Joint attention??

[Chundle]

hi all dd2 (21 months) had pyschologist appointment the other day. I was playing with her and cheered when she built a big tower but dd didn't look up at me when I cheered and said well done etc. The psych then mentioned something to her assistant about dds non- reacion and muttered something about joint attention. So my question is what things exactly involve joint attention?? I thought it was reading books together and followin a point (both of which dd does)?? She has just never responded when we give her a 'well done yayyyy' type praise. Is this classed as poor joint attention? Thank you

Joint attention means when your child is responding to your participation in the activity rather than just doing it herself and allowing you to be there alongside her.

When you read her books does she interact with you and the book together or just use you as convenient place to sit and a tool to turn the pages? Did she show that she valued your input into building the tower or just do it her own way regardless? Did your DD see it as a task she was sharing with you? This lady may have been assessing her behaviour during the whole task rather than just her response to the praise.

Not responding to praise is a different matter which could be related to not understanding or not seeing the point of it.

I think sometimes professionals see something close to the box they want to tick and latch onto it as evidence. It's all very open to interpretation.

Thanks for the fab reply. Dd does just sit on my knee when I read to her- or quite often she stands as notkeen on being held. She listens to the story and will only point/make squealing noises if we ask her a specific question like 'where's the dog etc'. She likes to do her own thing when playing or if she is playing with me (like putting toys in a bag etc) she doesn't pay me any attention! Very much her own little lady!

I think the professionals were probably looking for your DD to look towards you and then back at the blocks if that makes sense. Joint attention is when a child looks at something that interests them and then looks to the adult they are with to see if the adult has also acknowledged what they are looking at.

Also, pointing is a form of joint attention eg the child sees something that interests them and points at it and then looks at the adult so see if they have acknowledged it to.

It sounds like joint attention isn't one of her string points then. Is she undergoing an assessment?

Thanks for your replies guys. Yes she's currently under assessment and we. Have attended CDC weekly for last 6 months but no one ever tells me what they are thinking or what they thinks wrong. She does point and is good at it, but she doesn't look at me to see if I'm looking where she's pointing. Pointing seems to be for her benefit

I find it very hard to understand why professionals want to keep parents in the dark like this. We have the internet and we are can work out what they are looking for if we want to. Why try to keep it a secret for heaven's sake?

I hope they give you some feedback very soon Chundle.

Thank you. We have a pead app coming up so will ask him for some straight answers

My DS has just got some joint attention at 4.5.
We've been working on social interest for past 6 months, pairing his favourite things with people and he has just stated to do the looking at me for praise thing, which is great because I thought it would never happen
So just to let you know it can be taught and just because does not do it now does not mean will not gain it later on.

Thanks Agnes will keep working on it x