Dr. Payas Joshi
Pediatrics
The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.
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Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
I have a small concern. My 2.9-year-old kid is suddenly looking at the corner of the eyes at some time. And, also play with his fingers, moves them near his eyes some times like flapping when we refuse to give what he asked for. He has some fears as well, like taking a bath in showers. I searched online and found that the symptoms are not good. Otherwise, he is a bright kid and learns a lot every day.
Please advise.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
For looking at the corner of eyes, kindly let me know for how much time in a day is this happening, and what is the frequency in a day and since when is this happening? For playing with fingers and flapping, it seems more of a developmental issue. These are temper tantrums, very common at this age. You need to ignore what he does in these times or better is try to distract him. Fear of taking a bath may also be normal. Babies do have some fears at this age but keep a track of it and see what exact thing he is afraid of, like maybe when water falls on head. He may not be afraid if you pour the water below the neck. Such things are also normal and would go away with time.
I hope this has helped you. Please feel free to reach me again, in case of further queries.
Thank you.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you for the reply.
He looks into the corner of the eyes when he is playing with an airplane toy, maybe two or three times a day. He is very social, communicates all his needs, plays with us and other kids. He can count up to 20, says all the colors, alphabets along with the words, and can say his name, mother's name, father's name and granny names when asked. He is also a little aggressive and starts beating if he does not get what he needs.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
All the issues seem normal developmental deviations, but looking at the corner of eyes is something you should follow. This may be normal, but I would advise you to get eye refraction done by an ophthalmologist once this lockdown is over, and not need to go urgently.
Hope I have clarified your query.
Thank you.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you for the reply.
How frequently I should check the eye movement? Also, he is not touching any sticky food items. He picks it up and throws it off, is that normal for his age too?
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
You should observe these things.
You do not need to set any time for this. Just observe him over the day and if possible you can make a video so that you can show it to the ophthalmologist whenever you see him or her. Not touching sticky food is just a child's preference as he might not like it, these are child emotions, nothing abnormal in it.
I hope this has helped you.
Thank you.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you again for your time; I greatly appreciate it.
I will check with the ophthalmologist. One last concern, he does not like to use the crayons more. He does use but not using that extensively. Is that normal too?
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
This is perfectly fine. Keep in touch for further doubts.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you for your prompt reply.
I observed his eye direction; he did not look from the corner of his eye after that. Only when he spins sometimes, he does that, but then he laughs and returns to normal. I have a few more things to ask. He really likes fans a lot. I would not say he is obsessed, but he enjoys them. When we go for a walk, he often stops near AC units, points them out, and says whether the AC fan is running or if they've switched off the AC. Additionally, he has some chewing problems; he swallows food in lumps. He only chews egg and fish. Should I be concerned? Please advise.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Great, it means it was just a developmental deviation, as I mentioned earlier. It is nice to know that things are improving now. Liking fans is normal behavior; perhaps the motion of fans interests him, and it is perfectly normal for children to have varying interests and disinterests in certain things at times. As for the chewing issue, it is likely that he enjoys the taste of eggs and fish and does not find other foods as appealing, so he swallows them without chewing. Taste preferences are still developing at this age, and he will likely outgrow this as well. Just do not worry, he will be fine.
I hope this has helped you.
Thank you.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you again for your time; I greatly appreciate it.
Good to know he will learn to chew everything on his own in some time. I have become very confused and worried because I searched in internet and read a lot about these issues. I was misled by many articles. Every other problem somehow directs me to articles related to autism, and I have become so worried and concerned. Since I do not have any medical knowledge, I have become obsessed with monitoring all his activities and get very concerned if he does something unusual. Thank you so much for your help. I will stop searching in internet from now on and will contact you if I have any doubts or concerns.
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Does your child have:
Because this is an important aspect of autism. Please let me know if you observe any of these signs. And yes, you should definitely consider limiting your internet searches because many things written online may not be accurate, or you could misinterpret the information. Occasional searches are okay.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you for your prompt reply.
No, he started talking at the age of 2. His words are still not very clear, but we can understand him. He can now combine 2 or 3 words together to form sentences, although he makes some mistakes while talking. He can tell us his name, his parents' names, and his grandparents' names. He can name all his body parts, knows the alphabet from A to Z with words and phonetics, can count up to 30, and can sing 6 rhymes. He can even recite an entire chapter from the Bible. He can communicate when he needs to go to the bathroom, when he is hungry, or if he wants a toy. He enjoys playing ball, reading books, and singing rhymes with us. He talks to almost everybody in the flat, though not always contextually; he calls them by name and asks if they have eaten. He likes to play with other kids in the flat and communicates and plays with people who come over. He also asks a lot of 'where' questions. This is his current state of communication and language development. So, there is nothing to be concerned about, right? If he is unable to say something or says something incorrectly, and we correct him, he actually learns and says it correctly the next time.
Hello,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Oh, that is really descriptive and rest assured these are not symptoms of an autistic child. Everything seems normal.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you so much. Really appreciate your help.
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
You are very welcome. If you ever have more questions or need assistance in the future, do not hesitate to reach out. Take care.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
My son is now 3.3 years old, and I started toilet training him when he was 2.5 years old. He pees in the toilet without any issues, but he is very scared to poop in the toilet. If we try to force him, he holds it in and says he doesn't want to poop. Should we be concerned about this? What should we do? Any advice? Please help.
Hello,
Glad to have you back!
I am here to help you get the best medical advice.
I understand your concern.
This is a normal fear of toilets. Get a potty seat for him initially; he will not be as afraid of it. He is still young for pooping in the toilet; it takes time. Please do not yell or force him. Potty training should be very gentle. Once withholding behavior sets in, it becomes a problem.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you for your prompt reply.
I bought both a toilet seat and a potty for him, but he is still afraid of using them. There have been times when I yelled at him for not using them. What should I do now? Should I restart the training after some time?
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
Give him time; it is a natural process. If you overthink it or put too much pressure on your child, it may not solve the problem. Just make him familiar with his new potty seat and let him play with it. Then, gradually show him by enacting how to use it. Maybe he can just sit on it and play with it. The idea is to make him comfortable, and gradually, he will definitely start using the potty seat. You can also show him videos related to this.
Hope I have solved your query. I will be happy to help you further.
Thank you.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you again for your time; I greatly appreciate it.
Okay, doctor. I will try being calm. I will give it time.
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
My pleasure. If you ever have more questions or need assistance in the future, do not hesitate to reach out. Take care.
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Pediatrics
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