Please do not judge me, I suffer with health anxiety ever since I gave birth to my boy prematurely, I worry about him hugely. I'm seeking medical advice / treatment for this so I don't need to be told to 'seek help' - it's just some advice / reassurance is nice sometimes- so thank you in advance to anyone who helps.
He was born at 34 weeks, 10 months ago. However for his milestones and other things we have to go by his 'corrected due date age' which makes him 8.5 months..
He is a happy little boy which is all that matters to me, but as a mummy I want the best support & best life for my son as I can possibly give him.
My husband thinks I'm being unreasonable worrying about him because he is so young still and I do get that, but as a mum I just want to be aware.
The things I'm worried about are that he cannot yet:
• Imitate sounds or actions- for example, he won't say Dadadadada back to me even though he makes that sound already by himself & he won't copy me when I clap although he can clap and locate both hands together - instead both of these things will engage him, he will make eye contact and he will smile and laugh at me instead.
• He doesn't yet point. (but I'm not sure if that's expected at 8.5 months- Google is very much contradicting depending on where you live )
• He doesn't yet wave. ( but in all honesty, I don't think he has been waved at by many people regularly enough - I'll start doing this in and around the house more when I enter and leave rooms )
• Put arms up to be carried. ( again, not sure when this usually comes into play- but if he's crying I'll put my arms out to him and he will put his arms out wide which I've taken as a 'yes please' )
• Respond to his name, which is very hit and miss- sometimes he will look directly at me and sometimes he won't; I've noticed the won't comes more with the fact he is playing or something else has hold of his attention.
• won't hold his own milk bottle, prefers to be cuddles and being fed.
• Hates baby led weaning food, will play all day long with the textures in his hands happily but struggles to chew it- but is great with any flavour puree, his favourite is a rather strong garlic cheesy spread on his melty sticks ( which he feeds himself )
Things he does do;
• If we are in eye contact he will smile back to me if I smile or giggle at him.
• He crawls, climbs & walks along the furniture - the stair gates are already firmly up.
• he babbles, lots of Dadadadada, Dodododo, BAbabababa, and raspberries- albeit less than what my 4 year old daughter did at his age; but she is a major chatterbox.
• He will crawl over and climb up to me.
• He will follow you around the room with his eyes if you have his attention.
• He crawls over to the end of the cot when my daughter comes in the room every morning and will stand up and babble away to her.
• He will play peekaboo, if I'm covering my eyes he will remove my hands for my eyes and really giggle at me.
• he will make and maintain eye contact during a bottle feed.
• He sleeps really well, never has an issue self settling and sleeps through the night and has naps!
• He loves someone in the same room as him, if we leave he notices and gets upset and he will always notice if you enter the room if you've not been in it.
There's so many factors where he is sociable and loves social interaction, but a few of the 'Hit and misses' with the name responding, the not copying his words or clapping etc... it's making me worry, or is it still quite young? - he had an ear infection recently, he's got a follow up tomorrow- but it seems to have definitely improved and his hearing has been fine besides that 5 days 2 weeks ago.
Am I being unreasonable to the situation and myself for worrying so early on? Is there a chance he is still on track to being neurotypical?