My one year old son doesn't seem to communicate with me

[BonniesLad]

I haven't posted here before.I hope one or two of you might be able to help me.My son is almost a year and doesn't seem to communicate with me in any way other than crying. No words yet, no pointing to things he wants and no giving things to me. He seems rather passive in terms of communication. He is into everything in that he crawls everywhere exploring everything on his own. He gets bored easily. He cries a lot unless entertained.
I don't feel he has commincated at all with me yet. I am a bit worried - but am I worrying too soon?

Keep an eye on him over the next few months. He should start pointing around 12 months. Ds1 started at 12 months and 1 week.

Pointing develops in stages though, so it starts with things you want, and in response to "where's the ?" before moving onto it being used as a "look mummy". If pointing hasn't developed by 18 months then it is worth getting referrals.

IN the latter half of the first year he should be beginning to show some sgns of the development of joint attention. In its early stages that means sometimes looking in the same direction as you.....

I agree that it's probably a little too soon to worry just yet. My ds1 (4yrs) is autistic and has only really been trying to communicate with us over the last 12-18months or so. This means that I'm a little paranoid about ds2 (17mths). He's already been referred for an assessmnt to see if he has any problems but it's still a little too early to be sure, even at 17 months.

I would keep an eye on him for a few more months to see what happens.

hi bonnieslad - my ds was like this. I just kept talking and pointing to everything all the time - even if I felt silly because he ignored me or looked blank! Then he started talking and he hasnt blooming stopped (night and day!)

Watch how he interacts with other people and other children, because he might communicate more than you think. My friends ds didnt speak much at all, and then one day she was listening to him in his cot and he was chatting away!

My ds also got less whingy and better at communication when he stopped teething.

I wouldn't worry too much at this stage but something you could think about trying is baby sign language. We did it with our DD from 8 months - she was about 13/14 months before she started signing herself but she was definitely understanding a lot more. I found sign language very rewarding, it was worth it for being able to communicate with her at such a young age and it definitely meant a whole lot less crying from frustration. This may well help encourage your DS to communicate with you too. There's loads of info on the Net about it - FYI I bought the Joseph Garcia pack (expensive at £50) but there wasn't so much info around 3 years ago. DH and I made up some of our own signs that were useful for us when we thought the signs in the book were too difficult for DD to understand or because there was something different we wanted to communicate. I'd really recommend giving it a go. (BTW, signing made absolutely no difference to when she started speaking. It doesn't replace speech, it's simply a way of communicating whilst the child is physically developing his ability to speak.)Hope this info is of help.

Thank you for your thoughts.
I've been watching him closely for a few months now ever since I noticed his lack of communication.
His understanding seems a bit lacking as well. If I say 'where's the.." having told him a hundred times where it is, he just doesn't get it. Occasionally he will whole hand point aimlessly up in the air. Does this count as pointing? (even if it is wrong and not with index finger!)
He does not look where I look, instead just looks at me looking IYSWIM
Other than talking and pointing, which he is not really doing, what else can I take as a sign of communication? He always claps his hands when I ask him to and more often than not waves bye-bye when I ask him to. Only occasionally waves bye-bye when someone waves to him. He never instigates peek-a-boo.

That doesn't count as pointing- but it is a little early to be worried about pointing tbh. How is he at showing you things in books. If you said "where's the ...." would he show you in some way (or even just look at it himself).

Waving bye bye in reponse to someone is more "important" than doing it on demand. However ds2 was very late to get the idea of waving- and he is definitely NT.

Maybe get the /linkwww.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/026-6696538-2984454\Makaton Dave{} video and see how he responds to that- and try useing those signs for animals and stuff.

I wouldn't worry too much yet. It is quite hard at 12 months to tell (it was only after 12 months that I became certain that ds2 was fine- not really util 15 months- in fact at 11 months I had a week when i convinced myself he was autistic). Keep an eye on him and see how pointing develops over the next few months. At 11 months ds2 wasn't pointing at all- by 15 months he could pass the CHAT test - it can kick in quickly.

Try the link again Makaton Dave

agghn alternatively go to amazon, and type in Makaton into the search box for videos. You'll get Dave....

Jimjams - is it true to say that a child that points at things is most likely not autistic and why is waving so significant?

No pointing in books, in fact no interest at all in books - he would still rather grapple them off me to stick in his mouth.

Thanks for the liink