Pediatric Growth and Development

Worried about your child’s developmental milestones? Our experienced pediatric specialists at Dr. Sirajudeen Medical Centre are here to help your child grow properly by providing child-friendly treatments.

Know About Your Child's Growth and Development

Child development means how your child grows and goes through changes from the time of their birth. There are five stages of child development which start from birth to 18 years of age. At each stage of the development, your child achieves a milestone.

These milestones include certain behaviors or changes by which you can tell your child is growing. Although most of the children go through each stage of development at the same time, some kids may take their own pace. Understanding these milestones will help parents identify any delays or issues as their child grows old.

Stages of Child Growth and Development

Meet our specialist

Dr. Nasrin Sirajudeen has done her M.D (Pediatrics) from Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. Since 2004, Pediatrics has become an integral department of Dr. Sirajudeen Medical Centre. It is an outpatient department doing investigations and providing various treatments for ailments specific to the region.

Well baby check ups
Vaccinations for children (Routine, Flu and Additional)
Travel vaccinations
Management of Allergy and Asthma of childhood
Evaluation of developmental and behavioral disorders
Dietary and Nutritional advice
Obesity management

Dr. Nasrin Sirajudeen

Pediatric Specialist

Key Milestones in Child Growth

Physical

Physical milestones of your child may include skills like sitting, running, jumping, walking, and using their hands to grab things. Using these skills means your child learns to use their body strength to move on their own without any support.

Cognitive

Cognitive milestones are related to your child’s ability to think and solve various problems. Their thinking and learning skills start to grow as they try to pay attention and listen to others. Your child can also process sensory information.

Language

Speaking, following verbal instructions, and understanding words are part of language milestones. This is where your child tries to communicate with others by learning words and verbal language. They will understand what you say to them and follow it.

Social-Emotional

Social-emotional milestones are important in shaping how your child grows into an adult. This can include managing their emotions, forming new relationships, and showing empathy to people around them. It helps people process their feelings and engage with others.

Factors Influencing a Child's Growth and Development

Genetic Factors

Hereditary factors like Angelman syndrome, down syndrome, and Fragile X syndrome.

Nutritional Factors

Maternal nutrition during pregnancy, lack of breastfeeding after birth, and nutritional deficiencies in food.

Environmental Factors

Environmental factors can include exposure to lead and arsenic (via water) in the fetus stage, and lack of availability of clean water.

Socioeconomic Status

Behavioral and emotional development of your child is affected by socioeconomic status.

Parental Influence

Parents’ attitude, behavior, beliefs, encouragement, and support.

Physical Activity

Lack of physical activity affects muscle, bone, and healthy weight development.

Hormonal Factors

Imbalance in hormones affects cognitive, metabolism, and growth.

Best Way to Track a Child’s Development?

Although your child can go through various stages of development at their own pace, you can track their growth to make sure there are no issues. Healthcare experts suggest that the best way to do this is with a checklist. As they start to age, monitoring your child as they go through all the stages of development from birth to 18 years, can help you gain a better understanding of how your child is growing. If they are not meeting a milestone, it is important not to diagnose them on your own. You should consult an expert if this worries you.

Support your child's growth and development with expert pediatric care in Karama!

What Are Delays in Child Development?

Cognitive abilities, including problem-solving skills

This includes any delays in your child’s ability to learn, follow directions, pay attention, and difficulty in thinking. They may not be able to solve basic problems without help.

Effective communication skills

If your child is not able to say a few words or if they are not able to communicate what they think and feel, there might be a delay in their development.

Fine motor coordination skills

Motor skills mean your child’s ability to move by coordinating their muscles and vision. A delay in these skills affects their walking, running, and standing on their own.

Social interaction skills

Your child might show a delay in making friends by communicating with other children and does not feel empathy. This also includes a deficiency in conflict resolution and problem-solving abilities.

Speech and language abilities

This includes a delay in building vocabulary, sentence formation, following instructions, not being able to convey a message by thinking, and speaking a language.

What does a pediatric developmental specialist do?

If you notice that your child has a delay in development at any stage of their growth, you can visit our pediatric developmental specialist at Dr. Sirajudeen Medical Centre. Our doctor helps your child meet certain milestones while growing by providing various therapies like behavioral therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and language therapy. We also provide special education to help your child develop social skills and easily learn skills even if they have any disabilities. These therapies and special education provide support to your child which helps them gain skills and succeed in social life by communicating and connecting with others.

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FAQ

Your questions and our honest answers!

1. How technology impacts child growth and development?

Modern technology like smartphones can cause your child to disrupt their sleep cycle and get eye strain from a young age.

2. If my child is not reaching developmental milestones, what should I do?

Your child might take their own pace to grow but you can consult a pediatrician to discuss any issues with their growth.

3. How does nutrition affect pediatric growth?

If your child does not get proper nutrition at an early age, they might have a deficiency of required vitamins and nutrients.

4. Are children's varying rates of growth normal?

Yes. It is normal for your child to grow at a different rate because most children with delayed growth are normal and healthy.