You’ve got a toddler who is the light of your life. He’s rosy-cheeked, bright-eyed, and curious. But something just seems a little. . . off. You can’t quite place it. Maybe you express your concerns to a few close relatives or friends, and they assure you that your worries are unfounded. But still, you’re troubled.
When A Child’s Play Seems Unusual
One of the most common things that parents notice when they feel something isn’t quite right with their child is that his or her play is unusual. “She doesn’t use toys the way other children do.” “He doesn’t want to interact much with other kids.” “She keeps doing the same thing over and over again.” Sometimes it’s very subtle—just a few curious behaviors. But studies have shown that play and language development are linked, and that children who cannot engage in imaginative play at the level of their same-age peers are very likely to have language delays as well.
Parents are the True Experts
Therapists, doctors and specialists know a lot about disorders and diseases. They know about language development and diagnostic symptoms. But ultimately, parents are the experts when it comes to their kids. Parents see their child as a whole human being, mind, body, and spirit, and they feel a powerful need to protect and provide. They care about the child on a level deeper than any “expert” could begin to approach. And parents have the benefit of being with their sons or daughters on a daily basis, with the ability to observe behaviors over an extended period of time. They can note patterns that an expert, who only gets a tiny snapshot picture, just can’t.
Giving Weight to Parental Concern
So when a parent says, “something doesn’t seem right,” experts need to sit up and pay attention. It’s very unlikely that parents would want to find something wrong with their child, so the only motivation for such an assertion is genuine concern. And early intervention has been proven to be a highly effective strategy for treating children with developmental delays. So we can’t afford to put off evaluations when the quality of a child’s life is in question.
Since language-impaired kids tend to demonstrate differences in their play, parents who observe peculiar play behaviors should feel justified in bringing up concerns with a pediatrician as soon as possible. And if their worries are not taken seriously, they should find a doctor who will. Getting an evaluation will not hurt a child, and could shed light on the situation.
Parents, trust your parental “expertise” and use your gut instinct. You know your child better than anyone. Your love for your child will guide you.
Kristyn Crow is the author of this blog. Visit her website by clicking here. Some links on this blog may have been generated by outside sources are not necessarily endorsed by Kristyn Crow.
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