Developmental Delay

This page holds the current legal definition for this disability category from the special education law of Massachusetts.

The CDC’s fact sheet about developmental disabilities presents easy to digest information for parents about its causes and risk factors, who is affected, and the difference between developmental monitoring and screening.

This resource contains general and useful information for parents and caregivers who are concerned about a child’s development, as well as when/how to inquire with a pediatrician about a developmental evaluation.

Reading delays are one of the most common forms of developmental delays. This resource for parents and educators comes from the Reading Rockets project, which is guided by an advisory panel of special education experts and received the top honor in the Library of Congress Literacy Awards Program in 2016. The page explains when and how to use its research-based classroom strategies for building literacy skills. It also addresses key skill areas, including phonics, comprehension, fluency, phonological awareness, writing, and vocabulary. Check out the rest of the website and explore more reading resources at https://www.readingrockets.org. 

This site briefly explains the five main areas of development, risk factors for developmental delays, and the difference between developmental delays and developmental disabilities (which children don’t outgrow or catch up from). The information is provided by an experienced classroom teacher and early intervention specialist and reviewed by a developmental behavioral pediatrician.