Delayed or Introvert?

[MCC]

I have a 2.5 dcg here. She has been here for 4 weeks now, and both my husband I have noticed some unusual behavior. She is a sweet girl, but she does not act like the other children (all 2.5 girls).

She has a problem with sequencing, which I know can be common. We will say, it's time to go outside, and I will have to tell her "go into the hallway" "take your shoes off the shelf" "Sit down" "put your shoes on" "go up the steps" literally every step from leaving the playroom to getting into the outdoor play area. Including "step down" on the front porch. If I don't prompt these things, she just stands there until I move her, or give her direction.

She sits backwards at group time, circle time, story time, every time I'm "teaching" them, she sits with her back towards me.

We have a 15x15 fenced in area in the yard where they play. When we are coming inside, I open the gate, walk out, and call the kids to follow, and she gets stuck, she can not figure out how we all got out, and she starts walking around the area confused until I go lead her to the exit.

She says EVERYTHING in third person. "Mrs. C went to the bathroom." "Mrs. C is changing my diaper." "DGC is going to eat lunch." It's all very monotone, but she is very verbal, and very descriptive.

Does anyone have/has had a child like this and have any insight? I have told DCM about the sitting backwards at stories, but I'm not sure how much is normal, and how much could be signs of a delay, so I'm not sure how much to stress this to DCM.

TIA for advice!

[countrymom]

sounds like someone always does things for her. Like her shoes, I bet you they dress her so she is clueless. Not sure about the outside thing, thats weird. As for 3rd person, I just had a boy stop talking like this, it went on for months.

[cheerfuldom]

I had a special needs child like that and it did improve with therapy but she struggled with this till 4 years old when she left me. If you told her to sit down and didnt tell her to get up, she would sit there......turn the light off, she would still sit there and not tell anyone she was there alone! (that may or may not have actually happened : A part of it was that she did struggle with following two step instructions and problem solving and initiating behaviors but it was made worse by her parents doing everything for her, like carrying her down the one step on my porch. they did not see the delays for a long time because they never required anything of her in particular and did so much for her.

I would still observe and document as best as possible for another month or so. Then I would gather some info regarding early intervention and chose your moment wisely regarding when or if to approach mom and dad. Do not use any diagnosis terms because you arent trained to do that but I would briefly outline some things I was seeing and provide mom with the printed information and let her do what she will at that point. Let the professionals do their thing evaluating this child.

Other than that, I would not push the issue unless the behaviors were causing a disruption at daycare.

[MCC]

Thanks Cheer. I was thinking exactly that in regards to early intervention. Our county has an amazing early intervention program. I will continue to document. We do preschool evaluations that I send home every month, maybe I can just high light some things that are not improving. Walking down steps is on our evaluation sheet, so I wouldn't even have to single her out to make a note that she is struggling with that.

I'm pretty sure this one would sit in a dark room as well. I put her in the stroller when we go on walks b/c she will just stop and forget to keep walking if I let her walk with the other children.

[spinnymarie]

The following directions sounds like the low-end of normal, but the fact that she can't find her way out of the yard, even after being there for 4 weeks is quite unusual and definitely sounds like a delay. I like your idea of documenting -- that one specifically I would write down anytime she couldn't problem solve, especially spatially -- and then giving your documentation to them with some print-outs on early intervention. THe most you can do is suggest that an evaluation would be helpful for her, especially as she is adjusting to group care.
As a teacher we were not legally aloud to suggest they see a Dr., we had to say things like, have you thought about asking a Dr.'s opinion?, because technically they can ask that you pay the Dr fees if you 'suggest'/'require' it or something ridiculous like that. Just FYI anyway.

[Heidi]

yep...document!

My oldest friend's daughter did the 3rd person thing at that age, along with some "weird" stuff. Hair twirling, confusion as you describe, late potty training, and major PICA. She was diagnosed as PPD-no specific at 4, as well as OCD.

With lots of help (OT, PT, an IEP at school for accomodations) and some medication for the OCD, she is a fairly normally functioning 15 year old now. Hey, as "normal" as any 15 year old...or anyone for that matter, is...

[JoseyJo]

I have a 2.5 dcg here. She has been here for 4 weeks now, and both my husband I have noticed some unusual behavior. She is a sweet girl, but she does not act like the other children (all 2.5 girls).

She has a problem with sequencing, which I know can be common. We will say, it's time to go outside, and I will have to tell her "go into the hallway" "take your shoes off the shelf" "Sit down" "put your shoes on" "go up the steps" literally every step from leaving the playroom to getting into the outdoor play area. Including "step down" on the front porch. If I don't prompt these things, she just stands there until I move her, or give her direction.

She sits backwards at group time, circle time, story time, every time I'm "teaching" them, she sits with her back towards me.

We have a 15x15 fenced in area in the yard where they play. When we are coming inside, I open the gate, walk out, and call the kids to follow, and she gets stuck, she can not figure out how we all got out, and she starts walking around the area confused until I go lead her to the exit.

She says EVERYTHING in third person. "Mrs. C went to the bathroom." "Mrs. C is changing my diaper." "DGC is going to eat lunch." It's all very monotone, but she is very verbal, and very descriptive.

Does anyone have/has had a child like this and have any insight? I have told DCM about the sitting backwards at stories, but I'm not sure how much is normal, and how much could be signs of a delay, so I'm not sure how much to stress this to DCM.

TIA for advice!

This sounds like my problem DGB4.75 (who is actually doing a little better lately, knock on wood!). He has EVERYTHING done for him all the time. His mom does not allow him to walk hardly ever (he is 60 lbs)- she either carries him or puts him in a jogging stroller (at almost 5 ) She and DCgma will not even allow him to put on or take off his own shoes. If he tries to do something for him they step in and tell him to stop and do it themselves.

He is very bright but will not do more than 1 step of instructions, even though he can repeat a whole string of them back to you. If you ask him why he stopped he just shrugs and looks blank.

He cannot walk with the group without wandering off. If I hold his hand he goes glassy eyed and just allows you to lead him by his hand wherever.

Maybe there is something developmentally wrong with him also? I have often wondered. Or it may just be the parenting.