Delayed Growth And Development, A Drug-Related Birth Defect

After 9 months inside the mother’s womb, the baby is finally out into the world. Here, growing and maturing carries on. A certain pattern of growth and development is followed by children as they grow. Parents are concerned on the welfare and current condition of their growing child, thus making the stages important. It is also through understanding the pattern where delay in development is discovered. Some contributing factors to the delay are mother’s health, environment, and genes. Drugs taken in the course of pregnancy, like Paxil an SSRI antidepressant, is said to have caused developmental delay and may also be dangerous if withdrawn during pregnancy.

A child grows more while he is an infant than at any other time. From 1 month to 1 year of age, an infant undergoes rapid developments. The baby will double his birth weight by 4 to 6 months and triple it when he is about 12 months old. Each month, the baby will grow 1 to 1 ½ inches and by 10 to 12 months old, he is 2 times longer than at birth. A height and weight chart can best assess how much the infant gained and how long has he grown. Furthermore, the baby’s head circumference is increasing in a fast pace, showing rapid brain growth. It may look asymmetrical to the rest of the body during the first half of the first year. The 2 lower center teeth are the first teeth to erupt and it usually occurs at 6 months of age. After this, the teeth to erupt are the upper center teeth, then the upper side teeth, followed by the lower side teeth.By the end of his 1^st year, the baby will have approximately 6 to 8 teeth. The bowel movement and urination of the baby will eventually follow a certain course, but this doesn’t imply that he is ready for training.

The first year the baby is outside her mother’s womb is a critical stage for him. During this time, growth and learning potential are happening fast. Observance and diagnosing of developmental delay and other Paxil birth defects may happen during this period. Proper nutrition is very important for the baby to grow and thrive physically. The overall health condition of both mother and baby is an important issue, thus it is best to have a regular check-up with a health care provider.