"Don't worry, he'll grow out of it"
I have been working with children with developmental disabilities for several years and I would estimate that approximately 75% of the families I have worked with tell me that their pediatricians told them not to worry about concerns about their child's development. So, they waited to see if he was going to "grow out of it" and missed out on critical early intervention services.  It boggles my mind every time I hear the same story.  Why are pediatricians giving parents such poor advice? 

I asked my kids' pediatrician why this is common practice and he told me that it is because more often than not, it is the case that children will grow out of it.  What I don't understand about this logic is the huge risk of not getting early intervention when there is a problem? Yes, it may be the case that more often than not, the child will grow out of it, but I don't think it is worth the risk for those few children who do not grow out of it to just wait and see.

There is little to no risk involved with having your child assessed by a speech pathologist or psychologist if you have concerns about your child's development.  On the other hand, there is a huge risk when you wait to see if they will grow out of it and don't get early intervention services.  A specialist will be able to tell the difference between a slight developmental delay that is due to nothing more than different maturity rates and a real problem that requires intervention.  Most pediatricians are not trained to recognize these signs and often cannot tell the difference. 

As someone who has worked with children with developmental disabilities for several years, my advice to parents, is get your child assessed as early as possible if you have any concerns.  There are a variety of possible reasons for delays in your child's development.  The only way to correctly identify the problem is to have an expert that specializes in developmental disorders assess your child.  Early identification and intervention is key to getting your child the help he needs.

Many parents have expressed concerns to me about their child being labeled or stigmatized by a diagnosis as the reason they were hesitant to get an assessment.  While I understand the fear parents experience when something is happening with their child, the bottom line is, if there is a real underlying problem, it will be there whether they get it diagnosed or not.  It will only make the problem worse if you wait until they are older to get the proper intervention they need.  Also, most of the time, diagnoses are not given to small children.  They are often labeled as "at risk" for a particular disorder so that they can receive the specialized services they need and are not given a formal diagnosis until they are school age.

Here is the link to the Center for Disease Control's Developmental Milestones to Look For:
 http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

If you have concerns about your child's development, report it to your pediatrician.  If your pediatrician does not refer you for an assessment, take initiative and do it yourself.  If your child is below the age of 3, contact your local regional center.  If your child is over the age of 3, contact your local school district.  If neither of these options work, you may need to find a specialist on your own in your area.  Look for a psychologist who specializes in diagnosing developmental disorders with young children.