There are many reasons why children may not follow the expected pattern of development.
If early learning cognitive theories are accepted, and the infant brain is insufficiently stimulated during the crucial first three years of a child's life, or exposed to toxins or malnutrition, this can cause problems and result in learning disabilities later on.
Children with some kind of disability, either physical or mental, will find it harder to learn than other children of the same age, and may need support, such as a different way of teaching, help from an adult, or use of certain specialised or adapted equipment, such as a computer or writing desk.
Children with emotional problems may also have difficulty learning, concentrating or interacting with others in such a way that it prevents their development along expected patterns.
If a child is physically limited, through disability, injury or malnutrition, or even simple lack of opportunity to play this could prevent them reaching certain physical milestones, such as being able to walk, run, catch a ball, or jump when others of their own age can.
A child's environment – physical, social and cultural - can play a large part in all aspects of their development. The family environment is very important in the development of a child and. if less than ideal, can have a negative effect on their development. For example, if parents are inattentive, have financial problems or neglect the child in some way, this could impact on their social and emotional development, result in malnutrition and thereby impact on their physical development, and affect their intellectual and language development through lack of proper communication and informal education through play and games at home. Factors which could negatively affect a child's development also include the relative socio-economic standards of where...