Which term refers to a significant lag in cognitive, physical, social, or behavioral development?

• A. Developmental Delay
• B. Cognitive Delay
• C. Multi-handicapped
• D. Specific Learning Disability

Answer: (A)

Developmental delay is a significant lag in development across areas such as cognitive, physical, social, or behavioral domains. This broad designation is used when a child isn’t reaching age-expected milestones, signaling the need for assessment and early intervention to determine causes and appropriate supports. The other terms are narrower or describe different patterns: cognitive delay focuses only on thinking skills; multi-handicapped refers to having multiple disabilities; a specific learning disability involves difficulties with particular academic skills despite overall typical development. So this term best captures a broad, multi-domain lag in development.