Parents often overlook simple signs of possible disabilities in young children. Priyanka Podder of MHF Kolkata shares some parental tips on how to identify such disabilities

Tips for identification of disabilities in young children:

  • The child has delay in attaining his developmental milestones at age appropriate time period, like, holding his head steady by 6 months, sitting without support by 1 year, standing without support, starting to walk and speaking in some discrete words by 1.5 years, speaking in short sentences by 2 years.
  • Has difficulty in making or maintaining eye contact with others, prefers to remain aloof and engrossed in his own world; does not respond to his name being called (by an year of age)
  • Has difficulty in carrying out activities that are age appropriate, like, reaching for nearby objects by 6 months, drinking from a glass or eating small pieces of food on own by a year, recognizing what to eat and what not by 1.5 years, engage in playing with others by 2 years, taking on pretend roles, having toilet control and eating food on own by 3 years.
  • Does repetitive body movements or acts, like, hand flapping, spinning, looking at rotating objects, lining up of things etc., has poor coordination, balance and posture control, being over- or under-responsive to sound, touch and smell.
  • Has difficulty in comprehending and responding appropriately in social contexts.
  • Has difficulty with attention, following instructions, in understanding and remembering pre-academic concepts like numbers, letters, colours, shapes, categorizing and classifying objects and writing.