Advice needed please.

**samd35** · 01-05-2009, 07:12 AM

Hi

I have been caring for a children who was 2 in Jan for 6 weeks now, one day a week.
The child is a lively little soul, loves the outdoors. He doesn't talk, everything is " ga ga". He was referred by his heath visitor to a speech and language therapist. Mum went along but because it was a meeting with a group of 10other children she said she stayed for 20 mins and left. She said she is not concerned as he is not 5 and not talking. She went along to this meeting when I had only had him twice, so I didn't really know him very well.
His behaviour is a problem, he can't seem to mix with other children very well or when he does he gets overexcited and may hit out. At mealtimes, he will begin to eat ok then everything is thrown. He slams doors and throws things . If I tell him no, he doesn't listen. When I get down to his level to talk to him and ask him to look at me he never does just opens his mouth. He finds this funny too. I asked his mum for any tips on how she deals with his behaviour and have followed these but it doesn't work for me. He has an interest in cars, lines them up and he sometimes will do this with food.
I have daily chats with mum, but finding him very difficult . I don't want to give up on him. But also don't want it affecting the other children. They get really angry with him. After how long of having a child would start to get concerned.

Any advice or tips would be greatly apprieciated.

Sam x

**sarah707** · 01-05-2009, 07:22 AM

Some parents find group sessions very hard... it might be better for her to see someone on a one-to-one basis and she should go back to her HV and get another referral.

Ok so he's not talking at 2, not a huge problem as some children choose not to talk, BUT it's clearly causing him upset as he cannot communicate and this is coming out in his behaviour.

There might be more to it than that and it might well be diagnosed in a few years time but for now you have to work with what you have got. You need a consistent set of rules that both you and the parents use... all the time... however tired or stressed you are. He needs boundaries or he will be lost. That's where I would come from first with the parents.

Only you know your limitations and how much your family can cope with. If you are near the end, then talk to someone locally for help and support. Do you have a hcildren's centre locally? They might have speech and language attached who could support the mum and give you advice...

Hth good luck x