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Childcare
Abnormal behaviour?
clairemmcc · 16/11/2006 10:56
I am looking after a 18 month year old boy who's behaviour is a bit abnormal (from my experience of other children of the same age) and I'm interested to know any opinions anyone has about it.
The first and main point is that he doesn't make eye contact with any other children or adults when they are singing/talking/saying his name etc. He is fascinated with lights however and looks at them all the time. He also watches his favourite dvds provided by his parents avidly.
I do not really think it is a problem with his eyesight as he is able to identify toys that he likes and make a beeline for them. It is just that he is unresponsive to speech, indeed, he does not have any words at all yet and shows no sign of starting.
His main form of play also is to throw and chase objects. This is really all he is interested in and due to the eye contact it is difficult to distract him.
Does anyone have an opinion on this or any similar experiences? His parents have asked me to comment on what I think of his lack of eye contact but I am not really sure of what to say apart from that I consider it to be unusual.
clairemmcc · 16/11/2006 11:28
Yes that it what I suspect but it is very difficult to approach his parents with as I do not want to insult them or their intelligence. He is actually very difficult to look after because of the lack of communication and habitual throwing. I can't believe that noone else has noticed his behaviour. He is their first child so I guess that is understandable. But he has just come to my care from a nursery. They took him out because of the distance to travel and his mum is pregnant.
I know that the nursery did not detect any abnormal behaviour as I have seen the diary that they kept for him. It is therefore hard for me to introduce this to them with no back up from other childcare providers. I am so sure there is something wrong though
crace · 16/11/2006 11:45
Then trust me, you are doing them a favour by telling them. Print out some information, ask them to take it to their GP or HV. If a daycare provider hadn't told me then my son wouldn't have gotten the help he did. As it was, he was 3 before he got help. I was in a lot of denial about it.
It's hard, but it is a conversation you need to have. Like I said, gather some information, ask them to take it to a professional. Chances are they suspect it themselves, especially as they ask your opinion.
Carrie
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