Nursery report, should I be worried?

[Gardencentregroupie]

DD is 2.9 and noticeably speech delayed. I didn't have additional concerns, to me she seems like a confident friendly little girl who loves being around other children and adapts well to change. Her nursery keyworker has completed a report for her 24 - 30 month check (late I know) saying she needs routine, does the same activities in the same order, and plays alongside other children but doesn't make eye contact with peers or staff. This couldn't be further from the child I know! She has been at nursery since Nov 16 and is extremely happy there. I am really worried. Are nursery just wrong or am I massively off about my own child? I feel like there could be additional issues now other than the speech delay. Nursery is on holidays for 2 weeks so I can't speak to her key worker until then.

It's virtually impossible to help. I wouldn't be happy receiving a report like that, I'd expect to have been informed of their concerns.
Are you due any speech therapy, they will address all those issues.
I don't do a 2 year check until hv gets in contact with parents.

I think it's very sad that the nursery key worker has written this report and hasn't shared her concerns with you before giving it to you. It would have been very helpful if she had discussed it with you beforehand. However, yes, if the key worker is describing your DD accurately, then you are right to be concerned and I would take that report to the GP and ask to be referred to a developmental paediatrician for a developmental assessment.

A developmental paediatrician can use something like the Griffiths scale to assess your DD. She wouldn't even know she was being assessed. She would just think that a nice grown up was showing her some toys with her mummy. But during that time, the Paed would be noting down how she responded to his/her attempts to get her to do certain activities. It's very simple things like building a tower of bricks, putting a teddy on a chair, putting some puzzle pieces in a puzzle board, pushing a car along the floor, etc., as well as whether they can keep her attention, whether they can get her to point at things, say certain things in response to a cue, etc. From that, they can work out what developmental stage she is at in every area of her development.

Most children are more ahead or behind in one or two areas than others. You know she's quite behind in speech, but they will be able to work out if she's also behind (or ahead) in her understanding of language. They will look at her physical skills, both gross motor (walking, jumping, etc) and fine motor (holding a pencil, etc). Then social interaction, which may be behind, if she isn't making eye contact.

I absolutely agree - the nursery worker should have discussed their concerns with you rather than just write it in a report. Also the worker is probably not qualified and if she is it will be an NNEB qualification. I'm not knocking it but the sort of things she is writing I would expect to be written by a clinical psychologist with experience in young children or a consultant paediatrician. I would complain about that to the nursery.

Just read Lougle's excellent post so don't think I can add anything else.

Just as an addition the check is a 2 year check and can be completed at any time between 24-36 months so it's not late.

We're on the waiting list for speech therapy but there aren't likely to be any slots for a few months. The speech therapist has had a couple of preliminary meetings with DD, and says her understanding is well ahead of her expressive language, she didn't say if it was where it ought to be. I know DD's motor skills are on track, she can run, jump, climb, catch, feed herself, drink from an open cup, take off coat and T-shirt, go up and down stairs, hold a crayon etc.

They did also say in her mid term report that she lacked concentration, again I don't recognise that. Unfortunately due to various surgeries etc I haven't been able to do drop off and pick up, and neither DH nor I could make the date of the key worker meeting (same date as my c section last month!)

Spoke to the nursery staff a couple of weeks ago and they reiterated what they said in the report. We've also had DD assessed by a private SALT at home and nursery, who tells me that while DD made good eye contact and handled transitions well at home, nursery is indeed a different story. There it appears she lacks concentration, cannot or will not communicate her needs, and appears to have some sensory issues. The private SALT has liaised with the NHS SALT and we have gone from being told it will be months before a speech therapy slot opens up to starting on Wednesday this week.

The SALT said DD sat there unable to open a little packet of raisins, and didn't know who or how to ask for help. My poor pet.