Is my child different?

Every baby, every child develops differently. Each one needs its own time, its own pace. But parents are quick to worry. And rightly so? It is undoubtedly not always easy to recognize whether individual developmental steps are within "normal" limits. "What is 'normal'? ", you may ask yourself. How can abnormalities and delays in development be identified in good time? Your pediatrician's office is the first port of call for all questions, worries and fears. The earlier, the better. With the right support or therapy, many developmental delays can be alleviated or made up for.

The development of a child is divided into these five areas:

1. Motor development: This is about the movement sequences.
2. Language development: This is about speaking and understanding language.
3. Mental development: This is about thinking and understanding relationships.
4. Emotional development: This is about the emotional life.
5. Social development: This is about behavior towards other people.

In addition to the fact that every child has their own pace, if there are significant deviations in development within normal limits, there may be a delay or disability. Parents should be aware that developmental disorders in children can vary greatly and range from mild to severe. If you notice any abnormalities or evidence of a developmental delay in your child, you should seek medical help.

Walking, running, jumping, balancing: Children love it. However, some children are significantly slower and more immobile than their playmates. Some appear clumsy in their movements or when grasping and holding objects. Some show hardly any body awareness and become increasingly insecure and anxious. If your child's motor development is clearly lagging behind that of others, if it is constantly "fidgeting" or shows no desire to move at all, this is a reason for a check-up at the pediatrician's practice. The causes will certainly be found there quickly and you will receive suggestions for early intervention and therapeutic treatment.

Parallel to discovering movement, speaking and understanding begins from the middle of the first year of life. Children form their first words at around nine months, but here too, every child has their own pace when it comes to the desire to move from babbling to speaking. It is not easy to recognize whether a child's language development is seriously inhibited and delayed. While many children use language as a matter of course, there are others who hardly speak or speak indistinctly, do not form complete sentences and do not really understand what is being said to them. Get advice and help as early as possible. Speech disorders can lead to a learning delay and a more difficult start at school. Your pediatrician will know how and where to find suitable language support for your child.

The symptoms of a mental development disorder can be varied: Affected children often learn to crawl, speak or walk later. They may react very slowly to stimuli or not respond appropriately to playful stimuli, appear mentally sluggish, passive and disinterested. Early detection is particularly important. Regular check-ups or U-examinations in childhood are therefore extremely important appointments. For example, the pediatrician can use small mental tasks and other tests to determine whether there are any abnormalities that indicate developmental delays and impairments. This allows therapeutic measures to be initiated at an early stage.

Children need a reliable, caring and predictable living environment. If this is lacking, children can react in very different ways. But what is normal, what is tolerable, what is conspicuous and what needs help? It is a sensitive issue when it comes to recognizing emotional abnormalities in children. You know your child best: do they show strong anxiety, lack of drive, sadness? There is a wealth of child behavior that can be countered with patience and understanding. If negative behavior becomes entrenched, it is very important to diagnose the problems. Don't be afraid to seek and accept help from doctors and therapists.

An important human ability is to establish relationships with other people, to show consideration for the needs of others and to find one's way in a group. A young child still has to learn all of this over time. If there is a social behavior disorder, this usually manifests itself in conspicuous behavior. Symptoms that may indicate a social development disorder include aggressive behaviour, frequent outbursts of anger, bullying of others, destroying objects or frequent lying. The ability to control their own behavior appropriately is not or only slightly developed. Affected children need prompt medical, psychological and therapeutic help.