After birth, children will begin to grow and develop, and there are differences in their developmental levels. Some children have higher levels of development, while others have lower levels. Generally speaking, there may not be a significant difference in the intellectual development level of children. If your child's intellectual development level differs too much from that of an ordinary child, it is either a genius or a delayed intellectual development. So what are the manifestations of delayed intellectual development?
1. Unable to reach out for things at 9 months
If you compare with other babies, once you find that the baby still cannot reach out to grab things at 9 months old, and cannot support their weight with their own legs when supported by adults. This indicates that the baby has some abnormalities and should be taken for examination as soon as possible.
2. Abnormal crying
Some babies may cry for a long time due to stimulation, but sometimes they need repeated or continuous stimulation to induce crying; Some babies cry sharply, while others cry softly and weakly; Some babies don't like to cry and appear exceptionally 'well behaved'. If parents learn to understand a baby's crying, they will know a hidden health signal.
(1) If the baby suddenly screams loudly, has no echo, starts with a loud voice but quickly silences. This crying combined with other symptoms such as shaking head, staring, drowsiness, irritability, fever, convulsions, etc., may indicate the presence of cranial diseases such as purulent meningitis.
(2) If the baby suddenly stops crying or making noise, and is excessively quiet, it is also an abnormal phenomenon. Because some newborns are seriously ill and unable to cry, it is even more important to pay attention to careful observation and patiently identify the cause.
3. Poor sucking ability
Some babies may learn to chew later, and when eating solid foods, they are prone to swallowing disorders and vomiting. The earliest symptoms exhibited by babies with intellectual disabilities are often difficulty in feeding, inability to suckle, and particularly prone to spitting, which indicates damage to the nervous system and may affect their intelligence in the future. After adding complementary foods to the baby at half a year old, chewing is delayed and feeding becomes difficult. Eating solid foods is difficult to swallow and can lead to vomiting.
4. Difficulty turning heads when not standing up straight
Some babies may not be able to stand up or have difficulty turning their heads when they reach 100 days old, with one or both eyes continuously facing inward or outward. At this time, parents can do some head up training for their baby. If it doesn't work, they should immediately take the baby to the hospital for examination, ask the doctor for the reason, detect the problem as soon as possible, and seek timely treatment.
5. Excessive sleep and difficulty waking up
Some babies may remain in a state of sleep and are not easily awakened.
Generally speaking, newborns under one month old require approximately 18-20 hours of sleep per day and night. You can only stay awake for about 3-4 hours a day, which can be described as the state of "sleeping after eating". When babies reach 2-3 months old, they need to sleep for 16-18 hours a day; At 5-9 months old, babies still need to sleep for 15-16 hours; At the age of one, it takes about 14-15 hours of sleep.
If the baby exceeds a reasonable period of time for a long time, it is best to have the baby go to the hospital for examination, to promptly detect and solve problems.
6. Blunt expression
The baby's expression has always been dull, and only after a hundred days does he show a smiling expression, and his expression is dull. Even at 6 months old, he still cannot show a natural smile.
It is understood that some babies with congenital intellectual disabilities exhibit abnormal facial and physical features. For example, children with congenital idiocy may have symptoms such as wide eye distance, slanted eyes, collapsed nose bridge, tongue often dragging outside the mouth, drooling, etc., which are commonly referred to as the "international face". Children with hydrocephalus have particularly large head circumference, while those with microcephaly have particularly small heads. If you find anything wrong with your baby, you should promptly consult a doctor.
7. Baby's motor development lags behind normal by 3 months
If a baby's motor development, such as lying down and looking up, sitting, standing, walking, etc., occurs more than 3 months behind normal children, some babies may even have unstable walking, which indicates that the baby's development may be abnormal.
8. After half a year old, the movements of staring at hands and playing with hands still exist
Some babies may continue to observe and play with their hands after half a year old. Their spirit is only focused on one thing, appearing very dull and uninterested in external things, only knowing how to play with their own hands. This is abnormal, as if they only understand their own world. When parents discover this situation, they should pay special attention.
9. Slow response to the outside world
Some babies have a relatively slow response to external stimuli. Even at 6 months old, they still cannot focus on slowly moving objects above their face, cannot turn their heads in the direction of making sounds, cannot turn over on their own, and cannot sit steadily without the help of adults such as parents. This is also one of the manifestations of intellectual disability in babies.
10. Still drooling from July to September
Babies have a habit of drooling, and mothers often put drooling shoulders on them. This is because the addition of complementary foods plays a crucial role in the growth of babies at 4-5 months old. Babies gradually start to supplement their diet with foods containing starch and other nutrients. When stimulated by these foods, their salivary glands secrete significantly more saliva.
At this time, the baby's mouth is small and shallow, and the swallowing reflex function is not yet sound. They cannot use swallowing movements to regulate saliva, so as long as there is too much saliva, it will flow out of the mouth. In addition, many babies like to suck on their fingers, pacifiers, etc., which also stimulates the secretion of salivary glands and increases saliva.
But when the baby still drools frequently and grinds their teeth when awake at 7-9 months old, parents should pay attention. This may be caused by the sequelae of encephalitis, dementia, or facial nerve paralysis, leading to dysfunction in regulating saliva. Although the probability of this is rare, it should be diagnosed and treated at the hospital.
11. Language developmental delay
Some smart babies will imitate adults' speech in a babbling manner at 9 months old, but some babies may have delayed language development and cannot babble or pronounce clearly by 10 months old. At this time, parents should learn more small skills to teach their babies how to speak and exercise them to learn how to speak.
12. Lack of interest in the surrounding environment
Some babies may lack interest in the people and environment around them, dislike socializing with others, and lack emotional attachment. In this situation, parents should not take it lightly. They should love their babies more, talk to them more, and make them more cheerful. At the same time, they should also consult some experts to diagnose whether the baby has any problems and provide timely treatment.
This article discusses some manifestations of delayed intellectual development in children. As a mother, it is important to carefully observe your baby to see if they are normal. If there is a phenomenon of delayed intellectual development, it is necessary to actively train the baby. By taking proactive measures, the problem of delayed intellectual development can be improved to a certain extent.
