Establishing a Diagnosis and Determining Etiology in Developmental Delay and Mental Retardation

Abstract Developmental disabilities occur in 5%-10% of the pediatric population (Shevell et al. 2000). Deficits may exist in a single domain or across several domains. Included within the spectrum of developmental disabilities are global developmental delay, isolated speech and language delay, motor delay, cerebral palsy, pervasive developmental disabilities, and profound primary and sensory impairments such as deafness and blindness. Determining specific etiology in childhood developmental delay has implications for management. These include medical follow-up, prognosis prediction, and recurrence risk estimation. An important goal of the diagnostic evaluation is to ensure that appropriate rehabilitative services are arranged.