Global developmental delay is defined as a delay in two or more areas of a child’s development. Areas affected include fine and gross motor skills, language and speech, cognitive functions, personal and social development and activity of daily living.
What is global developmental delay?
Guidelines
This diagnosis is reserved for individuals under 5 years of age when the level of clinical severity cannot be reliably assessed during early childhood.
It is also diagnosed when a subject does not meet expected developmental milestones in several domains of intellectual functioning, and applies to individuals in whom a systematic assessment of intellectual functioning cannot be carried out, including children too young to participate in standardised tests. It should be reassessed after a period of time.
> American Psychiatric Association (2014). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), 5th ed.