Recent studies say that developmental disorders and autism spectrum disorders are more frequent than previously thought, and at least one in 250 children has a spectrum disorder.
The prognosis of these children is better as soon as the diagnosis is made and, therefore, before therapies and interventions are started, so if as a mother or father you think your child could have a developmental disorder, you shouldn't let it go. Not even if the doctor tells you what to expect.
Interventions are more effective as soon as you start
Although in the US The functioning of health is very different from that of our country, Spain, the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) are clear in this regard: the sooner you start working with children who have developmental problems, The more effective the therapy, the better the prognosis and less costs to parents.
The first three years are key
Babies' brains grow exponentially during the first years, with the first three being the most critical in this regard. Since there are so many changes at this time, any intervention you want to make will be more likely to succeed, and as in the first years the foundations of learning and behavior are created, The sooner and better you work, the better.
Parents learn to act before
In addition, the sooner the diagnosis is known, the sooner parents learn to understand the particularities of their child and the way of living and interacting with him, as well as the way to help him advance in his progress.
If you feel something could happen to you ...
The professionals who do the reviews of the children take into account the milestones that must be achieved as they grow and mature, so that they are key when considering that a child may require an assessment by a specialist in the developing.
But they are not infallible and often what may seem like a disorder is nothing more than a child that is taking a little longer to mature, without actually having any problems. Given the risk of blowing up an alarm that worries parents for no reason, they often choose to wait a bit, give room, and see if the child advances and confirms that "there is nothing to worry about."
In many cases it is a very sensible position, but you have to be very careful in the waiting time, because if many months pass before a new assessment, some intervention opportunities may have been lost, and a very valuable time. Also, if the parents, who are the ones who know their child best, have serious doubts, it is best that such an assessment be made. It is better that many children are considered normal, without disorder, despite the suspicion, that they choose not to refer them and that children with any disorder remain undiagnosed.
And the same for parents: if a doctor insists on waiting, but you feel or believe that your child should be more advanced, you must seek a second opinion. As we just said, time is key.
Photos | iStock
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