Questions?What Are Developmental Delays?
A developmental delay happens when a child struggles to reach certain milestones expected for their age, such as walking, talking, or interacting with others.
Birth injuries can lead to developmental delays by causing physical or neurological damage. Often, the signs of a developmental delay won’t show up until a baby misses a milestone.
That’s why it’s important to act quickly. If your child is regularly missing milestones or showing signs of a birth injury developmental delay, they may have been harmed at birth.
Identifying the cause early could help your family access the financial support needed for their future. For some families, a birth injury lawsuit may help secure the compensation needed for their child’s lifelong care.
Many birth injury cases result in multimillion-dollar settlements, providing families with the resources to cover medical expenses, therapy, and specialized support.
An experienced birth injury lawyer can fight for the money your family deserves. The experienced attorneys in our network have helped families recover over $1 billion.
We can help families in all 50 states. Find out if we can help you — get a free case review right now.
Early Signs of Developmental Delays
Children may show signs of developmental delays in various areas of development. Your baby’s pediatrician can help you keep track of important milestones and explore treatment options if a developmental delay is suspected.
Learn more about the signs and symptoms of developmental delay below.
Cognitive Skill Delays
Cognitive Skill DelaysDelays in cognitive skills might become apparent if your child has trouble understanding concepts, following instructions, or solving simple problems. Memory challenges may also make it difficult for them to retain new information or recall familiar tasks.
Speech and Language Delays
Speech and Language DelaysIn some cases, delays impact speech and language development, making it hard for your child to form words or construct sentences.
They may also struggle to understand spoken language or express their needs clearly, which can lead to frustration for both the child and their caregivers.
Fine and Gross Motor Skill Delays
Fine and Gross Motor Skill DelaysDelays in fine motor skills are also common. Your child might find it difficult to grasp small objects or perform tasks requiring precision, like drawing or buttoning a shirt.
For gross motor delays, you might notice challenges with crawling, walking, or climbing stairs, affecting their ability to explore their surroundings.
Social and Emotional Skill Delays
Social and Emotional Skill DelaysDelays in social and emotional development can present as difficulty recognizing or responding to social cues, such as facial expressions or tone of voice.
Your child may find it hard to connect with others or express their emotions, which can hinder their ability to build relationships or navigate group settings.
If you’re unsure whether your child has a developmental delay, our experienced labor and delivery nurses are here to help — for free.
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Causes and Risk Factors for Developmental Delay
Developmental delays often result from childbirth complications. While these injuries can occur for different reasons, certain medical conditions and risk factors increase the likelihood of developmental delay.
Some developmental delays caused by birth injuries are preventable. If medical negligence played a role, you may be able to file a claim.
Causes of Developmental Delay
A developmental delay can result from various factors during pregnancy, birth, or early childhood.
- Birth complications: Prolonged labor, umbilical cord issues, and other complications can restrict oxygen flow (neonatal asphyxia) and increase the risk of brain injuries.
- Head trauma during delivery: Misuse of forceps and vacuum extractors may cause bleeding in the brain (intracranial hemorrhage).
- Infections affecting the baby’s brain: Untreated maternal infections or newborn infections like meningitis can lead to inflammation and brain damage.
- Lack of oxygen before birth: Conditions like hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) can result in brain damage and developmental delay.
- Stroke in a newborn: Blood clotting issues or abnormal blood flow can damage brain tissue and cause a long-term developmental delay.
Recognizing these causes highlights the importance of proper prenatal care, medical monitoring during labor, and quick intervention after birth to reduce the risk of brain injuries that lead to cerebral palsy (CP).
Risk Factors for Developmental Delay
Certain conditions during pregnancy, childbirth, or early childhood can interfere with a child’s development, affecting their ability to reach milestones in movement, speech, learning, and social skills.
- Exposure to harmful substances during pregnancy: Alcohol, drugs, or environmental toxins like lead
- Genetic disorders: Conditions such as Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome
- Infections: Maternal infections during pregnancy or infections in early childhood
- Low birth weight: Babies weighing less than 5.5 pounds
- Oxygen deprivation: Lack of oxygen during birth, which can cause brain damage
- Premature birth: Babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy
- Pregnancy complications: Maternal conditions like hypertension or preeclampsia (dangerously high blood pressure during pregnancy)
Doctors are responsible for managing these risk factors to prevent complications. Failure to do so may be medical malpractice.
If you believe a preventable birth injury caused your child’s developmental delays, your family may be entitled to financial compensation.
Get a free case review now.
Diagnosing a Developmental Delay
If your child is missing developmental milestones or showing signs of delays, consult your pediatrician for an evaluation.
- Apgar score: A newborn assessment that measures heart rate, muscle tone, and other signs immediately after birth to help detect potential complications
- Blood tests: Screen for underlying issues like lead poisoning or medical conditions
- Developmental screenings: Assess your child’s ability to meet age-appropriate skills
- Genetic testing: Check for conditions such as Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or other genetic disorders
- Hearing and vision tests: Identify sensory impairments that may affect learning or development
- Neurological exams: Evaluate brain function and detect possible brain injuries or cognitive delays
- Speech and language evaluations: Diagnose speech delays and communication challenges
Early diagnosis helps ensure your child receives the care and support they need to improve their development and quality of life.
Managing a Developmental Delay
Developmental delays can affect movement, speech, learning, and social interaction, but early intervention can help children build important skills.
Some children may also benefit from specific birth injury treatments if the delay is linked to complications during labor or delivery.
- Physical and occupational therapy to improve muscle strength, coordination, and motor skills.
- Speech therapy to enhance communication and address speech or swallowing difficulties.
- Behavioral therapy and specialized education plans to support emotional development, learning, and social skills.
A personalized care plan developed with medical professionals and educators can help children with developmental delays reach their full potential.
Can You Prevent Developmental Delays?
Prevention is not always possible, but certain risk factors can be reduced with proper medical care before, during, and after birth.
Doctors play a critical role in monitoring complications, providing timely treatment, and preventing avoidable birth injuries.
- Avoid nicotine, alcohol, and drugs during pregnancy
- Get regular prenatal care
- Seek immediate treatment for pregnancy complications
- Stay up to date on vaccinations
Even with proper care, developmental delays are not always preventable. However, some cases of developmental delays could have been prevented if doctors had properly managed risk factors and acted quickly during birth.
If medical negligence played a role in your child’s condition, your family may have legal options.
Get Legal Help for Your Child’s Developmental Delay
If your child is experiencing developmental delays, you may be wondering what caused them and what options your family has.
In some cases, a child’s developmental delay can be traced back to complications during birth, including preventable medical mistakes made by a health care provider. In these cases, you may be able to take legal action.
- Long-term care and support
- Medical treatments and surgeries
- Therapy and rehabilitation
An experienced birth injury lawyer can determine whether medical negligence played a role in your child’s developmental delay. They can handle the legal process on your behalf, allowing you to focus on your child’s care.
Our legal partners have secured more than $1 billion for families affected by preventable birth injuries.
Call us right now at (800) 914-1562 or fill out our case review form to see how we can help get the care and support your child deserves.
Developmental Delay FAQs
What causes developmental delay?
Developmental delay can have many causes. Birth injuries, like oxygen deprivation or head trauma, may affect a baby’s development.
Genetic conditions like Down syndrome can also play a role. Other causes include premature birth, infections during pregnancy, and complications during labor.
Can a birth injury cause developmental delays?
Yes, birth injuries like lack of oxygen (hypoxia), improper use of delivery tools, or untreated infections can damage a baby’s brain, leading to developmental delays in movement, speech, or learning. Medical negligence during childbirth is often a factor.
If you suspect medical malpractice played a role in causing your child’s developmental delay, we may be able to help.
Call the Birth Injury Justice Center right now at (800) 914-1562 or Click to Live Chat about your legal options.
What are the signs of developmental delay?
Signs of developmental delay include missing milestones like sitting, crawling, or walking, speech delays, difficulty with coordination, or limited social interaction. Parents should seek medical advice if their child isn’t meeting expected milestones.
What are the signs of developmental delay after a birth injury?
After a birth injury, signs of developmental delay can include muscle stiffness or floppiness, trouble holding up the head, delayed motor skills, or difficulty forming words. Early signs of birth injuries often appear in the first year of life.
Can a child with developmental delays catch up?
Many children with developmental delays catch up with early intervention, including physical, speech, and occupational therapy. However, delays caused by severe birth injuries may require ongoing care and support.
Can a child recover from developmental delays caused by birth injury?
Recovery depends on the severity of the injury. Some children improve with therapy, while others with significant brain damage may need lifelong assistance with mobility, communication, and daily activities.
How can birth trauma affect a baby’s development?
Birth trauma can lead to brain damage that affects muscle control, speech, and cognitive abilities. Delays may be mild or severe, depending on the extent of the injury, and often require specialized therapy.
Can a traumatic birth cause learning disabilities?
Yes, a traumatic birth can cause learning disabilities, particularly if it results in brain injury, lack of oxygen (hypoxia), or other complications that affect brain development. These injuries can impact areas of the brain responsible for memory, attention, or problem-solving, leading to difficulties with learning.
What should I do if my child has developmental delays after birth?
Get a medical evaluation to determine the cause and explore therapy options. If you suspect medical negligence played a role in your child’s developmental delay, your family may be entitled to compensation to help provide the best possible care and support.
Get a free case review right now to get started.
