Motor Delays

Motor delay is a type of developmental delay. It is a delay that affects a child's ability to coordinate muscle groups, whether large or small. This can include difficulty with gross motor skills like walking or crawling, or fine motor skills like grasping a spoon. Achieving certain motor skills or meeting motor milestones helps with activities such as walking, running, sitting and crawling. Motor delays are common and can vary in severity. In some cases, children who have motor delays simply achieve milestones at a later age or have only mild delays. In other cases, motor delays might indicate a more serious condition or disorder.

Some common motor delays include:

• Being late to roll over or sit up.
• No signs of walking by 18 months.
• Stiff limbs or low muscle tone.
• Inability to use one side of the body.
• Difficulty holding and using objects.
• Clumsiness and frequent falling.
• Losing previously acquired skills.

Motor skill development begins in infants as young as two months old, when babies begin lifting their head on their own and pushing up onto their forearms. Motor skill development continues until the child is about five years old.

While each child is unique, and their development may not follow the same timeline exactly, if you notice that your child seems to be consistently behind their peers, it is important to have them evaluated by a qualified pediatric developmental expert like those at Gillette Children's.

Motor delay can have a variety of causes, which could include:

• Genetic disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease
• Neuromuscular disorders like Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophy
• Complications before or during birth
• Conditions affecting the muscles, like cerebral palsy
• Neurological conditions such as spina bifida

Gillette Children's has some of the most experienced providers who complete developmental evaluations. If treatment is needed, our providers collaborate with a wide range of Gillette specialists to provide a comprehensive treatment plan. (Note: we do not screen for behavioral conditions like autism.) Our experts specialize in early diagnosis and treatment of motor delay, giving your child the best chance to recover delayed motor skills when possible.

We also work closely with specialists in:

• Assistive technology
• Audiology
• Neurosurgery
• Occupational therapy
• Pediatrics
• Physical therapy
• Speech and language therapy