Development delay

[lesley3232]

My son is 2 1/2 years old.  My main concern with him is he doesn't understand what I say other than is name and the word NO. He babbles a lot and has been doing this for some time. He has said a few words in the past like Mamma and Dadda and even waved and said bye and clapped and said clap but stopped all words within a couple of days of saying them.  Now he just babbles. He flaps his arms when he gets excited and loves watching the television (although I try to limit it).  He has little eye contact, more with me than anyone else, some days lots and other days nothing. He is a very happy little boy. He loves cuddles and chasing his two older brothers around.  He sleeps well at night.  He loves food but struggles with large lumps (I couldn't give him a banana to eat or a piece of toast), found myself chopping everything into tiny pieces after having so many scares of choking with him.  He loves cars and trains and although likes to line them up also likes to wheel them back and forth.  He loves drawing but doesn't understand walls are not for drawing on yet. He is still in nappies, going to tackle that one when the weather gets a but warmer and he can run around outside pantless.
His balance has been unsteady but has recently improved.
He has a mild form of asthma and suffers from eczema.
He has had four hearing tests, concluding that he doesn't have a problem with his hearing.  He has been seen by a child development doctor.   He has had one session of speech therapy, another in a couple of weeks. He has got an appointment with an occupational therapist next week.
I received a copy of the letter addressed to my doctor with a report from when I saw the Child development doctor that said he has mild Hypotonia???
My question is does anyone have a child like mine who has or had similar development delays and what was the outcome.  

[lesley3232]

I just wanted to give everyone an update on my son.  In the past few months he has been seen by a Speech Therapist, Occupational Therapist and Physio Therapist and once a week was observed by nursery nurses, he also had a blood test and urine test.  All the results have been passed onto the Child Development Doctor who has today diagnosed him with Autism.

I feel that with him being only 2 and three quarters we have found out at a very early stage and I am able to give him the help he needs.

I urge anyone who has any worries about there child to see there doctor as soon as possible and get the ball rolling to get the help needed.  The earlier this help starts the better.

[lesley3232]

Thank you for your reply. You have given me hope. The scariest thing about all this is what the future holds for my child? I know however he turns out he will be loved and looked after for the rest of his life but I want him (like every mother does) to grow up with his own independence, just has you have described with your son.

[Dian58]

This sounds a lot like my son, who is now 21.  The services that are available now weren't available then.  He was 3 when I realized he didn't know I was talking to him when I said his name.  He could only communicate with me with gestures.  The local school district provided us with speech therapy for a couple of years, which helped considerably, but all services stopped when I refused to allow him to be "mainstreamed."  He saw a Developmental Pediatrician only once for testing and was diagnosed with "Pervasive Developmental Delay" which now is on the autism spectrum.  Despite all that, he now works, drives, has his own car which he bought and paid for himself, has lots of friends.  He still lives at home but that's just because in this tiny town the jobs are few and far between and low-paying.  I'm telling you this to give you hope.

[lesley3232]

I totally agree, the earlier you start with all the therapies etc the quicker the results.

[carrycot]

As hard as it is to face up to and deal with such a diagnosis it is better to know what you are dealing with and to start to intervene constructively with implementing  therapy than to keep wondering what the problem is with your child.

[lesley3232]

Thank you for all your replies.  

I am preparing myself for them to tell me he is autistic or on the autistic spectrum.  For a while now I wondered if he may be.  

I have noticed lately if he isn't getting his own way or is tired or hungry he has started to scratch or pinch me.  Any advice on what to do when he does.  I have tried ignoring him, telling him its naughty or walking away from him.  Just not sure which avenue is best for him in his situation.

Lesley

[anniecrawley]

I work with development delayed children if you are seeing a therapist with your child the best thing they can do for you is be your voice with the doctors we have a speech therapist that gets things done with the doctors tell the therapist all your concerns that is the best thing some parents think maybe they sound like they are complaining to people please don't think that I tell everyone you don't know unless you ask questions

[carrycot]

I am sorry to tell you that we have just gone through the same things as you describe with a child in our family ( my nephew ) and he was accurately diagnosed with autism or  autism spectrum disorder.   Go and see a develepmental paediatrician. There is a test called the Griffiths test. Early intervention with O T and speech therapy has helped him  progress  and although it is slow it is encouraging.   Good luck.

[lesley3232]

Hi Louise, yes he doesn't understand me.  He knows only a couple of words I say.  He always has a blank look when I talk to him or ask him something.  He understands what things do, like keys go in the door, the remote works the television, shoes go on his feet etc but if I say keys, television, shoes he doesn't have a clue what I am on about.
We have got the ball rolling now as I have appointments left right and centre coming through the door.
I have accepted your friend request thank you.

[xx_Louise_xx]

Lesley, my son is 5, from the age of around 2, he had speech delay, lack of understanding and very low attention span! Its weird you say your son loves acrs and trains, my son has a OBSESSION!!! And i mean that literally....he will lay on the floor beside them, and watch as the wheels turn when he pushes them along! He saw a few speech therapists, and some doctors at our local hospital, and they diagnosed a speech and language disorder. They think he has a form of autism too. Although this is not diagnosed....its still very much in the process, its taken alot to get to wheere we are at the moment.

With understanding, do you mean like he doesnt understand you? Thats how my son is, i can say ' go and get mummy a tea-towel'. He will look at me like....huh?! What u on about?! Its very frustrating....he does know alot of what i say, only from repetition of me saying it and him remembering what i mean.!! Maybe he needs to be seen by a peadiatrician. Thats what got the ball rolling for my son. Hope this helps. I have sent a friend req....maybe i can help further.

[Anon93]

Its a decade old post i know..but i hope you'd still be active on this forum..can you pls share as how is your son doing now??

[specialmom]

My son did.  We did not have as much of an issue with receptive language.  However, we had issues with motor planning in other ways.  If verbally told how to do something, my son would not be able to do it.  I had to do hand over hand to show him things.  He would avoid anything new or difficult.  There are things like "story books" that help with receptive language issues.  An ot and speech therapist should be able to help with some strategies for this.  We found with sensory that once my son was better regulated that he could carry out motor planning better.  Things improved across the board.  Good luck

[lesley3232]

Thank you for your reply. You have been very helpful to me.  

Your son sounds very much like mine.  I will have a look into Sensory Integration Disorder.  

Did your son understand what you said at 2 1/2 years old?

[specialmom]

My son has a little of this.  Hypotonia is low tone and my son had this in his core.  We did exercises to help it and it was started by his occupational therapist.  He has issues with motor planning so things like chewing are difficult for him.  He's gotten better but I still watch for signs of choking (he's 6).  Motor planning would also affect speech which it did in terms of articulation.  But it can also affect receptive and expressive language as the brain needs good motor planning to organize incoming and outgoing information.  My son lined things up but he did do pretend play.  He will not make eye contact sometimes with someone he is unfamiliar with and has social skills areas we work on.  He would pretend a train was coming around a track or drive a car.  My son was diagnosed by a occupational therapist with sensory integration disorder.  He receives ot for this and it has helped.  Sensory can be an issue on its own or it can be along with something else such as autism.  I think you are doing the best possible thing to look at these things further and have some good evaluations in place.  

I'd not be too concerned if potty training comes slowly.  Neither of my boys were potty trained before 3 1/2 and that is actually the average age for boys.  

Anyway, my son is doing really well.  He has come a long way but now can blend into a group and if you didn't know he has a developmental delay, you would have a hard time noticing it.  I wish you much success with your boy!