A motor delay means a child is slower than expected to develop movement skills. Gross motor skills include rolling, sitting, crawling, walking, and balance. Fine motor skills include reaching, grasping, and using the hands for play and self-care. One area can be affected without the other.
This page does not diagnose cerebral palsy, developmental coordination disorder, or any other condition. It explains when a physiotherapy or occupational therapy assessment is a reasonable next question.
Updated 29 September 2026. Educational information from The Speech Clinic Dubai. It describes common concerns and what an assessment may involve. It is not a diagnosis and does not replace an individual assessment.
Ranges vary. The clinic articles on core strength, skipping crawling, and why movement matters discuss those topics in more detail. They are not a substitute for watching your child.
Physiotherapy is the usual starting point for gross motor skills: how a child moves through space, balances, and builds strength for play. Occupational therapy is the usual starting point when the difficulty shows up in hand use, self-care, or the sensory and motor demands of daily tasks.
A child can be referred to both. Gross motor skills and fine motor skills are existing treatment pages inside the clinic. Speech therapy is a separate service; a motor delay does not by itself mean a child needs speech therapy, though some children have both movement and communication needs.
Ask for an assessment if a skill is clearly later than your paediatrician expected, if movement is asymmetric, if the child is losing skills they had, or if participation in play or nursery is limited by movement. Loss of skills or a marked difference between the two sides of the body should be discussed with your doctor promptly, not only with a therapy clinic.
An assessment observes movement in play, asks about birth and medical history you already know, and explains whether therapy, review, or medical follow-up is appropriate. It does not assign a diagnosis from a milestone chart.
If therapy is recommended, sessions practise the missing or effortful skills through play, with ideas for home that fit your routine. The aim is participation — moving, playing, and doing daily tasks with less struggle — not a promise that every milestone will arrive on a standard timetable.
No. Motor delay refers to movement skills. Speech delay refers to spoken communication. Some children have both, and some medical or developmental profiles affect both, but one does not automatically mean the other.
Not crawling is not a diagnosis. Some children move to the next skill another way. If balance, strength, or later movement is a concern, a physiotherapy assessment is more useful than a general rule about crawling. The clinic's article on skipping crawling discusses this further.
No. You can book a physiotherapy or occupational therapy assessment to describe movement. Share any medical diagnoses you already have so the therapist does not work in isolation from your doctor.
For walking, balance, and large movement, start with physical therapy. For hand skills, dressing, and daily tasks, start with occupational therapy. Mention both if you are unsure.
If your child's movement or hand skills are a daily concern, the clinic can direct you to physiotherapy, occupational therapy, or both.
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