12 month old not weight bearing or mobile

[LightTripper]

Hello,

Going to see the HV tomorrow for my DD's 8-10 month check (we are behind so she is actually nearly 12 months). Sorry for the essay, but just looking for some advice on whether I should be pushing for a referral for some tests/physio as my DD is not weight bearing and not mobile - or what would be good next steps if it's too soon for a referral?

Generally I am not worried about her. She is generally very happy and lively, makes lots of different noises (lots of mixtures of consonants, vowels, clicks, raspberries, etc. though no words), feeds herself bits of toast and small bits of food happily, picks up her own sippy cup and puts it in her mouth, loves music/clapping, has started to wave, turns the pages in her books, will copy our actions, etc. which I think is all about right for her age (?)

BUT she is not mobile at all, and we have just realised that she is not weight bearing either. I.e. if you lift her up instead of putting her feet down she will hold them out straight in front of her, and if you keep her dangling she will eventually sort of prod at the ground with her toes, but no more than that. From what we read she should really have been doing this since 9 months, so she is about 3 months behind.

She hates tummy time so doesn't crawl or roll over. She will tolerate a bit of tummy on top of me if we are playing/singing, but not for more than a couple of minutes before we get a melt-down. She also can't sit from lying down and I've never known her to lie down from sitting either.

We've tried putting things just out of reach for the last month or so to see if we can encourage her to move. She will pivot round on her bum and then flop her whole upper body down on the floor and stretch out and if she can reach things that way will do so - but if she still can't reach she doesn't even cry, she just decides she's interested in something else instead (a zip or button on her clothing, the pattern on the carpet, a piece of dust, pointing at things, clapping, musical raspberries, or whatever).

She seems quite strong in some ways. She can sit up for ages happily. She will bounce herself on her cot mattress when lying down by curling her body up (almost like a mini shoulder stand) and bashing her bottom and feet down, which she thinks is hilarious, and will also thump the side of her cot with her feet really hard if she has woken up and wants our attention. When sitting she loves to grab both feet and lift them up 45 degrees from the floor so she is balancing on her bottom like a little upside-down pyramid - or lift them up from the floor and thump them down to make a noise.

But as I said, no interest in moving at all.

We do use a door bouncer (about 15 minutes about 4 times a week), which from what I read now seems probably not advisable if she is having problems with standing: but I'm hoping that this fairly light use shouldn't be the reason that she is behind? We were misguidedly thinking it might actually help encourage her to use her legs, but I can see now she is really just prodding at the floor with her toes so it is nothing like walking/standing.

I have never found my HV very useful, so I think we may need to be proactive if I want something to "happen" - but what should we be asking for? Just advice on exercises/games etc. to do with her? Or is it time to try to get a referral already?

Thanks!

LT xx

[Littlef00t]

I wouldn't worry too much, she sounds very like a baby relative of mine. Focusing on chatting and happy to watch the world go by. If there's no incentive to move they won't bother trying. Do you have any idea if you were late to walk? I have a theory it's genetic.

[Girlwhowearsglasses]

Do you have shiny floors? When mine were babies all my friends with wooden floors had 'bum-shufflers'- they slid around instead of crawling and went straight to walking

[Bigbagofchips]

Hi,
At 12 months I was concerned because my DS could not sit up / lie down unaided or roll over from back to front. He was bum shuffling, but like your DD he showed no interest in crawling or being on his tummy.
I went to see my HV who wasn't overly concerned but did refer him physio when I asked her to. Despite her telling me they probably wouldn't see me - I did get an appointment. So I would recommend speaking to the HV and if you are concerned then ask for a referral to a physio.
The physio was great and gave me lots of ideas on how to encourage him to roll over, sit up on his own and go on his tummy. Then when he had mastered this she showed me techniques to help him crawl and pull himself up.
it can't hurt to ask your HV and see what they say! X

[LightTripper]

Thanks all! That is v reassuring. Luckily our (rubbish) HV had told us to come on a day she wasn't there! After initially thinking that we wouldn't be seen at all a different HV gave us a 15min appointment and she was so organised and fab that it was plenty!

She didn't seem to worried, but said to bring her in again after she's turned 1, and if she's still not weight bearing then they will refer us to get her hips checked out.

So that all seemed like a good plan and I have got over my mini panic

Thank you!

LT xx

[LightTripper]

P.S. no shiny floors although if put on a shiny floor she will move a bit using her hands! It really just seems she isn't interested.

Unfortunately my parents don't remember any specific dates. I think they were a bit isolated from other parents of young babies when I was small, so they didn't have anything to compare me to!