Doctors Warn Many Childhood Development Delays Go Undetected Early

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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pediatrician Isvarani Devana Irawan from Bethsaida Hospital emphasized the importance of monitoring children's development from an early age. "Not all children's developmental problems can be clearly seen in the early stages," she said on July 23, 2026.

Doctor Isvarani reminded that regular check-ups are necessary to help parents monitor their children's developmental achievements according to their age. "So that if any delays or specific risk factors are found, treatment can be done earlier and more optimally," she said.

So far, many parents only realize the delay in development or incomplete immunization status after their children face certain obstacles. However, routine monitoring of growth and immunization can help detect and prevent various health problems early.

Isvarani emphasized that developmental disorders in children can appear in various forms, ranging from delayed speech, delayed walking, motor disorders, to difficulties in social interaction. Unfortunately, some of these conditions are often only realized when children enter school age or when the abilities that should have developed have not been achieved according to their age group.

In addition to monitoring development, parents also need to ensure that their children receive immunizations according to the schedule as an effort to protect them from various infectious diseases, such as measles, polio, hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), and PD3I (Diseases that can be prevented by Immunization) due to pneumococcal infections and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), which can still cause serious complications in children.

The importance of early detection and immunization was also emphasized by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, Budi Gunadi Sadikin. "Promotive preventive programs for children, first, their families should be educated, second, they should be screened more often, and third, immunization. These are the three main programs in preventive care," said Budi.

Pediatrician Regia Sabaraty Sinurat from Bethsaida Hospital also emphasized that monitoring development and immunization are two important steps in maintaining children's health from an early age. "Immunization not only protects children from various infectious diseases, but also helps reduce the risk of serious complications that can affect development and the quality of life in the future. Therefore, it is important for parents to follow the recommended immunization schedule," she added.

Each child has different stages of growth and development. However, regular monitoring is still needed to ensure that a child's motor, language, cognitive, and social skills develop according to their age.

Through comprehensive evaluations, various signs of developmental delays or specific risk factors can be recognized earlier so that appropriate treatment can be given according to the child's needs.

In addition to monitoring development, immunization is an important part of maintaining children's health. The Pediatric Center at Bethsaida Hospital provides child immunization services according to applicable recommendations and schedules, both basic and advanced.

Many developmental problems and infectious diseases in children can be prevented or managed more optimally if recognized early, so regular developmental monitoring and immunization according to the schedule need to be a concern for parents from an early age.

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