Developmental disabilities are a group of problems that often include difficulty with physical, thinking and reasoning (intellectual), social, or psychological growth and development.

Some early signs of developmental disabilities in children include:

• Crawling, sitting up, walking, and talking more slowly (or later) than other children of the same age. A variety of therapies are available to assist children in learning these skills.
• Not functioning at the same level as other children of the same age in social behaviour or thinking processes. It is important that a child's thinking ability and social behaviour be closely watched. Appropriate measures should be taken at school, at home, or in other situations to help a child reach his or her potential.