youmeandtheoldzifferzafferzuff ·
26/06/2012 16:37
Hello,
I'm usually just a lurker, but am posting because I've got a GP appointment coming up for my two and a half year old son and I'm not quite sure what I'm going to say to her.
He had his 2 year review (a bit late) a couple of months ago. The HV noted his lack of social play and asked some questions about eye contact (he didn't make any with her for the 30 minute appt and didn't look at her when she said his name).
Anyway, following on from that I started to properly notice a few other things - for example, he has a very wide vocabulary and can say very long complicated sentences, but they are 95% repeating word for word stuff he's memorised from books and videos. The very few things he says that aren't just parroting are much more simplistic. Although I say parroting, he does seem to understand what he's saying and he often tailors the spiel to the context, so if he was playing with a red car he might recite word for word a car review for a red VW Polo he's seen on YouTube.
He also gets very upset if we try to get him to go out of the house. In retrospect we've probably dealt with this very badly - we thought it was just a phase so have limited our trips out to essential things, but it doesn't seem to be improving. I honestly don't think it is just him having tantrums, he seems genuinely terrified, but I can't think of any reason for his fear. Once he's out and eventually calmed down he is ok, but sometimes gets the same about coming back inside the house.
These things, paired with lots and lots of other little weirdnesses, finally made me think there might be cause for concern so I (with much difficulty) persuaded husband that we should see the GP. Then before I sorted out an appointment I had another call from the health visitor and the upshot is that she spotted red flags at the appointment and wants us to get GP to refer to a developmental paediatrician. She said her notes will be on the system, so hopefully the GP won't just think I'm being a neurotic mother.
HV suggested I write a list of things to tell the GP, but I don't really know what is normal toddler behaviour and what deserves to be mentioned. He's our first child and we don't know any other children nearby to compare him to.
We've tried the CHAT questionnaire but my husband and I answered the questions completely differently - my OH looks after our son at least as much as I do, if not more, but I think he is burying his head in the sand, whereas he would say that I'm imagining things and has already accused me of pathologising.
Sorry, this is all a bit rambling, but I was just wondering if the GP will want a big list of all the things that may or may not be things to worry about, or if I should just raise the couple of big things I've mentioned in this post and then let her ask further questions as necessary? Also, will the fact that my husband and I disagree about our son be a problem? We'll both be at the appointment.