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What *should* a 21 be able to do?

80 replies

Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 17:10

I knwo my dd is limited a little due to her light weight and physical immaturity, as she has Noonan Syndrome albeit mildly, but what I would like to know is what did or do most 21 mths olds do with their time?
What tpys have they mastered, do they know colours? Can they mimic words from the off?
I am trying to establish how far behind my dd could be or whether she is within the normal remit for her age, my HV is thick as large plank, and I do not want to be referred yet agian if I am not sure there is a problem, my elder child ds 10yrs was an astonishlingly able child and did everything early, so I do not know what is normal, I cannot compare any child to him let alone my diddy girl.
Also anyone who had a slow starter, how did they evolve?
I must sounds paranoid and yes I know she is young to be worrying but... you just do..

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Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 17:11

tpys= toys
pls excuse typos... gawd must be beer time

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Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 17:14

21 month old I mean arrghhh
preview preview bloody preview,

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enid · 23/07/2004 17:16

dd2 is 21 months and she can mimic most words (but she is quite advanced with her speaking, much more advanced than dd1 was at her age), she likes playing with dolls, cars and lots of pretend play, farms, dolls houses etc. She MAY know a couple of colours but I haven't really tested her, she certainly says 'blue' and 'yellow' but I think she applies them fairly randomly. She can listen to a story and point out most things in the pictures. She empathises well and gives other children cuddles if they have hurt themselves. She shares well. She can feed herself with a spoon/fork. But she's not very good at jigsaws (not interested) and she's not amazingly physical, she can walk around and runs unsteadily, tries to jump and dance but always falls down. She can climb up and go down her tiny little tikes slide and steps.

Ring any bells?

Hulababy · 23/07/2004 17:17

The trouble is at this age there are still huge differeneces between what children can and can't do, so it is very hard to compare.

Anyway, I have one of the What to Expect...the toddler years books. This is what is has to say for the 22nd month (aged 21-22 months start to end).

By the end of this month your toddler...

...should be able to

  • use 6 words (by 21.5months)
  • walk up steps (bu 21.5months)

...will probably be able to

  • build a tower of 4 cues
  • follow a 2 step command without gestures (by 21.5months)

...may possibly be able to

  • build a tower of 6 cubes
  • identfy 4 pictures by pointing
  • wash and dry hands

...may even be able to

  • jump up
Hulababy · 23/07/2004 17:18

Forgot to add that my DD knew the names of colours at this ge but rarely got them right when asked. She knew majority of colours at 2 years though - must have clicked somehow.

Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 17:20

dd has mastered the little tikes slide, up and down on that no probs. She does stairs up and down, opens cupboards lids, asks what everything is, points to nose if say nose, she can say a perfect "th" sound, as in there it is, which sounds amazing but she cannot say baba for byebye but she says baba for cup...
She can say tea as in cup of tea, nana for banana, I am ok as I know she understands tons...
She is not wlaking yet but has taken steps alone.
My dd always seems at toddler groups to be very 10-15mth old in her behaviour, which is where she is physically too. Maybe this is part of it.
Having said that she can do a lot of things like open tiny lids, plays with duplo very well..
I dunno... I guess the speech is worrying me the most... She can shape sort, but she just did it once and now acts dumb about it, then chucks it away and moves on...
Very cute though!
Thanks I like to hear about others it makes me feel so much better...

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Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 17:22

she def has 6 words, more like 20...
no way walking up stairs but she climbs like a rocket.
she can stack cubes but hates doing it,
cuddles her teddy and dolly etc
she does follow some basic commands I guess...
hmmm
she is fearless is water, jumps into a deep pool and gets back to the top, I swear I never taught her, she just loves water big time

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Hulababy · 23/07/2004 17:27

I also have the Bright Toddler book which has these achievement steps for 19-21 months:

MOVEMENT

  • is able to undertake another activity while he is on the move (i,e can pull a toy along as he walks)
  • likes to clamber over furniture
  • climbs up and down from a chair
  • improved balance and coordination leads to fewer falls when he is walking and running
  • is able to use a wider range of playground equipment
  • enjoys running freely in a park and in the garden

HAND-EYE COORDINATION

  • enjoys playing with modelling materials like play doh and clay, and sand and water
  • like rolling, throwing and perhaps even catching balls
  • stacks small wooden blocks on top of each other to make a tower of perhaps 5 bricks
  • pours water accurately from one container to another without too much splashing
  • makes increasingly deliberate marks on paper with a crayon

LANGUAGE

  • has extended vocabularly to dozens of words, mostly nouns that describe a general class of object such as "car" for all vehicles
  • tries to join in songs
  • is interested in conversations and begins to learn conversational conventions, such as giving and waiting for answers
  • puts words together to form two word phrases
  • develops an understanding that speech is about social contact as well as communicating basic needs
  • spots familiar characters and objects in picture books and photographs and tries to name them

LEARNING

  • begins to use toys for imaginative play
  • his increasing problem-solving ability enables him to complete a simple inset board and these toys are now well within his capability
  • his developing curiousity make him want to see what goes on outside and to explre closed cupboards
  • becomes more focused and determined and is more motivated to complete a challenging task

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL

  • appreciates your company and makes an effort to engage your attention either through talk or play
  • can walk backwards a few steps
  • shows that he is nearly ready to begin potty training, although full control is unlikely at this age
  • begins to interact with other children but needs lots of basic social guidance
  • is able to understand simple rules although may not always comply with them
  • enjoys the security of a regular daily routine
Hulababy · 23/07/2004 17:29

More than anything though, just don't worry if she isn't doing everything. Often one or two key areas develop first and then the rest catch up.

Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 17:33

because her syndrome has about 25% of children with some motor or development delays they encourage early intervention, I just do not want to worry if I do not need to.
That bright toddler one every one would apply to ds but only the furniture climbing is applicable to dd although she does recognise book characters like Kipper and all her teddy bears names.
I'm obsessing a bit at the moment aren't I?,, I think cos we're moving and I am losing my support network... I will have to meet new people and explain it all again, sometimes it's easier to lie about her age tbh...

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Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 17:34

the ball thing! She loves kicking and rolling and has a mean throw...
phew!
sporty she'll be LOL

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roisin · 23/07/2004 18:38

Piffle ... Just a thought, I found this book: What to Expect the toddler years very helpful. There's quite a lot of good info in there, but also for each month there's a brief developmental section: at this age your child:
May be able to do x
Should be able to do y
etc.
(It covers 12 - 36 months)

HTH

zebra · 23/07/2004 18:55

At 21 months -- neither of mine knew colors... DS knew them barely at 2yo, more like 2y+4m for DD. At 21 months I think DD could mimic words, dont think DS could, tho. Both "normal".

Hulababy · 23/07/2004 19:00

The book roisin has linked to is the one I used for the first lot of information.

ggglimpopo · 23/07/2004 19:02

Message withdrawn

Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 20:58

jaysus child surveillance, that puts hv's in their own little nutshell
LOL
I should try not to worry, ems is a divine little girl, who kisses interacts and has us in stitches most of the time.... she is a perfect character..
I guess I am just never able to relax, it has been a rollercoaster with her this far...

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Wallace · 23/07/2004 21:04

Piffle - here is another milestone chart that you may find helpful.

I also have a very small dd - she has just turned three, but I still get her into places as an under two year old

Wallace · 23/07/2004 21:10

I know what you mean about never being able to relax. Dd has a heart defect (fixed!) but you always have that worry in the back of your mind...And just sometimes it comes closer to the surface, and you start obsessing and worrying about things. Like I do in winter when dd gets a cough...etc

Your dd sounds like a sweet little thing, and even if she had severe Noonan's you wouldn't love her any less xxxxxx

nutcracker · 23/07/2004 21:12

If i'm completely honest my 19mth seems quite behind in all of that.

He can't walk up stairs
He says about 3 words, that i can understand but others can't usually
He definatly cannot build a tower of any description, and i have tried

I've just told myslef i will not worry until his next development check (whenever that is).

I was always paranoid about Dd2 and kept scouring the books to see what she should be doing and i was convinced she was behind. Infact it was just that Dd1 had been quite advanced.

Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 21:13

my dd has heart defect too, part of her syndrome, but it is not really a huge issue so they say, but she sleeps a LOT like 17 hrs out of 24... she eats little but often and enthusiastically.
I just really want her to be ok and keep up with the gang you know....
I et sick of making excuses and now I feel like telling people to eff off cos they oooh have you got that checked out yet or isn't she doing that yet?
I have one child who did everything early, do they think I do not know all this...
I just want it sorted before dd starts picking up that I am making excuses for her.
It is pretty horrid...

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Piffleoffagus · 23/07/2004 21:15

I know dd can do somethings better than others, her ball skills would put Wayne Rooney out of a job. She throw overarm full hilt with passion...
I must stop this really and just relax and ignore people... why as a mother of two gorgeous kids is it so easy for other people to make me question myself?
GRRR I am never like this, honest usually...

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Wallace · 24/07/2004 08:54

Sorry was that a bit crass that bit about not loving her any less? Of course that is totally obvious.

I just wanted you to know that you are not alone with the worrying. I used to spent hours trawling the internet, worrying myself silly xxxxxxxxxx

zebra · 24/07/2004 09:02

How small is your DD, Piffle? Asking because mine is 2y+almost 10 months, and only just starting to wear 18-24m trousers (well turned up, of course). Assuming those are geared towards the 50th percentile, that would suggest that my DD is between 0.4 & 2nd percentiles for height.
But DH was saying that he met another girl exactly the same age & height as DD the other day, making him think she's not that small.

Wallace · 24/07/2004 16:36

How tall is your dd zebra? My dd was 3 in June, and is 89cm tall! I know kids more than a year younger who are taller

Piffleoffagus · 24/07/2004 19:46

dd is 78 cms and weighs 20lbs exactly.
She fits clothers variably from 6-12 to some 18-24 turned up, but helped by cloth nappies
dd is now on the 9th centile for weight but all he life she has been on the 0.4 and trust me about an inch below the marker on the chart, her height has always been 9th so at least now she is "even"
But her feet are TINY, they were a 2.5 aged 11 mths, in June she went up to a 3... thats half a size in 10 mths!
My son was 98th centile and still is, his first shoes at 11 mths (early walker) were size 6 doc marten boots...
sigh
After a day out today at legoland, and watching her respond and play and be happy amongst it all I realise that as she gains some social skills ( I never take her to toddler or baby groups as her health has been up and down)
So this needs to change. She actually said 6 new words today, just to prove me wrong..
I do adore her, she is such an easy baby, but so eager to please, a really delighful character...
I have photos stored on another mums site if anyone wants a nosey...
It has been really good to even mention this and talk about it, I have been internalising for ages!
xx

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