Posted Other Day BUT .... Need Help

[nannyde]

I've had the same experience with blankets and stuffed animals. I allow them only at nap time (same with paci's for children over 1). Sometimes, in the beginning, I've gotten them out for a "quick hug", but generally, we just put them in our bed for nap time.

It sounds like OP is seeing some things that are beyond the blankie-addicted thing, though, don't you think?

I think op has good radar BUT I have seen kids who were very very addicted to blankets, binkies, tags, stuffies, etc who had a home life that revolved around the soothing and stimulation of those items plus constant screens and ****y cups/bottles.

Once these are unavailable the child became a completely different child. It's almost like the comfort items paralyzed their ability to receive the world around them. The removal or destruction of those items caused a HUGE family problem that went on for days and weeks.

Even when they went day after day without them here the family relied on them SO much that they became the centerpiece of parenting and the child's TIME with the parents. Their world and happiness was staked into the ****ing, stroking, holding, etc. Add screens and or motion (jolly jumpers, swings) the parents literally were able to completely outsource their minute to minute parenting.

When here the child was released from the option to choose ****ing, guarding, touching, etc. the child HAD to cope with what was surrounding him/her without the barrier there to block out the real world.

Before jumping into disease I would be willing to weather the storm (and it will be a storm of BIBLICAL proportions) and put TIME into showing this toddler real world unplugged. It may not work but it's worth a try.

[MCC]

I have a part time DCB that sounds just like this. He is also right around 18 months. When he first started here at 16 months he was not even attempting to walk. He walks now, but like a toddling 12 month old, and is very unsteady.
He also lays on the floor for long periods of time. He is not verbal. He doesn't eat. He doesn't have a blanket or lovie though.

He is also an awesome napper, but he will nap the whole day if I let him. (literally, I can put him down at 10 and he will sleep until 3:30, he leaves at 4).

I have been struggling with how to bring this up to the parents, but it sounds like we are dealing with a similar situation. I don't see DCM, his Nanny drops him off, so that makes it a little harder to get DCM informed on things.

Let me know what you end up doing, I would love any advice on this, as I decided yesterday that it is time to have a talk with Mom.

[DAYCAREPROVIDER242]

I had a dck around 16 months that was the same way. At first I thought he was very shy. He would stand there staring at you ****ing his thumb. At first I thought he was shy and perhaps coddled a little.

Turns out, he was a victim of neglect. I felt SO bad because it was upon a visit to my SON's dr to p/u his Rx for an MRI and a doctor's observation to see something was off. long story short, she advised me to call CPS and said she would be doing so as well.

[lflick]

WOW! Good thing your sons provider recommended that, kind of takes the guilt off of your shoulders! I know these parents personally and I can personally attest to a great deal of love and affection given all the time. I think the issues are partially related to over coddling and not treating him appropriate for his age. I do also believe the blanket contributes. I will be removing these from the environment except for naptime next week and depending on how he does I plan to remove it completely. I didn't want to cause a major storm immediately and figured we would ease into it.

I did request a copy of his evaluation and treatment plan from mom once she gets it. I explained to her the things I was seeing and that this information would assist me in incorporating their recommendations into our day when possible.

I can see this family being a long term family, which would be great, but before I am ready to do this I feel I need to have resources available as well.

Thank you all so much for your input, I greatly appreciate everything. I love this site and am so thankful to have found it!

[Unregistered]

I agree with removing the blanket completly during awake time, but may I ask why you would remove it from naptime as well?

[nannyde]

I agree with removing the blanket completly during awake time, but may I ask why you would remove it from naptime as well?

Jmho
Because he can do without it. He's a human baby. He doesn't need a blanket to let nature take its course and sleep when his body is tired. If he knows he will have it ANY time he will fixate on it ALL the time. He's a great napper now because he's confined with his blanket and nothing in the real world can come in between him and his fix.

[melilley]

He sounds very much like a boy I know who has autism. I hope his family will be open to having him evaluated, with therapy I have seen the little guy I know make great strides.

I just thought the same thing, sounds like a boy that I know that is autistic also.