“GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY”

I. GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF DISABILITY

What is Global Developmental Delay?
A child with Global Developmental Delay (GDD) typically presents with a delay in
multiple developmental areas. Areas of delay may include speech and language, social,
cognition, play and motor skills. Children with GDD will typically present as younger, or
behind, their typically developing peers.
A child diagnosed with GDD may later be diagnosed with a more specific diagnosis
such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Global Developmental Delay in Children

Most children gain physical and behavioural skills within the first five years of life. The
first things they learn are usually inspired by how we interact with them – for instance,
showing affection, love, singing and other playful interactions.
The fundamental areas of children’s development include:
• Speech and language
• Fine motor skills
• Gross motor skills
• Cognitive and analytical skills
• Social and emotional skills

Whilst every child has their own development pathway, typically, babies and infants
develop specific physical and behavioural skills by a certain age. These skills are called
developmental milestones. If a child has not reached two or more milestones across
the following developmental areas, this could be a sign of GDD.
• Develop gross motor skills – rolling up, crawling and walking
• Develop fine motor skills- picking up objects, brushing teeth, tying shoelaces
• Speech and language skills – naming objects, putting two or more words
together
• Develop communication skills- following directions, pointing or pulling
• Develop social skills- associative and cooperative social play
 • Delay in problem-solving skills

•
• Delay in analytical and cognitive skills
How Does it Impact a Child?
GDD may impact a child by limiting their ability to:
• Understand and retain information
• Problem solve
• Interpret social cues and social awareness
• Respond appropriately to others
• Gain personal independence and self care skills
• Navigate their environment through movement (gross and fine motor skills)
• Interact and play with their same aged peers
Global Developmental Delay in Adults
Developmental delay that appears in early childhood and continues into adulthood
might be assessed and diagnosed as a developmental disability.
In many cases, developmental delays don’t extend into adulthood and can be overcome
during childhood.
Adults with global development delay may experience different developmental
difficulties in multiple areas of basic life activities, including:
• Personal care
• Receptive and expressive communication
• Learning and cognitive activities
• Motor activities and mobility
• Self-reliance

II. CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS

What Causes Global Developmental Delay?

GDD describes a versatile set of developmental delays but not a specific diagnosis.
Individuals may experience this kind of delay due to many different causes. Genetics
can play a crucial role in a child’s development, and GDD can also be the result of
exposure to toxic substances, medications, drug or alcohol abuse, or particular medical
conditions during pregnancy (such as prenatal haemorrhages, infections or oxygen
deprivation). After birth, severe head trauma or infections are linked to the incidence of
GDD. 
Ultimately, poor nutrition, physical or emotional abuse or child neglect can lead to
developmental delay in an individual
How Does Global Developmental Delay Compare to Autism Spectrum Disorder?
There are many crossovers in terms of behaviour and development, however GDD
tends to present fewer barriers to learning than Autism Spectrum Disorder. For
example, a study showed that those with GDD were better at imitating others than those
diagnosed with ASD, a key learning to learn skill for children. Children diagnosed with
GDD are less likely to engage in restrictive or repetitive behaviour patterns, and will
typically respond more appropriately during social interactions with others. Children with
GDD may present with a more prominent delay in problem solving, motor skills
andadaptive behaviours, compared to their peers with ASD.
Children with ASD typically present with:
• “Repetitive behaviours (e.g., repeating sounds for non-communicative purposes,
flapping their hands, rocking back and forth)
• Non-responsive to social interactions with others
 • Limited imitation of others actions, sounds or words
• Restricted behaviours (e.g., fixations on non-functional objects within their
environment or fixations on one topic or toy)
Global Developmental Delay Diagnosis
A diagnosis of GDD is assessed when a child has not reached two or more milestones
across multiple areas of development. Typically, pediatricians follow and observe a child
for a certain period and, if necessary, make a referral for further assessment.
Diagnosing GDD requires a team of specialists rather than a single care practitioner. 
● Pediatric Neurologists
● Child Psychiatrists
● Behavioural Specialists
GDD assessment is based on:
● Psychology
● Language Pathology
● Genetics
● Physical Therapy
● Nutrition
How Does Global Developmental Delay Affect Learning?
Children with GDD usually take longer to acquire new skills from the early years. They
may be lacking the foundational skills required to learn, and acquiring these skills may
take longer than their peers.
Children with GDD often require additional and intensive support in educational settings
to learn new skills, as well as to help them learn at a faster rate and catch up to their
peers.
Each child diagnosed with GDD will be impacted by their disability in a different way and
this is why it is important to do a comprehensive assessment to find out exactly where
your child’s current set of skills are, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.
The brain’s ability to change and adapt is at its greatest during the ages of 0–3 years.
Therefore, appropriate early intervention is critical for infants with GDD to get the best
outcomes.
If the child is older, behavioural intervention programs will still be effective, however
early and intensive treatment results in more positive outcomes.
III. MEDICAL INTERVENTION
Global Developmental Delay Treatment
● Behaviour Therapy
 ● Speech Therapy
● Occupational Therapy
● Physical Therapy
● Family Education
Evidence-based strategies:
• Consider adjustment to communication style
• Integrate learning with fun
• Work collaboratively
• Provide positive feedback

IV. EDUCATIONAL INTERVENTION

Best practice tips:
• Have a consistent routine
• Provide a supportive environment
• Reduce background noise
• Simplify Instructions
• Break skills into smaller parts
•
V. REFERENCES
● Educator Strategies for Developmental delay | AllPlay Learn
● Global Developmental Delay (GDD) - Leaf Complex Care (leafcare.co.uk)
● Global Developmental Delay (GDD) : Your Complete Guide
(mosaicearlyintervention.com.au)