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Child Behavior (Expert Forum)
20 month old does not walk and has speech delay
Answered by
Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D. - Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, Crisis Intervention
Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates
This forum is for questions and support regarding child behavior issues such: Child Discipline (behavior management), Normal Child Development, Parent-Child Communications, Social Development
20 month old does not walk and has speech delay
by zoeysmo, May 01, 2006 12:00AM
My 20 month old daughter does not walk she prefers to walk on her knees. She also was a late sitting up and crawling. She has physical therpy once a week and wears AFO's. She refuses to attempt to walk and does not want to try standing. She is capable of standing and pulling up and has taken a few steps. Her therpist believes that her ankles are weak. However, when she was fitted for AFO's they said they were giving her them to correct a behavior. I am concerned that she does not want to walk and I do not know what to do to help her transition from walking on her knees to actaully walking.
She also has a speech delay. Her therapit belive that it may be a result of her gross motor delay. They say that she may have been more concerned with catching up with her gross motor skills. She onlys says a few words(juice, dada, and down). She understands simple commands. She recently started speech therapy but does not seem to be making any progress. I am very concerned that her speech and gross motor delay is a sign of something larger going on. Should I be concerned and if so were do I go from her? When I spoke with her pedetrician she said that it was not appropraite to label a child so young and would like to wait longer and see if she makes progress with her therapies. I don't agree with her pediticain I want to know if there may be a physical reason or another reason why she is delayed. Could this be a sign of autism? She is a very loving child but can be shy with strangers.
She also has a speech delay. Her therapit belive that it may be a result of her gross motor delay. They say that she may have been more concerned with catching up with her gross motor skills. She onlys says a few words(juice, dada, and down). She understands simple commands. She recently started speech therapy but does not seem to be making any progress. I am very concerned that her speech and gross motor delay is a sign of something larger going on. Should I be concerned and if so were do I go from her? When I spoke with her pedetrician she said that it was not appropraite to label a child so young and would like to wait longer and see if she makes progress with her therapies. I don't agree with her pediticain I want to know if there may be a physical reason or another reason why she is delayed. Could this be a sign of autism? She is a very loving child but can be shy with strangers.
Doctor's Answer
by Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D., May 02, 2006 12:00AM
, May 02, 2006 12:00AM
The behaviors you describe would not necessarily be associated with autism, but they do signify worrisome developemntal lags. It would be prudent to arrange an evaluation with a devlopmental pediatrician in order to assess your daughter's status in the various spheres of development: fine and gross motor, cognitive, emotional, etc. The walking issue is more of a concern at this point than is the speech/language, because she is more outside the norms re: walking than she is in relation to speech. I'd tend not to adopt a 'wait and see' approach about this.
Has the pediatrician noted any concerns about your child's fine motor abilities? As in, grasping and releasing toys, holding a crayon with a full fist, turning several pages of a board book at a time -- these are all developmentally appropriate for a child 20 mos old. If your child cannot easily do those fine motor skills, THEN I would be concerned, but not before.
Also, the language development is not something I would be concerned about at present. Many children do not begin to use a lot of words until they are 24 mos. or older and then their vocabulary EXPLODES. One way to enhance your child's vocabulary is through what is called "baby sign." This helps the child equate words with actions and objects. Say the word while you sign it - there are many great web sites on baby sign that will teach you the signs. It has been shown to enhance vocabulary and some children have even started talking earlier. Just make sure you SAY the word while you sign it. First your child will sign the word, then sign and attempt to say it, then drop the signs and just say it. Try about three signs at a time, using them consistantly. Signs for "more, eat, all done, sleep and help" are usually good ones to start with.
www.mybabycantalk.com and click on the bear that has dictionary of sing under it but it is very important that you say the words to your child as you sing for example if you are teaching her more when you sing it to her say the word at the same time and encuridge her to try to say the word it may take some time for her to say it right but if she is singing than you can at least under stand what it is she is trying to say