LETTER: Be alert on developmental disabilities
Research has shown that the number of children affected by intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD) is on the rise. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in six children in the United States has one or more I/DD, and there has been a 17 percent increase in I/DD over the last 12 years.
A developmental disability is a chronic condition, identified during the course of a youth’s early development, in which there are intellectual and adaptive functioning deficits related to a physical or mental impairment. Examples of developmental disabilities include cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, epilepsy, fetal alcohol disorders, muscular dystrophy and one of the most common forms of developmental disability, Autism.
With March being Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, and April being Autism Awareness Month, the time is now to re-identify the symptoms that could indicate the presence of I/DD, how parents can recognize them, and how to effectively intervene.
Symptoms of developmental disabilities usually manifest as delays in developmental milestones in the areas of gross motor skills, fine motor skills, social skills and speech and language skills. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, during the course of early development through childhood and adolescence, youth should reach certain milestones in their physical/cognitive development related to how they play, speak, act and move. If a youth seems delayed in any of these areas, this could be indicative of I/DD.
At PerformCare, New Jersey’s contracted system administrator for the New Jersey Children’s System of Care, we specialize in connecting New Jersey parents and youth with much-needed behavioral health services. We quickly link parents and youth with experts who can assess, intervene, understand and refer treatment options — many for free — for those affected by I/DD.
Perform Care can help New Jersey parents and children with I/DD conditions and introduce them to services to treat them and support services to encourage them. With early intervention, therapy has proven to enhance individual functioning, thereby creating opportunities for affected individuals to live an optimal life in adulthood that — in many instances — includes education, work, living independently, marriage and child-rearing. Treatment, service and support programs have evolved to better meet patient needs, providing them with the most up-to-date tools to live their best life possible.
Dr. Ankur Desai
PerformCare in New Jersey