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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

16.5month has no f**ing idea where his body parts are....problem?

41 replies

likeisnotlike · 13/04/2012 09:24

I think my son is doing fine. Seems to understand stuff - no, come here, get your ball/cart/teddy -has a few words etc etc and generally has no problem making himself understood non-verbally. But he seems completely disinterested in knowing his body parts.

We got a book, we sing to him, but he's always far more interested in just rushing off to the next thing to explore. Once or twice he pointed at his head or nose but now it seems random.

I don't think he's the fastest developer but neither the slowest - my SIL however (hothouser alert) is quite appalled. She thinks he should know...

Hence the concern.

Any thoughts or tips appreciated.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

QuintessentialShadows · 13/04/2012 09:27

wow, quite an aggressive heading, and language use, in relation to a baby...

Did you actually mean to say that your baby has no fucking idea (...)?

5318008 · 13/04/2012 09:30

two words

nursery rhymes

and yes, I'm with Quint here, odd choice of language to talk about your baby's development

5318008 · 13/04/2012 09:31

Tell us more about the SIL - what does she do that you consider hothousing?

Original poster

likeisnotlike · 13/04/2012 09:31

Sorry, I was being really glib. Certainly no reflection on my fantastic baby, just me. Apologies if I offended. I swear, that's me.

OP posts:

fluffygal · 13/04/2012 09:32

Are you kidding? Your SIL is wrong for making you worry. He is 16.5 months old. My son didn't say a word until he was 2 and he is 6 and doing fine, my SS didn't know colours until he was 3.5 and is doing great at school. There is absolutely nothing to worry about he is only young!

Original poster

likeisnotlike · 13/04/2012 09:32

My SIL does an exceptional amount of floortime - but in a way that seems quite relentless to me. I spend a lot of time with my baby as I'm SAHM but i try to be more...organic?

OP posts:

Original poster

likeisnotlike · 13/04/2012 09:33

I am really sorry for the title. I feel very embarrassed now. Big apologies [shame]

OP posts:

WipsGlitter · 13/04/2012 09:40

What crap. What does she think "floortime" (also known as putting the baby on the floor) achieves? Can her child do body parts? Recite the 10 commandments?? Stop feeding competitive parenting.

And yes, nursery rhymes.

joymaker · 13/04/2012 09:42

You do sound a bit over concerned (I so hope you're not allowing yourself to be wound up by others?) he sounds like he is doing fine.

Once you find a way of engaging him he will want to know. Using bathtime, nursery rhymes, and/or a toy medical kit can make it lots of fun.

ohbugrit · 13/04/2012 09:46

The world is full of children whose parents didn't think to teach them body parts and (most of them) can tell their arse from their elbow by adulthood. It's really not a problem.

matana · 13/04/2012 10:09

Your SIL is clearly one of those people we are constantly reminded on mumsnet to avoid. Is she even a mum?

Anyway, DS is about the same age. He knows his nose and his willy, that's pretty much it. And i don't consider him developmentally delayed at all - in fact, quite advanced in many ways (although that's probably just me being a bit PFB). I think he actually knows far more than he's letting on but he's a clown so seems to deliberately 'misunderstand' a lot of the time. Like when i ask what noise does a snake make and he says "Roooaaaarr!!!"

festi · 13/04/2012 10:14

your baby possibly knows or understands where his body parts are, what possibly disinterests him is pointing them out on comand for some over zelouse adult. best way to do is when getting dressed, lets put your trousers on 1 lg 2 legs clever boy, lets put your t shirt on onw arm 2 arm well done. Oh look you have pudding on your nose etc etc. its not compulory to get a child to point out body parts when randomly instructed to.

Flisspaps · 13/04/2012 10:15

Sounds like your thread title should be 'SIL has no fucking idea' instead.

matana · 13/04/2012 10:18

Also what festi said - i regularly remind myself that DS is not a performing monkey

mumatron · 13/04/2012 10:24

My 15mo dd can point to most of her body parts but she doesn't say much else.

I think it's all relative tbh. Not all babies do things at the same time.

I wouldn't worry about it in the slightest and just ignore your Sil.

suburbandweller · 13/04/2012 10:31

My 15.5mo ds is exactly the same, although I've just about got him to pat his tummy when I refer to it. He's perfectly bright imo and very interested in exploring absolutely everything. He's just not really interested in performing on demand. I really wouldn't worry about it and tell your SIL to bog off

Sparklyboots · 13/04/2012 11:46

Ha! My 15.5 DS doesn't know any body parts, that I'm aware of, but can be relied upon to say, "Beep!" if you press his nose. As if it were a button.

Pascha · 13/04/2012 11:49

My 19 month old knows where is willy is but not much else:

Wheres your willy?
Wheres your nose?
Wheres your fingers?

I'm not worried. He knows where his feet are when he gets his shoes, he knows where his arms are when he gets his coat. They all work it out in the end.

pleasantlyoutofdepth · 13/04/2012 23:26

I read your message because it appealed. You were clearly not being abusive about your child. Plenty of people on here are mock-derisive about their children's behaviour. I think y'all are being a bit holier-than thou.

My 16 month old DS points at my mouth, nose and eyes to make me name them but if I say 'where's your (or my) nose/eyes' he seems confused and clueless. I am concerned about this. I have an Asbergers nephew, so obviously everything is sending me loopy with concern... Is he doing all the other 'normal' stuff?

RockChick1984 · 14/04/2012 00:45

Can I just ask, what's floor time???

SunflowersSmile · 14/04/2012 07:09

So what that he doesn't know his body parts- he is tiny. Your SIL needs to get a life!!

conorsrockers · 14/04/2012 08:00

Your title was fine - you were getting your point across, don't be embarrassed. And don't take any notice of people comparing your kids to others, or what they think they should be doing. Just enjoy each other - he's not going to go to school not knowing where his head is - they pick up these things in their own sweet time.

shushpenfold · 14/04/2012 08:06

....desperately trying to remember what any of 3dc did at 16 months....dds....spoke and recited 10 commandments.....ds....found willy and never let go. As his df does the same I don't expect it to change!

In all seriousness - some do, some don't but don't expect it to bear any resemblance to RL in a few years...one of my dds counted '2' to everything - 1,2,3,2,4,2,5,2,etc. She's rather an academic now so I don't think it made a huge difference. One thing is certain, your SIL sounds like a PITA.

duchesse · 14/04/2012 08:16

He's tiny. Ignore her! She's just trying to mess with your brain.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 14/04/2012 08:21

What is floortime??

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