Hi all, i wonder if you can help me.
On the basis of a baby/toddler not waving and pointing by 12 months,should one approach a health professional? All the milestones guidelines etc suggest that if babies are not doing these 2 things by 12 months, it is bad news.
My ds1 is nearly 12 months. He used to wave, quite readily and regularly at appropriate times, from about 8 to 10 months. Now he just does not bother, at all! He still does not point, I don't think, or at least not of his own volition. Sometimes if I ask 'where's mummy's nose' he will point to it with his finger and touch it and say 'there'. But he doesn't yet point out things of interest to me.
I am a bit worried as he is also quite fussy about who he will smile at, he is very temperamental about this! Especially a stranger tries to make him smile, he just won't. But then he will try to show off to other people? I.e. Show off that he can stand up etc.
He does do shared attention, like if something excites or interests him he will look at everyone else in the room smiling, to check that they are looking at the same thing etc. he copies words and sounds, will make kissing face and noise if you ask him to kiss etc. He has about 8 words that he uses appropriately, like banana, there, more, ball etc, and weirdly, hair! He seems to say mama sometimes. He puts his arms out to who he wants to hold him at a particular time.
But it's just this whole pointing and waving thing seems to be so important. Is there anything else of this ilk he should be doing by now? I am worrying, and thinking of mentioning it to the Doctor, but don't want to come across as silly. Any advice/views would be much appreciated, thanks in advance.