I am sure most of you would say, yes! Your friend’s daughter engages in a conversation using sentences and your child is still using single words. At the park, your child struggles with the playground equipment, while others appear to be natural athletes. Or, you remember that your other children developed certain skills earlier and question if your youngest child is delayed.

Now, there are many cases where any mother would respond telling you that you weren’t the most athletic or struggled around the outdoor playground equipment. Your aunt would probably tell you of your cousin who couldn’t talk until he/she was four and is now a doctor.

And yes, these reassurances do work, you’re still stuck with a nagging feeling that it wouldn’t hurt if you investigate a little further.

In a case like this, it is best to trust your instincts as a parent. You know your child best.

Children have similar developmental patterns but don’t always achieve them at the same time. So if you observe your child developing faster in one particular aspect, know that there’s nothing unusual about this.

A delay in development is essentially considered unusual when a child does not reach his/her developmental milestones within the range of what is considered normal. Areas such as communication/language, motor (e.g. walking, grasping/manipulating objects) or social skills (e.g. eye contact, playing with peers) are some examples where children might be lacking.

How do you deal with such a scenario?

Once you have highlighted that there are areas where your child may be lacking, you have a few options:

• The first and foremost step must be to consult an experienced pediatrician.

• You should also consult your child’s teacher for their observations on the developments of your child.

• Do some research on your own - online resources and directories are great places to learn more about developmental milestones.

After weighing all the information, you will either feel more reassured that your child is on target or just a late bloomer, or you may have more concerns.

If it is the latter, then you should always refer to a specialist like an occupational, physical or speech-language therapist that can discuss your child’s development and figure out if there is a need for an assessment. When you feel that your child is showing delays across more than one area of their development, it is better to go ahead and seek professional advice.

And most importantly, it is advised that everyone is aware that most delays are not serious and early intervention is a sure way to help your child catch up.