Top Reasons Why Parents Should Track Their Child’s Development

Are you worried about your child's development? You're not alone.

17% of children between the ages of 3 and 17 have been reported to have some form of developmental disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

That's why it's more important than ever for parents to take an active role in tracking their child's development and seeking help if they notice any delays or concerns.

Here are the top reasons why parents should track their child’s development:

    Helps you identify developmental delays

Tracking your child's development using tools such as a health tracker for parents can help identify potential delays by providing a clear picture of their progress over time. Parents can then compare their child's development to the typical developmental milestones for their kid's age and look for any significant deviations.

Some common examples of developmental delays in childhood include:

• Speech and language delays: difficulty with words, sentences, or understanding language
• Gross motor delays: problem with sitting, crawling, or walking
• Fine motor delays: difficulty with grasping objects or using utensils
• Social and emotional delays: difficulty with social interactions, understanding emotions, or expressing emotions
• Cognitive delays: difficulty with problem-solving, memory, or attention

Remember, every child develops at their own pace, so it's not always a cause for concern if a child is slightly behind in one area of development.

    Allows for personalized parenting

Tracking your child's growth and development can help you understand their individual needs and abilities, allowing you to guide your parenting approach.

For example, if your child is experiencing delays in speech development, you may need to adjust your approach to communication. On the other hand, if your child is advanced in gross motor development, encourage activities that support further growth in that area.

    Gives support for school success

Observing your child's development can provide specific help and guidance in their education. In other words, you can use the information you gathered from monitoring to make decisions about proper school placement and any necessary accommodations to ensure their success.

If your child excels in cognitive development, for instance, you can choose to enroll them in a more challenging curriculum. On the other hand, if your child is struggling with social and emotional development, you can look into programs that focus on building those skills.

It's also essential to work closely with teachers, administrators, and other education professionals to ensure that your child's needs are being met and that they have the support they need to thrive.

    Gives you peace of mind

Tracking your child's development can provide reassurance by giving you a clear picture of their progress and helping you identify any potential concerns early on. Seeing that your child is meeting milestones and progressing can ease your worries and give you confidence in your parenting decisions.

    Allows for early intervention

Tracking your child's development can help you identify potential concerns early on, allowing you to take action and seek help before the issue becomes more severe. Early intervention can make a huge difference in a child's progress and development, so it's crucial to be proactive and address any delays or concerns as soon as possible.

    Allows you to understand your child's strengths and weaknesses

By tracking your child's development, you can better understand their strengths and weaknesses. This knowledge can then be used to help your child succeed in areas they excel in and provide support in areas where they may need extra help. This personalized approach can help your child reach their full potential and feel more confident in their abilities.

    Gives you an opportunity to build a stronger bond with your child

Monitoring your child's development can also help you build a stronger bond with them.

By taking an active interest in their growth and development, you show your child that you care about their well-being and want to support them in reaching their full potential. This can lead to increased trust and communication between you and your child.

    Allows you to monitor your child for potential health concerns

Monitoring a child's development can also help identify potential health concerns. For example, if a child is not meeting milestones for gross motor development, it could be a sign of a musculoskeletal disorder or neurological condition. You can catch these concerns early and seek appropriate medical care by consistently tracking your child's development.

In Summary

Tracking a child's development can be an invaluable approach for parents, helping them to make informed decisions that support their child's overall well-being and help them reach their full potential. It can also provide parents with the information they need to advocate for their child in the education system, such as advocating for speech therapy services or language-based accommodations in the classroom. Finally, tracking a child's development can give parents peace of mind, allowing them to feel more confident in their parenting decisions and reassuring them if any delays or concerns arise.

Now that you know why you, as a parent, should track your child’s development, you’re probably wondering how you can do so.

The answer is simple: Jiguar

How Jiguar Can Help

Jiguar is an app designed to assist parents – like you – in tracking their child's development from birth to 18 years of age. It provides easy and automated screening tools that can help identify potential delays or concerns early on, thereby allowing parents to take action and seek help before the issue becomes more severe.

Jiguar incorporates standard screening and evaluation tools and clinical opinions in all areas of development, including physical (gross motor, fine motor, vision, and hearing), cognition, communication, social, emotional, and adaptive. With these features, parents can comprehensively understand their child's development and make informed decisions to support their overall well-being.

But of course, there’s more to Jiguar than we could share in this blog post. We encourage you to check out Jiguar for yourself so that you can take an even more active role in your child's development.