Development delays resources?

[Dairymilkmuncher]

DS2 has some development delays with everything apart from motor skills. He's 22/23 months coming up as 12 months in his assessments. Currently waiting for appointments for more assessments but I want to know what I can do from home.

Is there any apps/DVDs/classes/games/songs anything that can help him?

He gets very frustrated and overwhelmed and I don't want to be a pushy parent but if he could understand me and communicate I think this would really help him. He goes to sign language classes but just plays and doesn't pay too much attention to the signs or try to do them himself, any resources for baby sign would be great too?

He's got sookie and Finn DVD and oxbridge learn to talk DVD and loves them

Help please

What specific areas does he have delays in?

It wasn't the SOGS assessment that came up with 12 months for everything apart from his walking and running which has been amazing from very young.

Online it says:

Passive Posture
Active Posture
Locomotor
Manipulative
Visual
Hearing and Language
Speech and Language
Interactive Social
Self-Care Social.

I would say it's his interactive social skills, visual and speech/language skills that the HV was the most concerned with.

Scrap the educational DVDs and read, read and read again, get down on the floor and play, really see what interests your son. Talk to him, not at him, to him, really engage him in conversation and respond to any babble as if it's talk.

Apps and DVDs will be counterproductive, they're passive and don't promote engagement

Good advice from User06383

I would also add swimming - just get in the pool and have a good splash around.

And singing - sing all the time, nursery rhymes etc. The Book People have some great cheap sets.

Thank you for the replies User06383 and dean

I am an on the floor playing mum but he is a very busy boy always moving, trying to play a game lasts about 20 seconds and then we're onto the next thing I need a hand trying to grasp his attention to sit and play with me nicely (I know I sound ridiculous)

We are still on baby thick card books because he tears up all the paper ones, I need to get more so will check out those book people, as soon as he can sit without tearing up pages I have so many wonderful stories from his older brother waiting in my room and can't wait to get stuck into them. Right now he just wants to chew the books, I'm signing us up to book bugs to see if watching other children listening to stories he might want to copy that at home.

We do baby swimming classes once a week and he does really thrive in the pool, very occasionally will take direction and engage and it's the most wonderful time each week, whenever we do have time we fit in a second session! He is truly his happiest in the water, whether it's the pool or bath.

Are there more songs like heads, shoulders, knees and toes and if you're happy and you know it? Those two are favourites and the only moves he has is tap your head and clap hands, stamp your feet (only when he feels like it) but he is so happy when he realises that he's doing it right the same as me.

Also pointing, is there a good way of teaching that or is it just watching me do it? When I try and make his index finger into a point to touch his nose or a picture he looks at me like I'm a weirdo.

These are great and only a few pounds.

My ds was a very active toddler and difficult to engage. Singing gave me something to do with him and really helped us connect.

If he likes water, give him a bath as an activity. Play water games, sing, splash, just have fun. Ds used to get lots of baths .

Have a look at intensive interaction by Dave Hewitt- the principle is to treat all vocalisations/ interactions as purposeful, and respond as such.
Agree with others- start with the things he likes. If it's a bath- can you 'forget' to turn the tap on? Then at the slightest vocalisation / gesture label what he wants- oh, water? You want water??

Love the look of that site dean I've filled up my basket mix it up a bit with story and song time.

Bath time for fun seems so stupidly obvious now! I know he's going to love it....and he can't run away! I used to read stories to my eldest in the bath when I was juggling full time work and struggling fitting in the whole routine into a short evening I didn't think about doing that while my youngest was in the bath because we have SO much time now but actually will be a great opportunity to get extra story time in there.

cantchooseaname I'm going to google that guy next minutes peace I get

Thanks for the replies I'm feeling a wee bit more positive now.

Really struggling with the David Hewitt videos on YouTube I don't think my attention span can cope with how long they take to make their point (like a lot of youtubers) I think I get the jist of it though, get to their level and let them lead and mimic their sounds and movement to be more of their wavelength?

I've only ever seen him in person, not YouTube stuff.
If you think about how you naturally interact with a baby, and try and carry those interactions on. And yes, start from where they are, being alongside, noticing what they do and join in.
I would make a list of all the things that motivate/ engage him, then think of ways to include communication in it.
It's hard without seeing him, but hopefully you will get some good advice. I think the keys are you being interested and pro active- which you obviously are, and some good guidance/ support to find the strategies that work. If speech therapists suggest using some alternative communication strategies this can really support language development.