Late Bloomer Child – Causes and Parenting Tips

If your child isn’t hitting his developmental milestones at times, most parenting books or websites say he should, don’t worry too much. They are just guidelines for the average development of children. Every child is unique and is going to develop at their own speed. Some develop early, and some are late bloomers. A “late bloomer” child is one who takes longer than other kids to reach certain milestones, like talking, walking, or reading. If your child is a little late, it doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with him. In this article, we will talk about the causes of late blooming and share helpful parenting tips for raising late bloomer kids with care and patience.

How to Tell If Your Child Is a Late Bloomer?

Watch out for the following to know if your child is going through late bloomer child development (3):

• Has not rolled over on his own by the age of five months
• Can’t sit up with support by the age of eight months
• Is not interested in experimenting with crayons and does not even try to feed himself by the age of one year
• Has not yet attempted to walk by the age of eighteen months
• Has not spoken a single comprehensive word by the age of two (1)

What Factors Influence a Child’s Development?

Some factors that may influence a late bloomer child development include (2):

1. Temperament

The nature of your child will directly affect the way your child develops. For example, children with a more persistent nature may refuse to relent until they have mastered a certain skill, say rolling over. This means that they will reach their milestones faster. However, some children may not have such persistent natures and are more likely to give up faster, slowing down the speed at which they master a certain skill and reach a certain milestone.

2. Environment

Babies who are pampered by adoring family members may not reach their milestones as fast because they are being coddled and not given the opportunity. They are rarely given a chance to reach for their ball, as someone will always reach out to give it to them, or they rarely learn how to communicate properly, as someone is always there to ensure they have everything they need, leaving them with no need to try and call out for his or her mother. Children need to get the opportunity to try things for themselves, as it will help them to reach their milestones faster.

3. Muscle Tone

If your child has low muscle tone, it will make it much harder to initiate or even maintain movement. Children with weaker muscle tone may be floppier than others, and when you try to move their limbs when he is relaxed, there is no tension, and it is very easy to do so. Consult with your doctor for the best kind of physical exercise you can do for your child to help strengthen their muscles. If done so regularly, you will see a change quite fast.

4. Personal Interests

Children all have different personal interests, just as adults do. For children who love to stay close to their mommies, learning how to walk may make them soon realise that it is taking them further away from her and separation anxiety may begin to show. Some children may become so fascinated by drawing with pencils or crayons that they may not really take an interest in learning how to walk as they are more content with their art. Those who are more apt to enjoy their mobility may focus on that and not be very interested in verbal exercises.

5. Parental Interactions

It stands to reason that a lot of your child’s development will also depend on the time they spend with you. Children who are not given enough time by their parents will have to learn on their own, which will slow down their development. Those whose parents opt to spend more time with them, playing and encouraging them to speak, will reach their milestones at a greater speed (5).

6. Nutrition and Health

A child’s nutrition and health will directly impact their minds and bodies. A healthy child is much more likely to reach the developmental milestones than a child who is sickly or undernourished. A child’s eating and health in early childhood may have long-lasting effects (6).

Parenting Lessons for a Late Bloomer Child

Here are some lessons a parent should keep in mind while dealing with a late bloomer:

1. Everyone Is Different

You may have more than one child, and if your second is not reaching milestones at the same time the first one did, you may panic, but no two children are alike, and each will get to the same stage by the age of three, even if he or she did it slowly differently.

2. Don’t Be Pushy

There is a difference between encouragement and being pushy. While it will benefit your child greatly to be encouraged, do not try to push your child to do things faster. Children must go at their own speed so that they can truly grasp what it is they are learning.

3. Do Not Label

Children should never be labelled and called unintelligent as each person and child has their own strengths and weaknesses. Studies show that negative labelling has a negative impact on children and their sense of self-worth. This, in turn, will impact their development.

When to Worry?

Despite children developing at their own pace, there is a certain age bracket by when most children should reach certain milestones. A very young child may take some time to respond to something, but as time passes, the response is meant to get faster. Children should be making eye contact and smiling at their caregivers and parents, they should be trying to interact or move about in some way, and so if your child is not showing any of these signs, and is not even making an attempt, you should consult your doctor (4).

FAQs

1. Are late bloomers less intelligent?

No, being a late bloomer has no connection to intelligence. Many late bloomers catch up to their peers and often excel in different areas later in life.

2. How do I help my child build confidence as a late bloomer?

Celebrate small achievements, no matter how minor, and avoid comparing them to other kids. Help them understand that everyone grows at their own pace, and encourage activities where they can feel successful.

3. Can late bloomers still excel in school?

Many late bloomers do very well academically once they find their footing. With the right support and encouragement, they often catch up to their peers and sometimes even surpass them.

Late bloomer baby and the early bird will become indistinguishable by the age of five. Until then, if your child seems to be taking his own sweet time with something, don’t fret. As long as you see your child developing, even if it is slow, you can be sure he will be just fine.

References/Resources:

1. Late Blooming or Language Problem?; American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/late-blooming-or-language-problem/

2. McIsaac. J; Is my child a late bloomer?; Exceptional Lives; https://exceptionallives.org/blog/developmental-delay-late-bloomer/

3. Is Your Baby’s Physical Development on Track?; American Academy of Pediatrics; https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/Pages/Is-Your-Babys-Physical-Development-on-Track.aspx

4. Concerned About Your Child’s Development?; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/concerned.html

5. Lanjekar. P. D, Joshi. S. H, Lanjekar. P. D, Wagh. V; The Effect of Parenting and the Parent-Child Relationship on a Child’s Cognitive Development: A Literature Review; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9678477/

6. Roberts. M, Tolar-Peterson. T, Reynolds. A, et al.; The Effects of Nutritional Interventions on the Cognitive Development of Preschool-Age Children: A Systematic Review; PubMed Central; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8839299/

Also Read:

Reasons for Late Teething in Babies
Speech and Language Delay in Children
Understanding Developmental Delays in Children
Slow Learner Child: Characteristics and How to Deal?

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