Really worried about my DS

[jlaocl]

My DS is 16 months. For a while I have had a niggling feeling that something is a little "off" with him. Now as he's getting older his behaviour is becoming more noticeable.

He's not walking independently yet. He can cruise amongst furniture (unsteadily) but other than that he shows no interest in walking and has bum shuffled for a good 6 months.

He does not respond to his name no matter how many times I call him. Isn't really saying words either just mumma occasionally. Will babble sometimes.

He doesn't like affection. If we try to give him a cuddle or a kiss, he will tantrum spectacularly and push us away.

Has an obsession with doors opening and closing. He will sit there and open and close the door for ages and will stay fascinated.

He isn't waving pointing or anything like that either..

I'm so worried and just feel a bit rubbish at the fact that's he just seems so behind developmentally. I am thinking about taking him to the GP but I don't want to be palmed off or made to feel silly. I would speak with a health visitor but I can't seem to get in touch with any in my area.

Has anybody else experienced anything like this with their DC?

Hopeful bump.

have you looked at the m-chat screening test?

@essexmum777 I haven't. Is it online?

Do you know that he can hear, OP? Does he respond to any other sound?

@HollowTalk He had the newborn hearing test and all was fine. He does respond to other sound, just not his name

it is online, its a screening test for autism.

my ds was severely delayed in speech/language and social communication and came back as high risk on the m-chat test, the gp referred us for a hearing check and then to the paediatrician.

@essexmum777 How old was your DS?

I’d take him for a hearing test in the first instance but there’s nothing in your post I would find very worrying. He sounds quite similar to my Ds1 at that aged who is now 3. I have no concerns about his development.

• walking independently. Neither of mine walked until 16 months, he is cruising so that’s positive, he might be just a later walker. In my antenatal group there were a few babies that didn’t walk until 19/20 months and now walking fine.

• talking. Again, all different. Ds1 barely said anything until he was 2, ds2 yakking away in full sentences aged 18 months. Ds1 is 3 now and his speech is great, he has caught up with the ones talking early.

Cuddlyness/affection - some kids just are not cuddly in the slightest. Ds1 was and is still like this.

Obsession with doors opening and closing - look up schemas of play, opening and closing is one of them and it’s just a developmental stage.

By all means contact your health visitor if you are worried. If there is something niggling you that isn’t quite right trust your instinct but I wouldn’t necessarily worry about these things. 16 months is still very small, he has plenty of time to catch up.

I had the same feeling with DD- aside from the walking, which she was “on time” with.

I spoke to various health visitors and a GP who all told me that she was ok, that kids all developed at different rates bla bla bla. But I just had a feeling. I pushed for a SLT appointment as soon as she turned 2, and we were told that she definitely has some asd traits.

She’s 2.5 now and honestly has come on so much. The traits are still there, but I don’t worry about her being autistic anymore. I know too many happy, successful and independent grown ups and kids with ASD that it’s just a different way of developing, it’s not less. And a diagnosis in toddlerhood isn’t a prediction of what they will go on to achieve later.

We have another SLT appointment (much delayed, thanks Covid!) next month and I’m just looking forward to having “a plan” now

Push on with your health visitor...I would also get proper hearing check as something like glue ear can develop after newborn test.

Most areas won't do SLT referral until after 2 but check on your council website ...ours has a self referral with a checklist

[quote jlaocl]@essexmum777 How old was your DS? [/quote]
How old was he when? he was referred at 24 months, by that time nursery were pushing me to get a referral.

If you look at the teachmetotalk website there is a check-list of the pre-verbal stages that toddlers go through before talking, - my DS pointed (joint referencing) at 2.4 and the first words came at 3, he had a lot of speech therapy to help him.