Seattle Culture

Early Intervention

Pediatrician Dr. Emily Myers helps parents navigate their child's development

By Seattle Mag November 3, 2014

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“Is this normal?” is a familiar question—spoken and unspoken—for parents watching their children grow and develop. It’s a reasonable worry; development is so individual that it can sometimes be tough to tell when it’s time to ask a doctor about something your child is, or isn’t, doing, says Dr. Emily Myers, assistant professor of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at the University of Washington who sees patients at Seattle Children’s. We asked Myers to weigh in on what parents should look for and whom to approach with questions.

What are the key child development markers?
Specialists split markers of development into four broad categories: motor, language, cognitive and social development. I recommend to families that they follow the information posted by the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children website (healthychildren.org; click on “Ages & Stages”) for important milestones.

Are there signs of early vision or hearing issues?
By the age of 2 months, if a child has challenges with following toys and objects in front of their face, or is unable to visually orient to a caregiver, that is a sign that there may be a problem with a child’s vision. Early signs of hearing loss include delays in sound production such as cooing or babbling in infancy. A child with language delays at any age should prompt the parent and their pediatrician to have the child’s hearing checked.

When is it time to see a devlopment specialist?
It is critical for a child to see a development specialist at the time a concern about development is identified. Often, pediatricians will ask families to complete questionnaires during well-child visits. Based on those responses, as well as if the parents have concerns, a referral to a specialist should be made.

How does a family choose a specialist?
For children under the age of 3, a parent or a pediatrician may refer a child to early intervention (EI) [available throughout Washington]. [They] are experts in early child and infant development, and are mainly comprised of speech, occupational and physical therapists as well as registered nurses. A referral to [developmental, behavioral and neurodevelopmental] specialists after a concern has been identified is often recommended, [and] these care providers partner with EI providers to provide diagnostic and therapy plans for the children they serve together. School-age children should be referred to their local [counselor] for a psychoeducational evaluation and assessment [of] need for therapy and [individualized] education services. +

 

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