Global Developmental Delay and Intellectual Disability can affect learning, reasoning, problem-solving, communication, daily living skills and adaptive functioning. Some children reach milestones later, need repeated teaching or require support with safety, self-care, communication and school learning.
Parents may notice delayed walking, delayed speech, difficulty understanding instructions, slow learning of colours or numbers, poor safety awareness or needing more help than peers with dressing, toileting, feeding or organising belongings. Early assessment helps families understand the child’s profile and plan support.
At home, support should be practical and routine-based. Teach one small skill at a time. Instead of “get ready for school”, teach the steps: put on socks, put on shoes, carry bag. Use pictures, repetition, modelling and praise. Progress may be slow, but small steps are meaningful.
Daily living skills are just as important as academics. Children can practise putting clothes in the laundry basket, setting the table, packing a snack, washing hands or greeting family members. These skills build independence, dignity and confidence.
Parents should avoid comparing the child with siblings, cousins or classmates. The question is not “why are they not like other children?” but “what is the next achievable step for this child?” This mindset supports emotional wellbeing for both the child and the family.
At school, the child may need an Individual Education Plan with functional academic goals, communication goals, social goals and independence goals. Targets may include following a two-step instruction, requesting help, completing a matching task independently, using a bathroom routine or joining a group activity.
An Incluzun LSA can support learning through prompts, visuals, repetition and positive reinforcement. The LSA should avoid doing everything for the child. Instead, they help the child practise the same target many times across the school day and gradually reduce support as skills develop. The aim is safety, participation, communication and growing independence.
Parent Checklist: When to Seek Further Professional Guidance
Disclaimer: This checklist is only a general guide to help parents notice possible traits or concerns. It is not an identification, diagnosis or formal assessment. Only a suitably qualified professional can complete a formal identification or assessment of a child's needs.
Parents may wish to seek further professional advice when several of the following traits are frequent, persistent and affecting learning, daily life, communication, independence, confidence or safety:
☐ Developmental milestones such as speech, walking, play or self-care are significantly delayed.
☐ Learns basic concepts such as colours, numbers or routines much more slowly than peers.
☐ Needs repeated teaching and many reminders to remember new skills.
☐ Finds it hard to follow simple instructions or solve everyday problems.
☐ Needs more help than expected with dressing, toileting, feeding or organising belongings.
☐ Shows limited safety awareness in familiar or unfamiliar settings.
☐ Struggles to transfer a skill learned in one place to another place.
☐ Needs regular adult support to participate safely and meaningfully in school routines.
If you are unsure where to begin, you can always contact Incluzun for more direction towards the right qualified professional for formal identification or assessment, and to discuss whether an LSA may be suitable for your child.
Research and UAE guidance note: AAP guidance on developmental delay and intellectual disability emphasises careful evaluation and coordinated support for the child and family.
Incluzun specialises in finding the right Learning Support Assistant (LSA) for the right child. For developmental delay and intellectual disability support, our LSAs work with families, schools, teachers, inclusion teams and therapists so that agreed goals are practised consistently across the school day. The aim is meaningful progress, confidence and independence, not dependence on adult support.
Need LSA support for your child? Contact Incluzun: [email protected] | 056-5000-830.
Remember, inclusion is a journey, not a destination.