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You have good reason to be concerned. If it were just that the child was not talking yet, but walked and pointed and engaged and communicated well non-verbally, I wouldn't be worried.
Pointing is a 12 month skill. Average age for walking is about 12 months, also. I've seen normal children walk as early as 6 months (and I had a colleague who swore he saw a 4 month old walk when he was in med school), and it's considered normal to walk as late as 16 months. First words usually appear at about 12 months, also, with a range of 6 months to 18 months, but I have seen normal children who didn't say first words until 21 months. I have even seen children who did not say a word until after 24 months, but eventually spoke well, but they were not always "normal". Often there were subtle neurological differences - not necessarily low IQ, but might be on the autistic spectrum, or had language-based deficits. But still, some who didn't say a first word until after 24 months, who were still normal.
But the combination of all milestones being late, with no words, no pointing, and no walking at 16 months is definitely a cause for concern. Ask your pediatrician for a referral now to a developmental specialist at your local children's hospital. These appointments often have a year long waiting list, so you need to get on the waiting list now (and you can cancel it if a year from now it's obvious that the child has totally caught up developmentally). Meanwhile, ask the pediatrician to do a Denver Developmental Screening Test. The pediatrician will likely ask for you to come in for an appointment separate from the regular checkups for this. The test consists of some questions regarding her development, and some simple little tests.
If she is deemed to have developmental delays (which from your description, she does), most states have free programs where they'll send therapists out to the house to work with her, and to teach you how to do the same. She would also become eligible for a seamless transition into the town's developmental preschool at age three.
You have good reason to be concerned. If it were just that the child was not talking yet, but walked and pointed and engaged and communicated well non-verbally, I wouldn't be worried.
Pointing is a 12 month skill. Average age for walking is about 12 months, also. I've seen normal children walk as early as 6 months (and I had a colleague who swore he saw a 4 month old walk when he was in med school), and it's considered normal to walk as late as 16 months. First words usually appear at about 12 months, also, with a range of 6 months to 18 months, but I have seen normal children who didn't say first words until 21 months. I have even seen children who did not say a word until after 24 months, but eventually spoke well, but they were not always "normal". Often there were subtle neurological differences - not necessarily low IQ, but might be on the autistic spectrum, or had language-based deficits. But still, some who didn't say a first word until after 24 months, who were still normal.
But the combination of all milestones being late, with no words, no pointing, and no walking at 16 months is definitely a cause for concern. Ask your pediatrician for a referral now to a developmental specialist at your local children's hospital. These appointments often have a year long waiting list, so you need to get on the waiting list now (and you can cancel it if a year from now it's obvious that the child has totally caught up developmentally). Meanwhile, ask the pediatrician to do a Denver Developmental Screening Test. The pediatrician will likely ask for you to come in for an appointment separate from the regular checkups for this. The test consists of some questions regarding her development, and some simple little tests.
If she is deemed to have developmental delays (which from your description, she does), most states have free programs where they'll send therapists out to the house to work with her, and to teach you how to do the same. She would also become eligible for a seamless transition into the town's developmental preschool at age three.
Our daughter never learned to crawl correctly; she had this lopsided, 3-limbed crawl. We were slightly worried. Later, she did ballet and folk dancing and became an outstanding dancer, though sadly has given up the ballet for other teenage pursuits. So we're disappointed.
Einstein was slow to talk and was considered retarded in his first years of elementary school.
Of course, we are still together. She is a little worried as well, though our daughter is her first child so she doesn't really have something to compare it to.
Sorry. When I wrote this, I thought maybe the 2 of you weren't together, and that maybe that's why you were asking us.
My daughter is 16 month-old. She doesn't utter a single word. She doesn't walk, though she stands on her own. She doesn't point to things.
We ruled out autism because she keeps eye contact, reacts to a wide range of emotions, she doesn't 'stim', she isn't fussy and she generally just doesn't fit autistict traits.
But she is so slooooooooow to develop. She is always months late in reaching her milestones. I am increasingly worried she has a developmental disability or a low-IQ if you will.
I was a gift child. Her mother wasn't very good in school but she is a functionning well adjusted adult. So I doubt it is heriditary but I am afraid we were just unlucky and we simply have a slow child.
Any input will be greatly appreciated.
My grandson walked at 18 months and would not speak at the same level as his peers. He struggled in kinder garden with regards to reading. Now he is in 2nd grade and reads at a 4th grade level, has a lot of vocabulary, and is a math whiz. Most of the time intelligence is inherited. If you were a gifted child she got a real good X chromosome and will also be smart. She may simply have a laid back personality. Some babies are very calm.
My grandson walked at 18 months and would not speak at the same level as his peers. He struggled in kinder garden with regards to reading. Now he is in 2nd grade and reads at a 4th grade level, has a lot of vocabulary, and is a math whiz. Most of the time intelligence is inherited. If you were a gifted child she got a real good X chromosome and will also be smart. She may simply have a laid back personality. Some babies are very calm.
Thank you. That's her grandmother's assessment too, that she is just independant and laid back. I hope it is the case. If it was just one thing I wouldn't worry but there are 3-4 milestone she hasn't reach and I think it compounds that there might be a little something.
I've known families over time where the littlest ones are quiet and laid back. They like to watch the goings on of their older siblings and are talked to, played with, carried by mom and dad and siblings so their needs seem to be met and they appear peaceful about it all. Eventually they have discovered the need to do things on their own.
Wondering about your daughter's hearing. I know a little girl who smiled at funny faces and watched a face intently and was very content but didn't make sounds and was discovered to have a hearing issue.
Thank you. That's her grandmother's assessment too, that she is just independant and laid back. I hope it is the case. If it was just one thing I wouldn't worry but there are 3-4 milestone she hasn't reach and I think it compounds that there might be a little something.
At one point we thought my grandson could be autistic. He had his mannerisms and shook his head a lot. He also crawled in a funny manner by shifting his legs sideways. In addition he was a picky eater.
At the onset it was a struggle for him to read. The teacher felt he should repeat kinder and then suddenly he took off. In retrospect he lacked confidence and once he knew he could do it he was fine. He is incredibly talented, but he also has a great stay home mom that can teach him.
My daughter is 16 month-old. She doesn't utter a single word. She doesn't walk, though she stands on her own. She doesn't point to things.
We ruled out autism because she keeps eye contact, reacts to a wide range of emotions, she doesn't 'stim', she isn't fussy and she generally just doesn't fit autistict traits.
But she is so slooooooooow to develop. She is always months late in reaching her milestones. I am increasingly worried she has a developmental disability or a low-IQ if you will.
I was a gift child. Her mother wasn't very good in school but she is a functionning well adjusted adult. So I doubt it is heriditary but I am afraid we were just unlucky and we simply have a slow child.
Any input will be greatly appreciated.
Are you engaging your child enough?
Sounds like possibly a lack of mental, physical and emotional involvements
It helps to talk to a newborn, read to them, play with all kinds of items as a well as toys, point and name things for them early on.
Even teaching counting- anything for that matter- the more engaged the child with the parents - the more developed they become
Physical engagement- put the newborn on their stomach, put the palm of your hand next to their feet- don’t push, but hold firm- the reflex- that the child will use it to push away and start crawling, for example.
When you put them on their feet- engage them by showing something bright-new- interesting and move it slightly away to motivate them to try to walk ( let them hold onto something, like a chair or another adult could hold them)
Anyway, you get the idea, even do some silly things to make her smile
Better late than never
We used to call physically challenged, cripples, and mentally challenged, retards, and little people, midgets, but we no longer used such terminology and like you said “years” ago. We have come a long way since that terminology was considered appropriate. Solley can say be nice all he wants, but the comments coming my way indicate that I am not alone in my take on this.
Didn’t find the OP offensive at all. It seemed pretty clear that English wasn’t likely their first language. Sounded like an honest parent with valid concerns based on reality. Quite refreshing actually.
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