[Sensitive Child] Crying uncontrollably at the 18-month checkup. A day I felt like crying after looking at others ✍️

"Maybe my child is just a little different..."

Have you ever thought that? 🥹

My son was extremely shy with strangers and new places,
and his speech was delayed.

People around me kept saying,
"It'll be fine eventually!"



Before I knew it, the 18-month checkup arrived.
Even though I tried to get him used to it in advance—




those efforts vanished within seconds of starting 😂

Today, I'm sharing the story of my son,
who was a sensitive child,
and his "nightmare 18-month checkup" ✍️

[Chapter 1: The signs from 6 months old]

My son is now 5 years old 👦🚙

Actually, he was born in 2020.
He was part of the generation known as COVID babies 😭



He held his head up around 3 months,
and sat up around 5 or 6 months.

There was nothing in particular to worry about, and
I was raising my child while facing the usual struggles like everyone else😊✨

However, the signs began at six months old👼

This is the period when what is known as stranger anxiety begins.

Being held by others was out of the question, and
he would cry uncontrollably just by hearing the voices of his grandma and grandpa😂

But back then, I thought,
Oh, his stranger anxiety has started~
He's growing up, isn't he~✨

I thought of it as heartwarming🫠 lol

[Chapter 2: Different from other children. Days when I started to notice]

From around six months old,
my son was experiencing explosive stranger anxiety😂

That continues even at one year old when they start walking...

・Crying uncontrollably when spoken to at the supermarket

・Crying uncontrollably at the gas station when hearing the staff's voice
・Crying uncontrollably just because a bicycle passed by while out for a walk

※They didn't even say hello, they just passed by 😂

Even just writing it out briefly,
there are so many episodes. lol

On the other hand,
they were a really easy child to raise at home 😊

They laughed a lot, ate a lot, and slept a lot.

Although there were many difficult times outside,

that was my salvation 😭✨

That said, it's a different story when we go outside 🫠

Compared to others, they are clearly too sensitive...

Could it be that they have some kind of trait...

Partly because their speech was delayed,

I started to get anxious around this time, searching for

"1 year old development"
"1 year old stranger anxiety"
"1 year old fear of new places"

I became a search addict almost every day🥹

[Chapter 3: Holding onto faint hopes...]

It was in the midst of this that the 18-month checkup arrived.

The checkup venue was, surprisingly, the children's center we usually visited😊🌱

Of course, just to be extra careful,

I visited several times before the checkup, executing a 'get used to the place' strategy!✨

Even so, it was like this at first😂

・Cried at reception, took 20 minutes to calm down

・Cried when a nearby mom said hello

・Crying when a baby crawls up to me

Still crying as much as ever 👏 lol

Even so, they started to be able to play with toys a little bit,

"Maybe, just maybe, it'll go well this time...?"

While holding onto that faint hope,

it was time for the 18-month checkup!!!! 🔥

[Chapter 4: My bad premonition didn't miss the mark]

The day of the checkup.

The moment we arrived at the venue,

my faint hope was shattered in an instant 😂

A temporary reception desk that was different from usual.

A long line leading up to the reception.

Strangers and their children.

The sound of children crying from everywhere.

In an atmosphere that was clearly different from usual,

"Oh, this is bad."

The moment I thought that...

"WAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!"

My son started crying uncontrollably before it even began.

Ah, it's over for today.

That's what I thought in my heart 😇 lol

It was way too noisy in the waiting area,

so in the end, I held them in the corner of the hallway the whole time 🫠

There was absolutely no sign of them stopping their crying.

Because of the intense wailing, a staff member even

"Are they sleepy?? It's okay~"

kindly said to us 😊

But...

No, that's not it. (In my heart)

They aren't sleepy. They're just shy around people and new places 😇

If anything, because they were spoken to,

they heated up even more 🔥

"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

It was completely counterproductive 😂

Even I, as strong as I am, remember feeling like I was going to cry, wondering why it was only my child...
🥹

[Chapter 5: Even so, the checkup continues...]

Even if they are crying their eyes out,
the checkup won't wait 😂

My son was crying so hard he started hiccuping 🥹

Finally, our name was called (we were both exhausted...)

Physical measurements & dental checkup.

The result was, as you all probably guessed, a total meltdown...

The height and weight are definitely off, lol



And for the dental checkup, he hated it so much that
"It's okay, you don't have to force it~"

The doctor even had to stop us 🤣

Is there still a developmental screening after this...

Just as I was feeling that despair.

My son finally stopped crying...!!

"Has he finally calmed down...?"

I peeked at my son's face.

The reason was—

He was just exhausted from crying.

My son, limp in my arms🥺

I felt sorry for him, but at the same time,
I was also a little relieved
that he had stopped crying🥹

Just at that moment,
we were called for the developmental screening, but

my son had been crying his heart out
for an hour straight.


He looked like he was about to fall asleep right then and there🥹

Of course, it wasn't a matter of
building blocks or picture cards,

but thanks to that,


I was able to talk slowly about
his extreme stranger anxiety, fear of new places, and speech delay 😮‍💨✨

I was able to consult with them at length 😮‍💨✨

[Chapter 6: 4 years later...]

About 4 years have passed since that day.

My son, who used to have such bad stranger anxiety and fear of new places, would cry when spoken to at the supermarket, and would cry just because a bicycle passed by 👦 lol

How do you think he is now? 😳

Actually...

he can now greet even strangers

by saying "Hello!" on his own 🥹👏🏻

Of course, he still has that

sensitive side where he might

tear up!

Depending on his mood, like at a recital,
he might still get nervous and freeze up... 😂

But he no longer cries uncontrollably

and tries to run away

like he used to 🥹💕

He also talks a lot now,

to the point where he's noisy every day 🤣 lol

If you are currently,

"My child's speech is delayed, will they be okay?"

"They are so shy around others, will they be okay?"

To the moms and dads worrying like that 👩🏻👨🏻,

"You are not alone."

I hope this makes you feel
even a little bit relieved 😌✨

That day,

while holding my son in the hallway of the children's center,

I was on the verge of tears.

If I could, I would tell myself back then 🥹:



"It's okay. They will grow properly, even if it's at their own pace."

That son of mine is now

a full-of-energy 5-year-old 👦🩵

*It's a funny story in our family now 🤣

Someday,

I would like to share how my son,

who used to cry just from being spoken to at the supermarket,

became who he is today.

I hope to write about
this 5-year growth record in future articles 🥹✨

Thank you so much
for reading until the end!