I have 2 examples of this. One of my mindees is 3. I have looked after him for 18 months. I know that he has weak fine motor skills. He is unable to repeat actions with his hands and even feeding himself or getting food onto a fork is done in a way that it will fall off. Its hard to explain but he feels very floppy in his hands, there is no resistance there. Also, at meal times he chews his food forever and ever. He has always done this and still does it now. It just took him 1 hour to eat a very small amount of food and at the end I had to tell him to spit his sausage out because it had been in his mouth for 20 minutes and no amount of positive noises I made or showing him what to do would get him to swallow. I dont know if this is a physical problem, or a power thing, but I believe it to be a problem...for one thing what about decay in his teeth. He was delayed in his speech but its picked up a lot now, but very often he is just parroting what others say without knowing why he is saying it. I have broached the subject before with parents...the response was that they thought he was just lazy and had even been like it since birth with breastfeeding. I just wish that they would have him checked as there may be a physical problem.
The other thing although Im not too concerned is the 2 year old I look after doesnt say any words yet. She makes noises, and mimcs the rhythm of words but she still doesnt say anything, not one single thing. She is bright as a button and understands everything and even hums in tune, but just, no words. Im not expecting her to be making big conversations, but think she should say a good handful of words by now and be attempting others. I mentioned to the Mum that it would be nice if she got talking as I can tell shes getting frustrated and the Mum laughed and said 'yes but its not time yet is it' i said yes i thought it was really, but she looked at me puzzled as though I was expecting too much and then she shrugged and went home...I think she thought I was joking!