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Original poster

Is this really unusual behaviour? Childminders all astonished

14 replies

pormenjus · 02/12/2022 00:39

My DS is 19 months. He goes to two different childminders, recently started with the second one.
After his first day spent with her, when I went to pick him up, she exclaimed that 'he is amazing!' and proceeded to tell me how he knows all his colours, the alphabet, and numbers up to twenty.
She seemed totally astonished at his general grasp of these things.
His other childminder, also a very experienced mother of three, has exclaimed the same, saying he seems so advanced for his age, and even the other mums at playgroups she takes him to, have said similar.
I don't know many 19 month olds. Is this normal?
If you ask him what colour something is, he'll tell you - knows 'purple', pink, white, black, all of them.
He can name each letter of the alphabet, and knows that when you turn W upside down it makes M for example.
My question is, is this fairly normal for his age/around his age? A friend I saw today said her little girl is only just getting the hang of colours now, and she's three!
Can anyone advise? Has anyone else had kids doing this kind of thing at this age?
Should I be worried? Thanks!

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Itisbetter · 02/12/2022 01:32

All of mine were the same, different families expose children to different experiences so they gain skills at different times. No harm will come to him from knowing his alphabet.

PritiPatelsMaker · 02/12/2022 07:26

No he's picking up these skills faster than his peers and it might be time to introduce him to simple numbers.

However, I think it's always important to remember that showing an aptitude like this early in is no indicator of future success.

Original poster
pormenjus · 02/12/2022 15:02

PritiPatelsMaker · 02/12/2022 07:26

No he's picking up these skills faster than his peers and it might be time to introduce him to simple numbers.

However, I think it's always important to remember that showing an aptitude like this early in is no indicator of future success.

He knows his numbers up to 20, he put duplo with 3 and one with 4 next to each other and said 'thirty-four'

OP posts:
Miriam101 · 02/12/2022 16:38

Yes he sounds very advanced.

Choconut · 02/12/2022 16:45

That is very advanced, for me I'd be wondering about ASD. Does he know the letter names ie Ay Be, See or does he know the sounds ah, buh, cuh? I'd teach him the sounds and I wouldn't be surprised if he taught himself to read before he starts school - hyperlexia can be an indicator of ASD. Have fun with him and enjoy it, sounds like he's a little sponge for knowledge.

PritiPatelsMaker · 02/12/2022 17:08

hyperlexia can be an indicator of ASD.

That was certainly our experience Choco Wink

Original poster
pormenjus · 03/12/2022 09:15

PritiPatelsMaker · 02/12/2022 17:08

hyperlexia can be an indicator of ASD.

That was certainly our experience Choco Wink

I was worried about this, but he's really social, confident, engaging etc, I know there can be autistic regression later, but I'm hoping he just likes numbers and letters..

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Original poster
pormenjus · 03/12/2022 09:16

Choconut · 02/12/2022 16:45

That is very advanced, for me I'd be wondering about ASD. Does he know the letter names ie Ay Be, See or does he know the sounds ah, buh, cuh? I'd teach him the sounds and I wouldn't be surprised if he taught himself to read before he starts school - hyperlexia can be an indicator of ASD. Have fun with him and enjoy it, sounds like he's a little sponge for knowledge.

He knows a mixture of both I think, I need to get him to concentrate on the phonic side of things

OP posts:
PritiPatelsMaker · 03/12/2022 19:42

I was worried about this, but he's really social, confident, engaging etc, I know there can be autistic regression later, but I'm hoping he just likes numbers and letters

Again, that was exactly our experience too. It's a bit of a myth that all children and people with ASD are introverts, you can get DC with ASD who want to make friends and be sociable.

Perhaps it's something to just bear in mind for now.

Original poster
pormenjus · 03/12/2022 23:08

PritiPatelsMaker · 03/12/2022 19:42

I was worried about this, but he's really social, confident, engaging etc, I know there can be autistic regression later, but I'm hoping he just likes numbers and letters

Again, that was exactly our experience too. It's a bit of a myth that all children and people with ASD are introverts, you can get DC with ASD who want to make friends and be sociable.

Perhaps it's something to just bear in mind for now.

Thanks. I mean, he's also cuddly and very smiley.. could you advise me on some early signs to watch out for? He's 20 months. Thanks! What was your autistic LO like at that age? Thanks!

OP posts:
StillMedusa · 04/12/2022 00:31

My Autistic DS2 was lining up (and eating) crayons, and pressing his face against the TV at that age.... (and didn;t talk til he was 5)

However my DS1 was like yours.. talking in complete sentences and seemed very advanced with colours, numbers etc ( he was child no 2 and wayyyy more advanced than his older sister)... roll forward 20 years.. older sister is now a doctor and very very bright. Ds2 is ..average Grin

Your little one does sound very very bright. Encourage him, and just see how it pans out!

Original poster
pormenjus · 04/12/2022 08:29

StillMedusa · 04/12/2022 00:31

My Autistic DS2 was lining up (and eating) crayons, and pressing his face against the TV at that age.... (and didn;t talk til he was 5)

However my DS1 was like yours.. talking in complete sentences and seemed very advanced with colours, numbers etc ( he was child no 2 and wayyyy more advanced than his older sister)... roll forward 20 years.. older sister is now a doctor and very very bright. Ds2 is ..average Grin

Your little one does sound very very bright. Encourage him, and just see how it pans out!

Thankyou, and your DS1 is not autistic?

OP posts:
EYP2021 · 04/12/2022 09:36

Your child does sound very advanced. I complete development reviews on children aged 1-5years old.

Does it feel like your child is obsessed with numbers/letters? Is he noticing them in the environment? Does he become upset if you try to make him play with something else?

ASD red flags can be lack of eye contact, not responding to name, not pointing, walking/running in circles repeatedly, flapping hands repeatedly, being obsessed with spinning wheels/toys, other repetitive actions/behaviours that he may become upset when you try and stop him form doing them. Please note these can also be usual traits of childhood it’s just if we see a collection or notice that these behaviours do not change/progress.

If you are worried about you ASD you should contact your HV and request a development review. Please remember that he might also just be a bright child esp if you and OH have been very proactive on exposing him to colours/numbers etc.

Medusastill · 04/12/2022 21:01

DS1 is definitely not autistic ... Total opposite in fact. He is an adult now, incredibly good socially, a quite talented sing writer and rapper and musician. He was just really quick at learning things that interested him:)

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