4 Steps to Take If You Suspect Your Child Has a Developmental Delay

What do you do if you suspect there is a medical issue going on with your child?

1. First, begin by making an exhaustive list of your child’s symptoms. Be as specific as possible. Examples include: my child has an extreme amount of energy and only sleeps 2 to 3 hours per night, my child appears to be exhausted ALL the time, my child sleeps twelve hours a night and still has dark circles under their eyes. Be specific about what you are seeing, including behaviors and illnesses. Write down your child’s symptoms and any observations, as well as any supplements or medications that your child is taking. Have this information, as well as any questions you have, ready to discuss with your doctor.
2. Second, phone your primary care physician and request an appointment. Tell the office your concerns and, if possible, ask if there are any tests that can be completed prior to your appointment. This will give you a more productive appointment and more data for your doctor to begin helping you. Your goal is to obtain as many data points as possible, as quickly as possible, so you can get to the root cause of your child’s issue.
3. Third, if you need to find a primary care doctor take these four initial steps:
   1. Contact your insurance company and find out which doctors accept your insurance plan and are in network.
   1. Compare this list of doctors in network with reviews you will find online.
   1. Reach out to various mom or parent groups and ask parents for their opinions. Moms will be quick to tell you what they liked and didn’t like about a doctor.
   1. Seek word of mouth recommendations from family, friends or previous doctors to aid in your research and help you narrow your list. Don’t forget the information you are gathering is based on other people’s opinions. Your child is unique and you need to work with someone that you are comfortable with, who will listen to you and is willing to help you.
4. Fourth, do not end your doctor search until you have met with your new doctor. You need to be sure you are comfortable and able to communicate easily with your new doctor.

These four steps are an excerpt from the Pathway to HOPE Resource Guide. To purchase your copy (Oakland County, MI residents pay only S&H thanks to a grant from United Way of Southeast Michigan and from Oakland County government), visit https://healingcomplexkids.org/product/2021-pathway-to-hope-resource-guide/.