I've been doing inhome daycare for almost two years now. I previously worked at a center with younger toddlers for ten years. I've watched the same two kids at my inhome since they were two months old. They are now 20 months. It's been a rough few months. The girl says maybe 12 words total, barely ever gives me eye contact, never initiates cuddling, lap sitting or playtime with me. Wont ask for more food unless i prompt her. She puts everything in her mouth. She recognizes all her colors and shapes but can't /won't say any of them. She will play with toys but majority of the day is spent wandering around and laying on the floor. The boy babbles nonstop all day and says about 45 uderstandable words for me. He will say sentences at home. He shows some autistic tendencies like spinning wheels on a car, spinning around in circles, wringing his hands, using one hand for tasks that should be done with two and has very minimal eye contact. He also won't initiate cuddling and rarely sits on my lap. Usually only to listen to a book. He also cries at everything. If someone lays on him, pokes him lightly, takes his toy, etc. He whines if I don't do something fast enough or give him more food because I gave someone else more. He will walk over to me crying but won't reach for me or say up or say owie etc. He also most days flat out refuses to participate in group time when he knows how to say colors and shapes. We sing pretty much the same songs everyday and he never participates and sings or does the motions. He also rarely plays with toys and mom said hes that way at home but that's normal to her .The girl will but also very minimal. The other kids including mine love to do group time. I don't know what else to do. I've tried group time using my tablet and it isn't any better. They are both very spacey and prefer playing alone but they also play with each other but not really any of the other chikdren. If I'm on the floor playing they are as far away from me as possible. He will imitate anything the older kids do but nothing I do or ask him to do. We try to do group activities and he chooses not to participate but whines when he sees others doing it like he wants to but cant. I need suggestions. I think part of the issue is they have been with me for too long but I also see it as partly not normal. I handed him a comb today and he had no idea what to do with it until he saw my daughter (who is the same age as him) put it in her hair then he did it but only for a second then it went in the mouth. Comments? Suggestions? I'm going crazy with all the crying and whining. He was the easiest baby ever too.
Normal Toddler Behavior?
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Welcome to the forum. Here are more threads on Toddler Behavior: https://www.daycare.com/forum/tags.p...ddler+behavior- Flag
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They are awfully young to be so worried IMO, not even 2 yet...I wouldn't expect them to do circle time or group activities at this age, some kids love it, some kids don't. Speech and autism are also not something to worry about at this age unless you were seeing serious signs of a problem. Why not just let them play? Let them play with what they choose, show them fun things or new ways of playing with things and let them exploreI would make sure they are getting lots of outside time too! I definitely wouldn't keep pressuring them to do these activities, they could be feeling that from you and reacting to it.
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I believe the speech pathologist told me that 5 words by 2 is considered on target/not behind. 2's also parallel play, they do not truly play WITH other children yet.- Flag
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They are awfully young to be so worried IMO, not even 2 yet...I wouldn't expect them to do circle time or group activities at this age, some kids love it, some kids don't. Speech and autism are also not something to worry about at this age unless you were seeing serious signs of a problem. Why not just let them play? Let them play with what they choose, show them fun things or new ways of playing with things and let them exploreI would make sure they are getting lots of outside time too! I definitely wouldn't keep pressuring them to do these activities, they could be feeling that from you and reacting to it.
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At my daughters 18 month appointment the nurse asked me if she was saying 8-10 clear words. At 18 months this girl said maybe 3-5 words so she is making improvement.- Flag
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Really?
The SLP I spoke with two weeks ago was saying, at least, 50 understandable words right around when they turn 2 and then 400 words prior to 2.5.
Also, that behavior does seem off to me. I'd keep a list going and continue monitoring, but come 2.25-2.5 I would be mentioning something.- Flag
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Really?
The SLP I spoke with two weeks ago was saying, at least, 50 understandable words right around when they turn 2 and then 400 words prior to 2.5.
Also, that behavior does seem off to me. I'd keep a list going and continue monitoring, but come 2.25-2.5 I would be mentioning something.
OP , remember that some of the things they're doing are new to them. Spinning in circles or watching wheels turn, even whining is all a new experience to them.- Flag
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My son was like this and tested and isn't anywhere nea being the spectrum. My son at 2 had about 10 words. Just a few months ago his language exploded and he's making sentence of 4-5 words or more and showing interest in playing with other kids. There are early warning signs but I believe they're more severe. These kids at these ages sound normal to me.
OP , remember that some of the things they're doing are new to them. Spinning in circles or watching wheels turn, even whining is all a new experience to them.
The lack of playing and wandering around laying down all over the place, minimal eye contact, etc. is interesting...
I'm wondering if they have a lot of screen time at home.
I was told by someone who is well researched in primitive infant reflexes that twins are notorious for being unintegrated in certain areas. So, that could very well be what is going on here. I would google "primitive infant reflexes" and see what you can find. Brain Balance Center is a common one, that is really expensive, but there are other places that are well researched and know more about things of this nature.
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The lack of expressive language wouldn't make me think "spectrum."
The lack of playing and wandering around laying down all over the place, minimal eye contact, etc. is interesting...
I'm wondering if they have a lot of screen time at home.
I was told by someone who is well researched in primitive infant reflexes that twins are notorious for being unintegrated in certain areas. So, that could very well be what is going on here. I would google "primitive infant reflexes" and see what you can find. Brain Balance Center is a common one, that is really expensive, but there are other places that are well researched and know more about things of this nature.
http://www.brainbalancecenters.com/w...veReflexes.png
I wouldn't be worried about the speech, but the lack of affection and eye contact is concerning. Are they siblings?- Flag
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I had a child who was a "lazy" player here. She had TV 24/7 at home and tablet in the car. She wandered around for months here, overwhelmed by regular stimuli. After months she started playing a bit. There was nothing inherently "wrong" with her, but she appeared behind when it came to playing with toys and interacting with her world. Do you know what home life looks like?
I wouldn't be worried about the speech, but the lack of affection and eye contact is concerning. Are they siblings?- Flag
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My son was like this and tested and isn't anywhere nea being the spectrum. My son at 2 had about 10 words. Just a few months ago his language exploded and he's making sentence of 4-5 words or more and showing interest in playing with other kids. There are early warning signs but I believe they're more severe. These kids at these ages sound normal to me.
OP , remember that some of the things they're doing are new to them. Spinning in circles or watching wheels turn, even whining is all a new experience to them.- Flag
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The criteria in the USA is quite a bit different than here in Canada. By two, kids should have up to 100 words and be saying simple two word sentences. My own children were doing that by 2 years for sure.
I had a 2 year old who was on the spectrum. He did not get diagnosed however because his mother didn't believe him to be on the spectrum and he apparently only displayed these behaviors with me. He had excellent eye contact but was extremely lethargic for a toddler. Standing or lying in the same spot, only able to play with cars or wheeled objects and if those objects were not available he would wander and have "shut downs". He would repeat phrases and words over and over and bring objects to you and tell you what they were over and over, sometimes bringing the same object up to 20 times a day. No interest in other children except to play chase games. During chase games he was simply running in a circle, not engaged with others, never looking up to see where the other kids were etc. Just very "odd" behavior. The major red flag for him was repetition and routine. Those behaviors are very strong in kids on the spectrum.
My advice to you would be to document the odd behaviors you are seeing and then Google what you are seeing. Is it normal? Is it part of the spectrum? Can you find youtube videos depicting that behavior etc. I found out for example that the lethargy and sleeping for 5 hours in my home could be because 80% of ASD children have sleep issues.- Flag
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The criteria in the USA is quite a bit different than here in Canada. By two, kids should have up to 100 words and be saying simple two word sentences. My own children were doing that by 2 years for sure.
I had a 2 year old who was on the spectrum. He did not get diagnosed however because his mother didn't believe him to be on the spectrum and he apparently only displayed these behaviors with me. He had excellent eye contact but was extremely lethargic for a toddler. Standing or lying in the same spot, only able to play with cars or wheeled objects and if those objects were not available he would wander and have "shut downs". He would repeat phrases and words over and over and bring objects to you and tell you what they were over and over, sometimes bringing the same object up to 20 times a day. No interest in other children except to play chase games. During chase games he was simply running in a circle, not engaged with others, never looking up to see where the other kids were etc. Just very "odd" behavior. The major red flag for him was repetition and routine. Those behaviors are very strong in kids on the spectrum.
My advice to you would be to document the odd behaviors you are seeing and then Google what you are seeing. Is it normal? Is it part of the spectrum? Can you find youtube videos depicting that behavior etc. I found out for example that the lethargy and sleeping for 5 hours in my home could be because 80% of ASD children have sleep issues.- Flag
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