Developmental milestones are generally understood to be vital stages of neurological development, for instance, neck control, sitting without support, crawling, standing and walking.2,3
Milestone” is a descriptive term used to denote a specific level of achievement (e.g. sitting without support) of the child at a particular stage. Milestones have a range of normal variation, that is, they are not fixed because children vary in the progress of their development. Each child develops at …show more content…
Research shows that mothers with more knowledge of child development are more likely to provide developmental stimulation to their children and that their children in turn have better developmental outcomes. Moreover, clinicians may rely on a parent’s knowledge about the health and development of their children for decision making, counseling and referrals. Increased knowledge of a child’s developmental milestones can lead to early detection of developmental delays and health issues. …show more content…
In non-Western countries where the state of the art information on child development is often not available to the general population. Few studies have investigated what mothers know about the emergence of developmental skills.8
Children are said to be developmentally delayed if they fail to reach developmental milestones at the expected age. A developmental delay occurs when child has the delayed achievement of one or more of his milestones. It is important for mothers to recognize signs of developmental delay in the children in their care. Each child develops at his/her own pace. Recognizing signs of cognitive delay (especially language and communication delays) can be even more difficult than identifying physical delays. Some children are naturally quiet, shy or slower to socialize with others. This does not mean necessarilythat they are delayed-they may just have a calm temperament or personality.