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Is your child normal?

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 12:07 AM EDT 12/07/07

The doctor was in ...Read the full article

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  1. Michele Mannerow from Canada writes: I appreciated the questions and comments from Dr. Shanker. I have one additional comment. My son was born in 1998. We first noticed my son was different than his peers around the age of 18 months. He didn't crawl before he walked, his speech was noticeably delayed at 2-3 years, his social skills were noticeably different than those of his peers. Apparently at that time, nothing was done about delayed speech milestones until age 3. With all of that information, repeated trips to the family physician were met with 'don't compare, every child is different'. That was less than 10 years ago. The comment that I wish to make is this, if you fear something is not right with your child, don't let someone tell you there isn't. Finally, earlier this year, my son was diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome, a form of autism, that he and we will continue to struggle with for the rest of his life. I am horrified to think what could/should have been done with our son in those important early years to improve his outcome. You are your childs only advocate.
  2. Jane Doe from Canada writes: I have an issue with the title. To me, 'Is your child normal' and 'Is your child developing normally?' are two rather different questions. While my child's speech is slower to develop than his peers', I refuse to say my child is 'not normal'. He is just a normal, rambunctious toddler, with some speech issues - to which we likely contributed (we speak three languages at home, in no particularly consistent manner).
  3. Emma Hawthorne from Canada writes: This discussion was so informative I hope Dr. Shanker might be persuaded to consider one the most sprit-crushing experiences I have seen babies, toddlers and children as old as five subjected to -- that of being stroller prisoners forced to sit in strollers and be wheeled about by parents who refuse to talk to, walk with or interact with them in any way. Thirty years ago one often saw toddlers helping their moms push empty strollers brought along so that the toddler, when tired, could be pushed by its mother. No longer. Today it is common to see tearful, belittled and threatened older children - dare I say abused children - defeated, silenced, and crying hopelessly to themselves in strollers often far too small for them, pushed by angry, detached xombie-like parents. Ditto for anxiousd and depressed babies and toddlers. I have even seen agressive parents checking their terrifed four and five-year-old children to see if they have wet themselves on prolonged shopping trips. Several times I have also witnessed abusive mothers with up to three children, where the largest one, clearly too large for the stroller, has been forced into it in submission as a way of keeping them quiet for some absurd punishment for some imagined wrong. How can we rescue these poor children, and even sobbing babies from this humilitating abuse? How can passersby intervene to help the child? I once told a grandmother at a food bank where I volunteer that her grandson was too old for the stroller and must not be put in it, and she promptly traded it in for a wagon, which her grandson liked. Otherwise, as far as I know, I have not been successful in my various mild efforts to inform parents that their conduct is wrong, and that thier baby, toddler or child is in distress. Can Dr. Shanker set out the harm being done and use this forum to address this abuse and raise awareness in the public? For the sake of these poor little children, whom I believe are being greatly harmed, I hope so.

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