ds 1 doesn't remember people's names. Calls Grandad 'Uncle R' I think it's odd, any advice?

[muppetgirl]

My ds 1 is 5.10 is a fab boy who's quirky, intelligent and an otherwise normal 5 year old. We have always joked he's bad with names but he's actually started to worry me.

He calls his grandad (my dad who we see at least once a month) 'uncle R***' and my best friend's husband who he's known since birth he calls another family uncles' name. Not just men's but anyone's names he takes ages to remember, if he remembers them at all.

He's 5 and gets close friends and family's names wrong this isn't right surely?

Does sound odd. Not come across this before! Is it genuine, or is he being consciously quirky with it?

no, he's crap at lying and isn't normally devious. He met his auntie's friend and they sayed 4 days and he was still asking what her name was at the end.

I'm a teacher and I've not come across this before.

I showed him pictures on my facebook the other day and there was a picture of me, uncle 1, uncle 2 and grandad (all my side of the family) he sees uncle 1 and grandad regularly though uncle 2 lives abroad. He calls Grandad -Uncle 2's name and had to be prompted to name uncle 1.

Dh doesn't seem worried but I think it's strange.

I think there is a condition, which has been discussed on MN before, where some people have particular difficulty recognising faces. Literally, some people do not recognise their own children or parents. Do you think this could be the problem?

Apparently, recognising people is done in a very specific part of the brain.

my ds is dyslexic and really genuinely struggles with people's names. He calls Uncle Bob ''Auntie Bob'' sometimes and Auntie Sue, Unlce etc. We have 3 female friends who we see quite regularly and even though he has known them for several years, each time he says: ''Is Ellie the one with long hair? Or is that Zoe...etc''

I'd like more info on that!

He's fine in every other area. I know he's likes to learn mechanically ie he 'does' the phonics system works for him as he constructs and deconstructs words through sounds. He doesn't learn words by memorising them though he is getting quicker remembering new words. He is ahead with reading.

Mathematics -there were gaps in his knowledge which his teacher said didn't match with his ability. Teen numbers have been like pulling teeth for him to learn and remember. Dh and I have worked with he's and he's better.

He is amazing in remembering every detail of anything to do with Star Wars!!!

So he has gaps in some of his memory but not others.

MollyRoger - ds siad 'Auntie J and -what's the other ones name again?' when referring to SIL + her friend.

My 2 year old ds 2 can identify family from photos!!

Look into proposagnosia (facial recognition disorder). If he does have it he can learn other ways of recognising people. Though I might think he would have picked up your friend's name through spending time with her.

Is it just names or could he do with a language assessment?

Language in what sense? (don't mean that as rude as it sounds )
He has the most amazing vocabulary (always had) and is eloquent. 'Mummy, I've heard what you said but I don't agree with you'

My little man (aged 4) is ever so slightly on the autistic spectrum and he struggles with names too! He is ok with grandparents etc but aunties and uncles are dodgy and as for school friends he is known to call them "boy/girl." I am sure as he gets older he will get better

I just meant does he have any problems with language use eg mixing up words in a way that seems unusual.

no, sharp as a nail in that dept

There was an article about people who have difficulty remembering faces in the telegraph the other day.

Here's the link

That's a fab article and the continum is interesting and would explain (if ds 1 has it) why he recognises familiar faces -his teacher, class assistant and friends but not others like he can't my best friends husband. Strange about his grandad though... happens more with men than women. He couldn't get that his cousin was a boy as he had longish hair and had to keep asking his name. (db and SIL lived abroad for a while so not regular contact)

Mught be something I mention to his teacher as it doesn't seem to affect him in any other areas, not that it would as this is a sepcific facial recognition disorder. It's more that it's becoming a family joke that he can't remember people's names and he's starting to get embarrassed and I get cross. Not very fair if it's not his fault!

Thanks all