Recognising developmental delays early can help children access support and build essential skills for everyday life
A child’s earliest years are a crucial period of growth, marked by rapid development in learning, communication, movement and social interaction. From tracking objects with their eyes and recognising familiar faces to understanding cause and effect, identifying colours and expressing ideas through simple drawings, these early milestones provide important indicators of a child’s development.
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As inclusive education gains greater focus in schools, experts say true inclusion cannot be achieved by classroom participation alone. They stress that early identification of developmental delays is equally critical, with parents and teachers playing a key role in recognising warning signs and ensuring children receive timely support and intervention.
Cognitive development is reflected in the way children interact with people, objects and their surroundings. During the first eight months, children gradually learn to track moving objects, search for things that disappear from view and reach out to explore objects. Between eight and 14 months, they begin imitating actions, remembering hidden objects and understanding basic cause-and-effect relationships.
From 14 to 24 months, children develop problem-solving abilities by using objects as tools, experimenting through trial and error and grouping items based on size. Between the ages of two and three years, they begin developing early abstract thinking, recognising familiar colours, making associations and drawing simple but recognisable figures.
These milestones are not fixed deadlines, experts caution, as children develop at different rates. Reaching a milestone slightly earlier or later does not necessarily indicate a developmental concern. However, consistent delays in achieving expected milestones or difficulties across multiple areas of development may require closer observation and professional assessment.
Explaining the difference between normal variations in development and developmental delays, Mintu Bhattacharya, Assistant Professor in the Department of Disabilities Studies at Gauhati University, said, “Children naturally develop at slightly different rates, and some may achieve milestones a little earlier or later than others. However, a developmental delay occurs when a child consistently fails to achieve expected developmental milestones within the typical age range in one or more domains, such as motor skills, language, cognition, social-emotional development, or adaptive functioning. A developmental delay is persistent and may require professional evaluation and intervention, whereas normal variation generally resolves without affecting overall development.”
A single missed milestone does not always indicate a developmental delay, but experts caution that a consistent pattern of concerns involving communication, social interaction, motor skills or cognitive abilities should not be ignored. They advise parents to closely monitor children from infancy and seek professional guidance if multiple warning signs appear together or if a child loses skills they had previously developed.
By around six months, parents may consider seeking advice if a child does not smile or laugh during interactions, does not make early sounds such as cooing, frequently keeps their hands tightly closed, does not reach for toys or struggles to hold their head steady during tummy time.
At around nine months, parents may need to seek advice if a child avoids eye contact, does not respond with smiles, fails to point at objects or wave goodbye, struggles to sit or roll over independently, or has difficulty passing toys from one hand to the other.
At around 12 months, warning signs may include limited response to new people, lack of interest in interactive games such as peek-a-boo, absence of babbling or speech-like sounds, or difficulty attempting movements such as crawling or moving independently.
By 18 months, concerns may arise if a child shows little interest in playing or interacting with others, struggles to say clear words or follow simple instructions, has difficulty picking up small objects using fingers, or is unable to pull up to stand or move independently. Experts say such signs do not confirm a developmental delay on their own but may require professional assessment when they persist.
After one year, parents should also watch for signs such as repeatedly throwing or banging toys instead of engaging in play, not learning new words or combining two words, not attempting to scribble with crayons or stack blocks, and being unable to walk independently without support.
Bhattacharya said developmental delays can often be identified during infancy, with some signs becoming noticeable as early as six to 12 months. “Many delays are recognised by 18–24 months, particularly in communication, social interaction, and motor development. Conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may be reliably identified by around 18–24 months, although early signs may appear even earlier.
Regular developmental screening during well-child visits is essential for timely identification,” he said.
However, early recognition is only the beginning. Once developmental concerns are identified, timely intervention can help children build skills and improve their ability to participate in everyday activities.
Chaitali Seal, Additional Assistant Resource Person for the Inclusive Education component of Samagra Shiksha, said early identification may not completely cure a child but can significantly improve their abilities, depending on the severity of the condition.
“Early identification does not completely cure the child, but of course, it can make the child better and reduce the impact of the condition significantly. It depends on how severe the child’s condition is,” she said.
She added that once a child is identified, Occupational Therapy (OT) can help improve, regain or develop the skills needed for daily living, working and meaningful activities.
For parents, the changes brought by such interventions can often be seen in simple everyday activities. The mother of an autistic child, speaking about her child’s experience with occupational therapy, said,
“Occupational therapy has helped my child a lot. Earlier, he used to scream all the time without doing any activities. Now he can pronounce different words and also can do daily life skills.”
Intervention, however, does not necessarily begin inside a therapy centre. A structured routine at home can also help children learn basic skills and gradually develop independence.
An official from the component of Inclusive Education under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan shared a basic first-step approach that parents can follow at home. He said parents can prepare a kit containing the items required for the child’s daily activities and teach them how to use each item independently.
He said that after the child wakes up, parents can teach them to take out the toothbrush and toothpaste from the kit, brush their teeth, take a shower, eat and gradually perform other daily activities. “In this way they will learn the basic at the home and for more they can learn from the occupational therapist,” he said.
Alongside access to intervention, experts believe that addressing misconceptions among parents is equally important. Developmental delays are sometimes overlooked because families assume that a child will eventually catch up with their peers or that seeking professional help means something is seriously wrong.
Asked about common misconceptions surrounding developmental delays, Bhattacharya said, “Yes. There are some misconceptions.”
He listed the belief that “Every child develops at their own pace, so there is no need to worry.” While individual differences exist, he said, significant delays should not be ignored.
Another common misconception is, “Boys speak later than girls, so delayed speech is normal.” Although there may be minor gender differences, persistent speech and language delays require assessment.
He also pointed to the belief that “The child will outgrow the delay.” While some children may improve naturally, many can benefit significantly from early intervention.
Another misconception is that “Seeking help means something is seriously wrong.” Early assessment, Bhattacharya said, helps identify a child’s strengths and needs and provides support before difficulties become more significant.
“The most important message is ‘Don't wait, act early.’ Parents know their children best, and if they notice concerns about development, they should seek professional advice without delay. Early identification and intervention take advantage of the brain's greatest period of growth and neuroplasticity, leading to better outcomes in communication, learning, social skills, independence, and overall quality of life. Early support empowers both children and families and should never be viewed as a cause for stigma but as an opportunity for positive growth,” he added.
Although inclusive education is now being incorporated into schools, inclusion cannot stop at placing children with developmental difficulties in the same classroom as their peers. The ability of parents and teachers to identify developmental concerns early, understand individual differences and connect children with appropriate support remains equally important.
Early identification should not become a means of differentiating children or placing labels on them. Instead, it should help parents, teachers and society understand how a child learns, communicates and interacts with the world. The goal is not to separate children because they develop differently, but to understand them better and ensure that every child receives the support and opportunity needed to grow to their fullest potential.