Developmental disabilities are surprisingly common
If you have not already had a child in your care with a developmental delay or disability, chances are, you will. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that about 1 in 6 children has a developmental disability1. Children with developmental problems are at increased risk for poor outcomes in many areas important to health, well-being, and success in life.
Developmental disorders increase a child's risk for poor school performance, frequent absences from school, and repeating a grade, as well as for having more health problems.
Most children with developmental delays are not identified early enough for them to benefit from early intervention services; you can help change that.
Although about 1 in 6 children has a developmental disability, less than half of these children are identified as having a problem before starting school. This is a problem that you can help solve1. Too often, adults don’t recognize the signs of a potential developmental disability, they are not sure if their concern is warranted, or they don’t have resources to help make their concern easier to talk about. But pinpointing concerns and talking about them is very important to getting a child the help he or she might need.