Not pointing- do I really need to go back to the MCHN?

[amberj]

At our 12 month check up, DS was not pointing and the MCHN wasn't terribly happy about it. She said if he was still not pointing at 15 months, we needed to come back and see her. Well, its 4 days off 15 months and there are no signs of pointing.

I've done the reading on why not pointing is a concern- its about "shared attention"- the idea that your child recognises you have a different perspective/ experience than them, and they see something and want to share it with you. Not pointing or delaying pointing can at its most extreme be an autism marker and at its less extreme can signify a learning/ language delay.

In all other respects my DS is a very normal, happy, interactive child. I would be beyond astounded to learn there is anything remotely 'delayed' or different about him. He seems very bright and curious and observant and aware. There are absolutely no other signs of autism. I think he shows shared attention in other ways, but nothing so blatent as pointing.

So do I go back or not? I guess my fear is that once I go back, it starts a whole chain (kind of like the cascade of intervention in labour)- and I'm not sure I want to start down that chain, or if its even needed. I like my MCHN a lot, so its no punishment to go see her, I just feel like its starting something over nothing. My mummy instincts tell me there is nothing wrong, but then how do I really know? Early intervention/ assistance is important in these things, right?

Advice appreciated, thanks!!

[Olive]

i remember DD1 not pointing at the 'so called time' she should have, i cant remember when she did but i dont think its cause for alarm

[Lolli]

Hi hun, I'd definately say don't worry about it. My ds didn't start pointing until he was about 18 months. Like you, my gut instinct told me nothing was wrong so i didn't worry too much about it.

I remember my ds used to kind of gesture with his hand to things, or just indicate in some other way he was interested in them. I'm not one to walk around pointing at things, I'm more of a verbal kind of person, so it was just a behaviour he hadn't learned. He still is not much of a pointer, and there is absolutley nothing wrong with his communication skills.

If you feel he's communicating with you in his way, I wouldn't stress. How on earth did our great grandma's do without mchn's and their little blue books to stress them out?

[Lulu]

Go with your gut mummy bear xoxoxo

[SammyRo]

Amber, DD is a similar age and not pointing, but she communicates what she wants very clearly in other ways so I'm not worried. A friends daughter who is similar age has been pointing for ages but isn't doing other stuff that DD is. Bah, MCHN's always get you worrying!

[BekZ]

Use your instinct hun. My DD1 didn't point until she was 18months plus but she is/was super advandanced at everything else.