Helping young children with special developmental needs

Many parents worry about their children's abilities and whether their behaviour is normal. The range and complexity of behaviour and skills change rapidly in young children with individual patterns of development varying widely. Normal stages of development may be delayed or the expected sequence varied. This can be associated with neurological or genetic disorders or chronic illness but may sometimes reflect a family pattern. Recognition of vulnerability enables the child's special needs to be supported before a disorder becomes entrenched. Intervention is aimed at understanding and supporting the child, promoting success and approval and encouraging appropriate neurobiological development.

This article aims to: clarify the general practitioner role in coordinating appropriate support in collaborative management; describe the relative frequency of various developmental problems; describe the range of assisting services available; emphasise the importance of early recognition and referral; and highlight the interaction between communication disorders and behavioural problems.

The family doctor may be able to identify problems early and assist parents in coordinating optimum help for their children. Often the GP is the one professional who has known the child from infancy and may know other family members with similar problems as well as understanding the cultural context. This gives the GP a central role in early recognition of developmental vulnerability and in maintaining long term review and modification of supports for the child and family.