Fall Health and Wellness 2022

“If they jump up too high or fall off the growth
curve, then it could be signs of a hormonal problem, or
they’re not taking in enough calories, things like that,”
Coker said. “We also plot their head circumference and
that gives us an idea of how their brain is growing. So,
if their head suddenly grows dramatically compared to
the last visit, it could be a problem with the brain, or if
it stops growing over a couple of visits, that could be a
sign the brain is not growing.”
Dr. Coker explained that developmental delays
could indicate disorders such as autism, but also
assured parents that isolated delays may not be wholly
indicative of autism. A pediatrician can help parents
determine development with their child’s personal
situation.
“As they get older, frequently children with
autism will have some sort of developmental delay,” she
explained. “Often, it’s like, they’re not talking; they’re
not saying any words. We’re getting to 18 months, and
they won’t say ‘ma-ma, da-da’ or anything.”
She also explained that children with autism
might not point to objects as well. She said that checking
in on milestones helps to catch delays early, and if a
child is diagnosed with something like autism, doctors
can intervene earlier and refine the diagnosis as time
goes on.
“Basically, we get them plugged in with different
therapies, so it helps them,” Coker said. “And
the earlier they start with the therapies, the better the
outcome is. They’re able to cope with the world a lot
better.”
To assist in development, Coker advised parents
to talk and interact with their baby by speaking,
singing and reading to them.
“From infancy on, even if they can’t talk, or
you don’t think they can understand you, just having
that human interaction will go a long way towards
furthering their development,” Coker said.
She also encouraged parents to download a
milestone tracker app that can track their child’s development
and bring up concerns to their pediatrician.
A full list of developmental milestones can be
found on the American Academy of Pediatrics’ website:
healthychildren.org/english/ages-stages/baby/Pages/
default.aspx
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