Apologies in advance that this is likely to be a bit of a missive, but I need to explain the background! We were foster carers for many years and are still very close to a lad who entered the country as an unaccompanied minor - he calls us Mum and Dad and we see him daily as he has a business nearby. He came to us at 13 and is now 27 and married to a girl from his home country. They have a dear little boy who is now 20 months old, but not meeting his milestones at all.
DIL does speak English although still learning, and they have no friends with babies to compare, although she has just started to take him to playgroup one morning a week. My problem is this - we have noticed that DGS does not interact with others, wave bye bye or even look at us, he is always occupied with other things. He has no words at all yet, and does not respond at all to his name or any encouragement to play. He is a happy little chap, laughs rarely but will now laugh at peek a boo and catching bubbles. I haven't liked to mention my concerns to DS or DIL, but did suggest recently that perhaps a hearing test might be a good idea just to check there are no hearing problems. DIL took him to the clinic and they confirmed no hearing problems - however they took it no further apart from asking why the test? When told he doesn't yet have any words she was told many children are later to talk, which I know of course, and maybe the two languages he hears is slowing things up a bit. Hence they are not now concerned, so taking it no further.
I would really like some advice please. I am not imagining this, there is definitely a problem and I am worried he may be autistic (he loves to play with cars, always chooses the smallest ones, and lines them up tidily just as an example of the kind of things he does.) Should I say more, and suggest they see a doctor, or should I just leave it and assume someone will pick it up at some point? I am thinking perhaps there is some way we can help if this is noticed early enough, but maybe not. I don't want to worry DS and DIL and I just don't know how to approach this, it is hard to stand by and say nothing when I see such a clear problem.
Passports not in the drawer I always keep them in. Turning the place upside down.