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Behaviour/development

15 month old - am I being paranoid about development?

11 replies

whizzymummy · 23/06/2007 13:31

Hi, this is my first posting so I am new to this! I just wondered if anyone had any opinions on something that has been bothering me for a while. My ds is now 15 months and Ive worried for a while about his development, I feel like hes behind but dont know if its my paranoia, his personality or maybe something to worry about.

It all started when at around 5 or 6 months he started to clench and unclench his fists alternately all the time (for a lot of the time when he was awake) and people started to ask me why. It really started to worry me so I went to see a pediatrician who said he thought it was nothing to worry about, that it was something that pleased him.

Since then Ive seen lots of other babies the same age develop and I have always felt like he is behind in picking things up. He does the thing with his hands still, though less, but usually when he is exciting or not occupied.

He is not talking yet but babbles and seems to understand some words and will on occasion sort of point and grunt at something he wants. However, he does not seem to try to copy or make sounds of words, like ca for car etc.

He plays with toys but it seems to me it is usually just to shake them, eat or man-handle them. He will knock down a stack and push walkers around - but for example he wouldnt push a car along, hold a play phone to his ear, press buttons or try to use shape sorters.

Is this normal for a 15 month old? Am I just being paranoid that something is not right? I always look at his little friends who are playing with shape sorters, trying to do puzzles and pressing buttons on toys, etc... I know I should try not to compare too much but its difficult when you see other children so much.

Sorry for the long ramble! would appreciate your opinions.

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squeakybub · 23/06/2007 13:41

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cktwo · 23/06/2007 14:02

My two year old has only recently started walking, pointing and saying the odd word. We've had loads of appointments with Paediatricians, Speech Therapists and Audiologists, none of whom can find anything wrong with her.
Each child is different as each adult is different.

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whizzymummy · 23/06/2007 16:12

Hi
Thanks for your reassuring messages. The paediatrician said to go back at 18 months and have him checked then. In the meantime I've just stewed on it - you know what it is like when you start worrying, things get a little out of control in your head!
Bye the way squeakybub, my niece had no hair until 2 1/2 and now she has loads!!

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Sophiale01 · 04/08/2007 21:05

Just wanted to add that it wasnt until I actually got down on the floor with my DD 12 months and showed her how to use the shape sorters etc that she started doing it herself (although I had to encourage her tons). before she just used to munch on them and still does most of the time. Im sure he's fine and I think sometimes we just presume that if we put a toy in front of them they will automaically know how it works, Im not saying you do this though, I'm sure you play with him as much as you can...

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berolina · 04/08/2007 21:17

He's a bit young for consistent use of puzzles and buttons and pretend play, I think. The sort-of pointing is a good sign - this should develop into proper pointing over the next few months. If that didn't happen I might start to worry.

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Elk · 04/08/2007 21:57

Hi,
I'm no expert.

Babbling is good, it means they are trying out sounds for themselves. My 19 month old has just started copying sounds in the last couple of weeks (her big sister was talking at this age). Pointing and grunting is a good form of communication 'cos it tends to work.

Children learn alot from putting objects in their mouths, it is a stage they go through (my four year old still likes to do it accoasionally).

My dd2 (19months) thinks a shaped sorter is for rattling or if all else fails for throwing. She does use toy phones and cars but she has a big sister to show her how to do it.
18 months is a bit young for puzzles unless you want to spend hours showing him how to do them. Building block towers and knocking them down is much more fun.

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berolina · 04/08/2007 21:59

Oh, my ds was never really a big shape-sorting puzzle-doing tower-building type. he's perfectly capable of these things, but his interests lie elsewhere. Now at 2.2, he is developing amazingly imaginative pretend games and adores books.

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KristinaM · 04/08/2007 22:06

I'm going to stick my neck out here....I have several kids, the youngest is 18 months. And i think that all of them were doing pretend play with toys by 15 months eg pushing cars along, holding phones and babbling, pressing buttons , pointing the remote at teh TV, pretnding to drink from a cup or using a brush to brush their hair.

Sorr, but I would be worried too. OTOH I am not an expert, so maybe all that measn is that i am also a paranoid mum

and they do all have their own "interests" - DD1 coudlnt channge a video until she was 2 1/2 whereas ds has been doing it since he was 17 months

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BirdyArms · 04/08/2007 22:29

I would NOT be worried. Ds1 seemed to me to be very behind at everything until he was 2ish. Also some of the children you are comparing him to are probably girls who do generally seem to be more advanced. Definitely at 15 mths ds1 wasnt pretend playing or shape sorting. He didn't say any words until he was almost 2, tho' did babble a lot. Now at 2.4 I think he is quite normal - he does have quite a short attention span but he has moments of brightness when I realise that he can now do quite advanced things for his age, just isn't very interested in doing them a lot of the time. I am quite a laid back (maybe lazy ) mum and think that other people would maybe have sought help with ds1. Doesn't sound to me like your ds has a problem.

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mm22bys · 05/08/2007 06:41

There is no point worrying, if you are concerned, then see a professional who can either say yes there is a problem, and here's our plan to "fix it", or no, there is no problem.

To put this in context, I have an 8 month old who is definitely not developing "normally" - and we have finally been referred to a child development team who will hopefully just say he needs physio (which we have started ourselves anyway...).

All the best

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whizzymummy · 06/08/2007 10:31

I went to see my GP about this a couple of weeks ago and just today got through a referral to see a community paediatrician in 3 weeks.

I don't know about you guys but I just decided that it was really bad for me to sit there and stew about it. Worrying so much is sure to affect how I behave around him.

So we'll see what they say...

He has just this last couple of weeks figured out what a car is and will push it along, though normally only if I tell him to push the car.

Otherwise I feel like it's all really the same, no talking but lots of babbling and wierd and wonderful sounds coming out of his mouth! His play is much the same. These days if I show him how to use a shape sorter and ask him to try and put a piece in a hole he just hands it to me as if he wants me to do it! Maybe he thinks that is the game...

Anyway, thanks for all your comments. We'll see what the paed. says. Am crossing fingers they say it's just his personality.