in your child’s development. You can also get your child signed up for additional services that target the developmental areas of concern. Harvest Intervention Services offers developmental and behavioral services that address concerns in overall healthy child development.
- How much do the services cost? Services can be at no cost to you depending on eligibility. Contact Harvest Intervention Services by sending a request for a consultation on www.harvestinterventions.com for further information.