Delayed Development of 22 mo.old

My 22 mo. old grandson was born without his right eye.  He is under treatment for that. But I worry that he has never said a word, not even da-da. He doesn't walk. He crawls but not very well. The most disturbing problem is that he can't eat table food. He is still on strained baby food.  He tries to eat table food and loves the taste of it but can't seem to swallow it.  He chokes until he vomits. We've tried several times and we give him very small bites.  He chews very thourghly and still can't swallow it. His therapist from Easter Seals says that his walking will be delayed due to fear because he can't see what is on his right side but that doesn't explain the other problems.  I'm concerned that he will not get the nutrients he needs from baby food and will not grow normally.  He is very small for his age. His pediatrician does not seem to be concerned.  Should I be this concerned? I don't want him to get so far behind other children that he will not be able to keep up.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Yes, you should be concerned, because your grandson does appear to have some delays in several areas of development. It would be wise to seek a thorough developmental evaluation. This will determine his status in the various spheres of growth and development. Determination of such status will indicate if he displays some developmental disorders and if specialized treatment is required.

[elwynsmommy]

I really think that you should get a second opinion and change doctors.  I feel really bad that your baby is experiencing these problems, I am not a doc but do think that the baby should be on vitamins so that you can make sure that he/she will be getting more than enough nutrients due to the fact that the baby is almost two and is still on baby food.  Try mashed potaotes and regular Quaker oatmeal.

[susanne]

If your child is smiling and seems happy, loves to play in water, has jerky movements, short attention span, along with symptoms you describe--you may want to look up Angelman Syndrome.  It is very rare, affects both boys and girls, but it can be accurately diagnosed with genetic testing.  Eyes are possibly affected with strabismus, usually, but so few cases have been diagnosed that it may be possible that your son's condition would fit.  We are in process of exploring this diagnosis for a relative and your description seemed to strike a chord, but may not be relevant.  A description of symptoms is at http://www.angelman.org/BriefDesc.htm   I wish you the very best with your child!   S.