Finger sucking and non-talking 3.5 year old ( venting!!!)

[mlc1982]

I have a little one who I truly believe he is behind in many ways. I have the screening tests and have answered 'no' to many of the questions here for him. I've mentioned little stuff to mom but nothing in great detail. He is very babied at home and I wonder if that's part of the problem. From a friends experience, I don't want to be the one to falsley 'label' him as having an issue, but from reading this post I feel like I need to say more.

What would be my best way to go about introducing the screening tests to parents so that this kid is not singled out? Overall, I think it's a great idea for all the kids and something the parents should be thankful for, but I just don't want it to seem weird that I'm all of a sudden starting this.

[playfelt]

I generally keep any screening or observations to myself till a child is two. That is the age at which many doctors will start to rethink their advice of don't worry he will grow out of it or don't worry the skill will come. Around two is when we should be seeing mastery of skills that were emerging and being practiced. Late walkers who barely toddled at 18 months should be walking normally by age 2 or saying at least a certain number of words whether been doing it for months or just learned them last week. While all children develop at different rates especially in the infant/toddler years there is an expected baseline mastery that should be there by age 2 so the child can move from toddlerhood into preschool.