15 month old development delay due to lockdown

[Sunny345H]

Firstly going to say that I am outside of the UK so things over here won't be the same as in UK regaring medical advice and referals etc but was just wondering if anyone else had had the same kind of experience as me.

I'm single parent to DS 15 months. When confinememt started he wasn't even one year old. We saw his pediatritian today for a routine development check up and she has referred us to a specialist due to his delayed communication skills. He doesn't say any words, doesn't understand simple instructions such as give me the toy, doesn't wave hello/goodbye, doesn't point at dogs/buses/trains when we're out for a walk.

The doctor made a comment that the confinemtent could have had something to do with it as DS was pretty much 3 months without contact with anyone else but me and his opportunity for social interation was seriously limited. Obviously we will never know what the outcome would have been if there had been no confinement but I was wondering if anyone else has been told that their child might be suffering developmental delays as a result of confinement?

[Wherethereshope]

We're probably not at that point yet in the UK - I would hope there wouldn't be a need to make this a thing though. A developmental delay is a significant thing and not just due to covid.

certain areas of development will be affected but this can be developed as and when life starts taking shape again. A developmental delay would be where a child is significantly delayed not due to an explainable external reason.

You're not having to pay for this specialist referral are you? Unless you had concerns pre covid, id wait and see what happens naturally.

[AladdinMum]

It is highly unlikely that the lockdown would have impacted his development, in the early years a child only needs one other person to communicate and interact with (normally a parent), however, here in the UK many of the delays you mention are not considered late until 18M old.

[Newbiehere123]

My DS started to walk at nearly 14 months on the day we moved to a new house last month. Basically our new house has a very large open plan living, dining and kitchen area. My old flat was tiny and the poor kid didn't have any space at all the walk or play and was stuck indoors most of the time during lockdown as we lived in a crowded city centre and i was scared to take him out. I was so worried about him walking late but the day we moved he started to walk in all that empty space our new house offered. We now also have a garden and a stream behind our garden and we get to see more wildlife which interests my son.

What I'm trying to say is, I think the lockdown has affected my own sons development. Since we moved to a bigger place which means there is more opportunities for him now to explore than before, it has helped him. His communication skills have improved, he is bringing toys to me, he is engaging with me and sharing interest. I am waiting for the pointing to come along hopefully but I am assuming he is busy right now as he is running around exploring but he is kind of pointing with his hands but not yet with his index fingers.

All the things I would have done normally have all been delayed which I think it has affected his development a little. For instance, play groups, swimming, outdoor activities were on hold at a time when he started to understand more. I wanted to take him to nursery for the first but haven't due to Covid-19. He has been to a play group probably 3 times but he was so young to understand but now he turned 15 months and understands more but is restricted with all the activities he could have done to help him develop more but, even moving to a larger house has helped!

[Sunny345H]

Thanks for the input. Obviously DS may have had development delays anyway but some of the points the paediatric nurse made got me thinking a bit. Especially when she was asking about him waving hello and goodbye I was thinking well how can he learn how to wave hello and goodbye if he's got no one to say hello or goodbye to.

I'm also feeling guilty as I've been working from home and have had to put him with videos for a while so I could get some work done everyday which is obviously not beneficial for him and I was wondering if that might have something to do with it.

I haven't got a date for his specialist assessment because they said they are just seeing urgent cases at the minute but I'll just have to wait and see what they say.

[Freddy79]

Hi
I really need help , my son is 20 months , his development quite por, his not walking, he doesn’t understand basic things, not talking at all .... I’m really worried, my Psykotherapy has done no things , i was wating for child development appointm Enfield taking very long cose the Covid , now I moved to Barnet I don’t know how long the wait is ... anyone’s has same issue with their child?

[Hohohole]

@Sunny345H my 23 month old stopped waving and pointing about 3 weeks into lock down (mid March). He stop talking too. He is currently being assessed, but things are slow. He has started clapping, waving and pointing again in the last two weeks.
No words but lots of babbling now.
I really don't think lock down helped, but can't put it all down to it.

[Cauliflower82]

I don’t really have any advice but just wanted to send a virtual hug. It must be hard being a single parent particularly during a pandemic. It sounds like you’re a very caring and loving mum 💕

[Mamtocas]

Hi, your post is pretty much our current situation to the letter. I do hav other family live with me but my son was meeting all development targets on time until lockdown. I blamed lockdown for making him strange towards my extended family to whom he was very close but i just dont know. I feel maybe its triggered somthing off that maybe would or wouldnt of been there regardless....but we also are waiting for an assessment just at home for his development. Now iv actually noticed it and spoken to someone about it tho im worried sick x