Do you know all the ways you should measure your child’s growth? We naturally think of height and weight, but from birth to 5 years, your child should reach milestones in how he plays, learns, speaks and acts. A delay in any of these areas could be a sign of a developmental problem. The good news is, the earlier it’s recognized the more you can do to help your child reach her full potential.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) website offers interactive tools to help you watch for and record your child’s developmental milestones. The website also offers a video in its “Health Matters” series called “Baby Steps: Learn the Signs. Act Early,” which provides up-to-date information and guidance on identifying developmental disabilities.
If you suspect a problem with your child’s development, there are several things you can do. Talk with your child’s doctor. If you or your doctor think there could be a problem, ask for a referral to see a developmental pediatrician or other specialist, and contact your local early intervention agency (for children under 3) or public school (for children 3 and older) to find out if your child qualifies for intervention services. To find out who to speak to in your area, you can contact the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities by logging on to www.nichcy.org 
or calling 1-800-695-0285. In addition, the CDC has links to information for families on their Autism Information Center page.
The Center for Persons with Disabilities houses the Early Intervention program Up to 3, a program that serves children under 3 years of age who have delays or disabilities in the Cache, Rich, and Box Elder counties in Utah.
