Global Development Delay

[GDD1]

Is global development delay always accompanied by learning disabilities or can it be a learning difficulty?

[Mrs_Teddy]

Hi, I don't have the answer but I am kind of in the same boat. I always thought that GDD was a temporary thing and that they could catch up but having spoken to a nurse practitioner at our GP practice yesterday, she says it is a diagnosis like a learning disability and another diagnosis is not needed. I'm not really sure of the difference between a learning disability and a learning difficulty to be honest - is one more permanent than the other or also involve things like social skills? I'm still trying to investigate it all myself.

[GDD1 in reply to Mrs_Teddy]

Learning disability will have an intellectual impairment where as learning difficulty won’t necessarily - eg specific learning difficulties like dyslexia, dyspraxia etc could do well academically etc. Learning disabilities may need a special teaching facility. My grandson is almost three and given a diagnosis of GDD two months ago. Non-verbal with “significant traits of autism “ although he doesn’t tick all the boxes. I’m just trying to understand what the next few years may bring for him and what we should be pushing for in terms of support. He is one very happy child though!!

[Mrs_Teddy in reply to GDD1]

That sounds a bit like my son at that age. He didn't speak until he was nearly 4 and I think has mild autism traits. He is also very happy! Once his speech started taking off at about 4.5 he made good progress and although he still has speech issues (he was subsequently diagnosed with a speech disorder) he now doesn't stop talking! He is now 7 and is behind at school and has an EHCP which the nursery recommended we apply for just before he started reception. That gets him extra help at school so was definitely worth doing.

[Just4once]

Hello there my youngest daughter was diagnosed as a baby she did not walk or talk until she was nearly four unfortunately we moved to wales when she was six and the school and health board didn’t pay enough attention and she did not tick the right boxes so did not get the right support needed very detrimental to her mental health anyway going to university I was told to get a full private assessment because the council’s and schools try save money by not doing them right therefore not providing the services it cost me 500 pounds and extremely intensive covering exactly what was what and why her educational needs her employment needs and even genetic needs to be considered in the future such a shame to go 13 years dyslexia dysphasia asd and PDA without any understanding or support my advice to anyone is don’t let anyone else go through this fight for rights of life for all education empowerment and enabling now madam is in second year I have managed to secure her an advocate service as she will need ongoing support as various stages of life like housing life skills ect hopefully this information will helpful