I’ll start with I know people mean well, and they’re not trying to hurt me.

But my LO has been diagnosed with developmental delay. We’ve been to 5 separate medical professionals, all coming to the same conclusion. We have even received government funding to access speech, physical and occupational therapies to assist.

Yet when I mention my worries to family and friends, I always get brushed off. I know they’re trying to reassure me, but it hurts 😥 I have a speech therapist telling me my 9 month old is functioning at a 4 month old standard, yet the second she makes any noise my friends say ‘see she can talk’. The Physio is concerned that at 9 months she’s only just started sitting unsupported, she doesn’t roll, crawl or weight bare. But my family say oh but you crawled late.

I know they’re trying to reassure me and make me see the positives. But I just want them to acknowledge it’s tough, stressful and exhausting. Their responses make me want to shut down and not want to share what is going on. It really is frustrating.