Hello,
Our little boy is 15 months old, and overall the doctors say everything is fine, but there are a few things that concern us.
Maybe the most significant one is that he doesn’t seem to recognize us as his parents, and in general he gets very comfortable with strangers very quickly. We have a family we’re friends with and often go for walks together, and when we’re at the playground, he frequently goes to my friend, hugs her, and wants her to pick him up. In general, after spending just 2–3 minutes with someone, he already acts like he knows them well and is completely comfortable.
Something people often tell us is that he is very social and playful. He seeks attention (for example, he sometimes laughs “on cue”), points at things in stores, etc.
We’ve done the M-CHAT-R/F, ASQ-3, and ASQ screenings, and all of them indicate that he is not at risk.
He points a lot, imitates animals, occasionally says “mama,” “dada,” etc. He is very responsive and observant (he doesn’t miss anything happening around him). He makes eye contact, looks for us, shows us things, and follows simple commands like “bring me something,” “where is [something],” “what sound does the animal make,” and so on.
His pediatrician says that some of his behavior is a bit atypical, but overall everything seems fine.
My question to you is: have you observed similar behavior in your children?