If you're worried enough to be asking, you should probably get him evaluated. However, from what you're describing it seems like he's a typical toddler with a speech delay...
Good Luck!
Hi all.I have written before about my 26 month old son.He was Evaluated by EI in January, 19 months old, and found to have speech of 11 month old.Speech Therapy was started (one hour) week.One month ago (24 months) Speech Therapist suggested OT evaluation.She felt that there were issues that were causing a short attention span.OT stated that there were minor sensory issues.OT once per week is scheduled to start next week.
The things I think are good news:
Social
He seems very interested in other children.He will walk up to them and wave hi.But that is usually the extent of it.Seems to like to be near his peers at the playground.
He will most always do the same wit strangers
He did cry last week when seeing my brother at his grandparents and avoided him most of the stay.
Good but not perfect eye contact
Speech
Just started to answer the question “How old are you?” with what sounds like “two”
Will look out the window and seeing three cars parked on the street will say “caa, caa, caa”
Has pointed at a cow and said what sounds like cow
In ST is able to make most sounds of letters and place those letters in a cut out puzzle.
Babbles a lot, sings in babbles, changes inflection,
Uses the word “ba” to mean a lot of things – bubble, more, balloon
Is able to distinguish himself, mom, dad, grandma and grandpa, by pointing, in pictures when asked.
Pointing
Always seems to use his index finger
Points at things of interest often
If a sound is heard outside like an airplane, loud car, fireworks, he will point and look to me for a reaction
Points to himself when asked “Who’s the good boy?”
Points to mom , dad, cat, himself when asked “Who is ___?”
He points for what he wants and will say the word sound if asked and prompted “c” for cookie or cracker.
Pretend play
Pretends to talk on phone
Pretends to feed toy animals mostly when prompted
Pretends to make toy animals walk, run, etc…
If I pretend that a block is a phone and say it’s for him he will use it like a phone
Follow direction
If told to get his stool (which he uses to look out his window in his room) and bring it to another window or room he will usually get it.
If told to put something away that he knows has come out of a drawer in his changing table he will usually take it and put it there.
If told to get his shoes he will go to the closet where they are.
My concerns:
Body positioning
At times he will turn his head to the side while walking or running.It appears to be an almost involuntary muscular thing
He will sometimes tilt his head forward with his arms behind him when he runs.Like superman taking off?
Repeating words
Most of what he says comes after we say “Can you say ____?”
Holding hands / arms
When not occupied he seems to hold onto his own hands or arms.As if he doesn’t know what to do with them in a relaxed state.
Eating
He seems to have become quit fussy but is getting 4 second year molars at the moment
Hitting / pinching / behavior stuff
He has recently started hitting and pinching us – not sure if this is the normal second year limits testing / preverbal frustration or an indicator of something else.
He has started throwing food off his tray like when he was first learing to eat.
He will also throw toys when he get mad or frustrated
At times it seems like he knows that hwat he is doing is not what we want him to do?Not sure how or why I know – I’m Just fairly certain.
Sensory??
He picks and pinches at his nipples – He does have exzema but not there
He has also begun pinching his legs
Play
At time he will play alone either looking at a book, playing with his toys, etc… for some time at the same thing.At other times he will go from one thing to the next quite quickly.
At times he will grab us by the hand to lead us to his train table or his blocks to play with im.We have recently started to ask him to say what he wants and he will say “P’ as in play, “g” as in go outside.
He will play with building blocks for at least 10 minutes if I hand him the block and tell him the color and then praise him for putting in on a tower he’s building.
He has started a little evening game where if we are sitting on the couch he will tickle my toes, his mom’s the cat’s, we laugh, he laughs and then runs out into the living room and around the kitchen then comes back and does it again.It seems that he could do it for a long time.
He doesn’t really have super tantrums.He’ll fall on the floor and slowly lower himself to his back and cry a little…3 minutes later he’s fine.What do you all think?Should I be concerned?
[quote]He did cry last week when seeing my brother at his grandparents and avoided him most of the stay.[/quote]
I am rather confused on why this is "good" portion, but that has a lot to do with my own son. D does many of the social things your child does, and has for the longest time. It's what took everyone so long to decide if he WAS ASD. It turns out my son's main social problem is with men. He normally will not look a man other than his daddy and grandpa. With some men, he won't acknowledge they're in the room.. Other's he will avoid like the plague.
How much is his play is what they call "appropriate play?" Where he uses the toy for it's intended purpose? D seems to have a lot of problems with this unless prompted. He does okay with play phones, but just about anything else he has difficulty.
I definitely think there are some "pink" flags there. So if you're worried, I'd definitely get him checked out. If the crying was indeed a social problem (like with more than just your brother), then he could fall within the area of ASD. Also, I'd encourage you to take the childbrain.com PDD assessment.
Pointing and looking at you for a reaction is indeed a very good sign, and one that is associated with a good prognosis if diagnosed with autism.
Most of the things you are concerned about seem to be most likely sensory related. If you haven't gotten much clear feedback from the OT, I suggest trying this checklist to help you identify sensory issues.
Since play is a concern for you, you might want to take a look at this description of the 10 phases of play that children normally go through by age 5.
Finally, get your child a proper hearing test, to make sure that the verbal struggles and any autistic-like behaviors don't stem from hearing loss.
Good luck with everything.
Thank you all for your responses. To be honest no one seems concerned but me. i became concerned when he wasn't talking at 18 months and his Ped. asked if he pretened to make tea. So since then i have been going a little nuts with research. He plays with his toys in what i would have to say is a normal way. he pushes his toy trains around the track. he pushes his cars and trucks around ion the floor ( he has started to make sounds like the cars, trucks, ambulance and sirens). he will pretend to feed his stuffed animals. He loves to chase and be chased but doesn't quite get what to do when he catches you.
I placed the crying in the wrong side of my post. It is something that i am concerned about although it is not his norm up to now. A week earlier we had been at a party with at least 10 adults and 3 children and he was fine and actually quite social with most everone there. Thanks for your response.