[1] Each age group has its distinct set of milestones, representing behaviors that develop gradually and serve as foundational building blocks for growth and ongoing learning.
These behavioral milestones fall into various categories of child development stages, including:[2][3][4] Developmental delay is prevalent in approximately 1-3% of children under the age of 5 worldwide.
[8] 95% of the children with these delayed milestones live in countries with low to middle income and have very limited availability of healthcare resources.
[12] Other anti-epileptic medications such as carbamazepine, clonazepam, and oxcarbazepine have been associated with an increased risk of developmental milestones in children while exposed prenatally.
[12] Children exposed to intimate partner violence have been associated with delayed milestones along with long term physical and mental health adverse effects.
[13] The Child Health Improvement through Computer Automation (CHICA) system measured developmental milestones under 4 domains: personal-social, language, fine motor-adaptive, and gross motor.
[13] Women taking antidepressants while pregnant may lead to delayed milestones in their child as well as reversible or permanent effects on fetal development.
Act Early"[16] provides materials for parents to reference and keep track of child development at specified milestones starting from two months old up to five years of age.
Identifying and addressing early signs, symptoms, and risk factors of developmental delay in children with an effective management strategy have shown an overall positive improvement in cognitive and academic performance and outcomes.
[15] Assessment of developmental progress involves a combination of surveillance, screening tools, and other points to take into consideration:[1] There are three U.S. organizations that provide varying recommendations in terms of when and how to screen children for developmental delays in children below the age of five, including the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF), Canadian Task Force on Preventative Health Care, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
[28] A risk factor for delayed milestones are infants that have direct contact with their mother's fluids who are HIV positive or suspected and become infected.