Q: My one-year old daughter has not started talking or walking. My friend has a child about the same age who seems developmentally further ahead. Do you think there is something wrong with my daughter?
A: Children develop at their own pace, and not all children are walking and talking by age 1, the Help for Families panel says.
"Development is not linear," panelist Denise Continenza says. "It's like a roller coaster. A child might develop more slowly in one area than another. The range for development is so wide."
It's not abnormal for a 1-year-old to not walk or talk, panelist Bill Vogler says. "That's still within the normal developmental range," he says.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, at age 1, most children will respond to language and might say single words like mama or dada. Most kids will be able pull themselves up to stand and move holding on to furniture.
The CDC suggests you can call 1-800-CDC-INFO if your child can't stand when supported and doesn't try to say any single words by age 1.
Talk to your pediatrician about your child's development, suggests panelist Pam Wallace.
"A lot of parents have anxiety about meeting developmental milestones," she says. "Learn more about milestones. Being overly concerned can cause problems. Children develop at their own pace with your support."
Be careful about comparing your child to other children, Continenza says.
"There are always kids who are doing better than other kids and others who are doing less," she says. "There is so much parental peer pressure."
If a parent is constantly worrying about a child meeting developmental milestones, it can lead to anxiety in the child as they get older, panelist Chad Stefanyak adds.
All counties in Pennsylvania will evaluate your child for early intervention service free, panelist Rhoda Stoudt says.
"It wouldn't hurt to have an evaluation," she says. "A child is eligible for early intervention if he or she has a 25 percent or more deficit in any domain and could qualify for services."
The Pennsylvania Early Intervention program provides services for children up to age 5 who have special needs because of developmental delays or disabilities.
Having an evaluation might help you to stop worrying and if there is a delay, the earlier the intervention the better, Vogler says.
For early intervention in Lehigh County call 610-782-3000 and in Northampton County call 610-974-7500. For other areas, call the CONNECT Helpline at 1-800-692-7288. It is a nationwide referral line that directs parents to their local early intervention office.
"If a parent is getting worked up, take a couple deep breaths," panelist Joanne Nigito-Raftas says. "It's going to be a long road. There any many more milestones that a child may and may not reach."
TIPS FOR CONCERNS ABOUT DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES
•Educate yourself about the range of development.
•Talk to your pediatrician about your child's development.
•Don't compare your child's development to other children's.
•Consider getting your child evaluated for early intervention services.
•Relax and don't get anxious about perceived delays.
THE TOPIC TEAM
Parenting experts and guest panelists who helped this week.
Denise Continenza, family living specialist for Penn State's Lehigh County Cooperative Extension, South Whitehall Township.
Pam Wallace, program coordinator for Project Child, a program of Valley Youth House.
Rhoda Stoudt, Lehigh County Office of Children and Youth Services.
Chad Stefanyak, school psychologist, Lehigh County.
Bill Vogler, executive director of Family Answers, Allentown.
Michael Daniels, adolescent and attachment therapist, Bethlehem.
Help for Families is a collaboration between The Morning Call and parenting professionals brought together by Valley Youth House's Project Child.