Hello all,
I'm new to this site, so hello everyone! I just wanted to post something about my youngest son, I'm pretty worried about his development.
He's 4 (will be 5 in October), and has always been a very quiet child. He didn't speak at all untill he was 2.5, and then when he turned three his speech at home suddenly took off and he was speaking in full sentences. He still mispronounces nearly all of his words however, but we have come to understand what he means. Grandparents and others outside the family do rarely understand him, which I think he finds frustrating.
At his two year check I did mention this delay, but was advised not to worry as he had no trouble following instructions like 'please get your coat' etc, so I've never persued it and just considered him a quiet, introverted child. And all children are different aren't they? I've always tried not to compare either of my children to eachother or others.
Aside from that, he has no awareness of danger, no matter how many times we explain to him or discipline him. He will run out of our front door, climb to the top of the garden fence, climb up onto the windowsil and try to open the window, run out into roads and run around corners so you can't see him. When telling him off, he will just laugh and not make eye contact.
He is a very fussy eater (doesn't like the smell of a lot of foods) and wakes 2-4 times a night.
Those are my main concerns, but he is also extremely affectionate to those he loves. As a baby he wanted to be carried by me constantly, and he will still follow me around the house when we're alone, even into the bathroom. However, if he doesn't like someone or trust them, he will ignore them completely or hit randomly. He has also begun hitting himself for no apparent reason.
At nursey he will not interact with any of the other children, or speak at all to adults. He will play on his own, but quite often complains about the loud noises in the nursery. He's told me that he puts his hands over his ears a lot when there, but the ladies pull his hands away. This worries me too. His key worker has commented that she's been unable to assess his development because he will not interact with her, but she seems unwilling to label him, and just says that some children can be very shy. I've always told the nursery that he is very chatty at home, and it's only now that I've begun putting all these niggles together to see the bigger picture.
Sorry for the rant! Hope I didn't bore you with it :)
Becky x