Although Global Developmental Delay (GDD) affects between 1 and 3 percent of children around the world, most people aren’t aware of it or its causes and symptoms.
In this article, we will provide information about Global Developmental Delay to help you understand more about it. If your child has GDD, an Early Intervention Programme (EIP) will provide them the help they may need to prepare for entry to either a mainstream primary school or Special Education school.
Symptoms of Global Developmental Delay
Some of the more common symptoms that can be linked to GDD include:
The child is late in milestones such as sitting, crawling and walking
They have difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills
Their social skills are poor
They display limitations with their reasoning and conceptual abilities
They’re experiencing communication problems
Often, it is quite difficult to spot these symptoms. If you do have concerns with your child’s development, it is best to bring him or her to an early intervention centre such as MindChamps Allied Care in Singapore. The centre will assist in determining whether this is the case and, if so, work with your child to aid their progress and help them catch up to their peers.
Effects of Global Developmental Delay on my child
The way Global Developmental Delay can affect each child may differ slightly, but generally they will take a longer amount of time to pass the different milestones and learn different skills. Often, children who have GDD need additional support in learning settings in order for them to actually learn what is being taught, and help them catch up to other children in the class.
As stated earlier, every child will be affected by GDD differently, so assessing each as an individual is imperative to establish where they are at, what they’re good at and where they’re lacking. As their brains are most adaptable between 0-3 years of age, it’s absolutely vital that an early intervention teacher is introduced as soon as possible.
How can early intervention centres help?
1. Identification Of GDD & Prevention Of Learning Gaps
A professional and experienced early intervention teacher will be more aware of signs and symptoms of Global Developmental Delay when they observe it in a child. They possess the requisite expertise and knowledge to help you spot the red flags for potential developmental delays in children that you may not have noticed.
Unfortunately, as many children with GDD might not show clear symptoms to those who may not know exactly what to look out for, the gap between them and their peers widens substantially through the years. This gap may eventually not be able to be closed as well as it would be had their GDD been diagnosed via early intervention.
Booking an initial assessment at a trusted early intervention centre like MindChamps Allied Care means you’re providing your child with the best opportunity to advance in life should the assessment determine they do in fact have GDD.
2. Empowers Caregivers To Help Their Child Learn At Home
Early intervention programmes such as those offered by MindChamps Allied Care also educate caregivers with vital skills and knowledge to guide their child in their learning at home such as:
Communication skills
Facilitating how to help your child control their emotions
Managing challenging behaviours
Developing positive relationships with your child
Reinforcing learning on reading and numeracy skills
As the child matures, parents have to ensure they can keep being in touch with their child’s needs and lead their child to positive developmental outcomes.
3. Prepares Them For School With Customised Learning Solutions
The goal of the MindChamps Allied Care Early Intervention Programme is readiness for school, whether it be at a mainstream or Special Education school in Singapore. Our centre seeks to integrate your child into mainstream schools by focusing on five main areas:
Cognition and perception
Communication and language
Social skills
Fine and gross motor skills
Self-help skills
Here, your child will be cared for and taught by a special needs teacher and a teacher’s assistant in a private environment. Our multidisciplinary team of Occupational Therapists, Speech Therapists, and Child Psychologists are available to work with your child according to their needs too.
An Individual Education Plan will be done up for your child within six weeks of enrolment. In this plan, goals are set based on the child’s developmental needs as assessed by professionals and in consultation with caregivers. Instead of trying to fit your child into generic ways of learning, there will be tailor-made learning solutions for your child based on their needs, strengths and abilities to maximise their learning.
This allows our early intervention teachers to work towards achieving your child’s individual learning objectives and will be reviewed every 6 months with caregivers through biannual Parents Teachers Conferences.
Support Your Child’s Development With MindChamps Allied Care
If you’d like to provide your child with the resources they need to thrive, MindChamps Allied Care’s Early Intervention Programme is here to help. Book an appointment today to provide the best support system available for your child at MindChamps Allied Care.