advice on coping with an unsociable toddler

[maisiebrooks]

This is the first time I've posted so bear with me. I have a 22 month old son who was a very late walker (19months) and still doesn't really talk (just mama, dada, baa-baa). Not something that bothers me too much as I'm confident he understands most of what I say but the consequence of his later development appears to be that he seems so babyish compared to his peers and struggles to interact with other children. He spends much of the day crying and reacts quite badly to friends coming over (we now limit visits at our home to one child as he can become hysterical with groups of children around) or to seeing them in the park. He is incredibly repetitive in his play and really only wants to do one or two things, usually over and over again. He doesn't seem to have any interest in interacting with other children. He seems to cry an awful lot and it's hard to know what to do to make him happy, engaging him in any new activity takes a long time. He eats and sleeps well so I know I have a lot to be thankful for but it breaks my heart to see him really not enjoying or coping with daily life and I am at a bit of a loss. Any advice on how to deal with this - any recommended reading etc would be very much appreciated. Thank you

[castlesintheair]

Have you spoken to your GP or HV?

[maisiebrooks]

I haven't to be honest as I wonder if it's really a medical problem (have always left the doctor as a last resort when it comes to general not-coping-with things as I think they'll just tell me to go home and get on with it). I guess it's worth a try.

[Stigaloid]

I'd speak to your GP or HV and see what they say.