My 3 year old is due to start nursery in a couple of months, but is extremely scared of other children if he sees them, and adults, if they're too close. So it's got me very worried about him starting nursery.
He's fine with most of the family, but will still take up to an hour to be comfortable around them each time he sees them, which is fairly often. I take him to a couple of groups a week, he's similar there in that he's fine after a long time of being there, but he still won't go off on his own, he'll want me or my dh to go with him all the time. When he's around other people he won't talk at all, sometimes he'll whisper, but I think he just doesn't want to draw attention to himself, I've noticed he's a lot more confident if both me and dh are with him rather than just me.
His speech isn't great, but is improving, he's in speech therapy, so it's hard to communicate with him to find out exactly what the matter is. Every time he sees someone, or if the door goes, even if it's just my dh home from work, he'll put his hands over his mouth until he feels comfortable again.
I take him to the park but if there's other children there, which there always is, he never goes on anything, as he's too scared, although he does seem to enjoy just walking around which is why I still take him.
Another thing is that he is very clingy to me. Sometimes if I go in another room in the house he'll cry and out his hands over his mouth, I try to involve him when I'm doing housework but he gets very upset amd just sits in his chair mumbling to himself.
I'm really worried about him starting nursery amd having to leave him there, I know there's a settling in period which is good but he just seems so much more clingy and anxious than anyone else his age. Just wondering if anyone else has experienced similar with their child and how they got on. Thanks in advance.