PRAXIS 5355 · COURSE
Praxis 5355 Special Education: Foundational Knowledge course
17 guided lessons across 4 sections. Read the first chapter free — no account needed.
FREE CHAPTER
Causes of Disabilities and Developmental Milestones
This category is 26% of the test. It starts with two basics: what can cause a disability, and what typical development looks like so you can spot when a child is off track.
Key words
- Etiology
- The cause or origin of a condition or disability. — e.g. Prenatal alcohol exposure causing a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
- Prenatal
- Before birth. — e.g. A genetic condition like Down syndrome.
- Perinatal
- Around the time of birth. — e.g. Lack of oxygen during delivery.
- Developmental milestone
- A skill most children reach around a certain age. — e.g. Saying first words around 12 months.
- Developmental domains
- Areas of development: language, physical, cognitive, social-emotional. — e.g. Fine motor skills are part of the physical domain.
ETIOLOGY = CAUSE
Disabilities can come from different times in a child's life. Prenatal (before birth): genetic conditions like Down syndrome (trisomy 21) or fragile X syndrome, maternal infections, and prenatal alcohol exposure (fetal alcohol spectrum disorders). Perinatal (around birth): prematurity, very low birth weight, or lack of oxygen. Postnatal (after birth): traumatic brain injury, lead poisoning, serious illness, or malnutrition.
FOUR DEVELOPMENTAL DOMAINS
Language (understanding and using words), physical (gross motor like walking and fine motor like grasping a crayon), cognitive (thinking, memory, problem solving), and social-emotional (relationships, managing feelings). Development in one domain affects the others.
TYPICAL MILESTONES (approximate)
Around 12 months: first words, pulling up or walking with support. Around 2 years: two-word phrases ('more milk'), running. Around 3 years: short sentences, simple pretend play. Around 4-5 years: tells simple stories, hops, takes turns in games. Children vary, so look for patterns of delay, not one late skill.
EXCEPTIONALITIES CHANGE THE PATH
A child with a disability may reach milestones later, in a different order, or not at all in one domain while being on track in others. A child with cerebral palsy may have delayed physical milestones but typical language and thinking. Plan instruction from the child's actual strengths and needs, not from age alone.
WHY IT MATTERS FOR TEACHING
Knowing typical development helps you notice early warning signs, refer for screening, and set realistic, meaningful goals that build on what the child can already do.
Remember this
- Etiologies: prenatal (genetic, alcohol, infection), perinatal (prematurity, oxygen loss), postnatal (TBI, lead, illness).
- Four domains: language, physical, cognitive, social-emotional; they influence each other.
- Look for patterns of delay; refer early rather than waiting.
Causes happen Before, During, or After birth: PRE-, PERI-, POST-natal.
Every lesson in the course
I. Human Development and Individual Learning Differences
26%- Causes of Disabilities and Developmental MilestonesFree
- Adaptive Behavior, Intellectual Disability, and Autism
- What Shapes Learning: Environment, Biology, and Processing
- Sensory, Physical, and Health Needs and the Continuum of Placements
II. Effective Planning and Instruction and Productive Learning Environments
32%- Explicit Instruction and Cognitive Strategies
- Specially Designed Instruction: Scaffolding, UDL, Reading, and Math
- IEPs, IFSPs, Assistive Technology, and Progress Monitoring
- Placement, Differentiation, and Transition Planning
- Productive Learning Environments and Positive Behavior Supports
III. Assessment
23%- Types of Assessments and How to Read Scores
- Early Intervention, RTI/MTSS, and Eligibility
- Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavior Intervention Plans
- Using Data: Accommodations, Modifications, and Sharing Results
IV. Professional Learning, Practice, and Collaboration
19%- IDEA: Core Principles, Categories, and Parent Rights
- Other Key Laws and Foundational Theories
- Prereferral to Placement, Ethics, and Equity
- Collaboration, Co-Teaching, and Professional Growth