12 month HV Check - She had a few concerns .... is it a load of old cobblers!

[MummytoWillow]

My DD 11 and half months had her 12 month check yesterday, HV was a lovely lady but she had some concerns about LO.

Because DD isn't pulling herself up on furniture, crawling or rolling over from front to back and vice versa, she said she should be doing this by now and wants to come back in 2-3 months FFS!! And if she still isn't doing it a referral to a paediatrician!! Also she had concerns over her weight, she is only 18lb 6oz and on the 9th centile and dropped even further when she put her on the 1yr+ chart?

She is alert, does everything else she should at this age apart from the moving, she bum shuffles in circles and reaches out for things, her Daddy didn't crawl and just got up and walked one day?

As for her weight, she eats everything I give her (all homecooked, even fish!), has 16oz of formula a day, I've tried the cheese sauces, greek yoghurt, rice puddings to get the weight on her, so what else can I do to get her to put some weight on??

I'm tempted to think bollocks to them, she is fine, even CM said there is nothing wrong with her, why do they have to have set 'targets' for all babies and then worry the parents when they don't all reach them at the same time!

So is it a load of old cobblers then and should I just ignore them!! So if its 'bollocks' please tell me and put my mind at rest!!

Thanks xx

[madamy]

Cobblers IMO!! Both my dds bum shuffled until just before their 1st birthday - no crawling, rolling etc and they are the most active kids now!!

DS is 14 months and only about 19lb - he also eats everything in sight.

The girls were 15 months before they walked, and although ds has been cruising for ages, he's not yet walking so i guess will be a similar age.

Luckily, I've got a team of good HVs who realise that charts and 'targets' are not set in stone!

[kittywise]

HV's do tend to panic a bit. I can understand why though, they're most likely worried about being sued for not picking up on something iyswim?

Your dd sounds fine to me, well within the realms of normal. I think you are best qualified for knowing whether all is ok

[StealthPolarBear]

tbh it doesn't sound as though she has overreacted, just arranged to come back in a few months to see how she's doing
9th centile does sound fine though!!
AFAIK loads of babies never crawl!
If she bum shuffles, how does she get to a sitting position?

[DontNeedAnything]

TBH the only thing in your post that I might be a little worried about is the not rolling over. As you say not all babies do things at the same pace - but I think that when most babies are rolling at least 1 way by 6m at 11.5m she is an outlier in this respect, and I don't think I would mind checking up on this for my own peace of mind.

Bum shuffling is a substitute for crawling so that sorts that one.

Her weight it not a problem as long as she has always been on the bottom haf of hte chart - and WTF is she dpoing putting her on the 1+ chart when she isn't 1 yet - and even at 1 she should be in the same place on both charts. The only thing I would say though is that she is a little short on milk as she should be having a minimum of 1 pint a day at 1 (which I think is 20oz).

On balance I wouldn't be in a panic about it - but equally I wouldn't be worried by seeing a pead to reassure myself there is nothing wrong with her gross motor skilsl given that she is not rolling.

[StealthPolarBear]

That's why I asked about sitting up, I was under the impression that babies sat up by kind of rolling over until they were fairly old, then they just do the lift top half of body off floor thing, and if she can already do that, then it's impressive!

[AttillaTheHan]

I agree about the rolling over that other people mentioned. However my ds only crawled when he was 13 months. I dont remember him pulling himself on the furniture either. HV's worried a bit here but I didnt take it seriously. They have to check otherwise they would not be doing their job, but don't let it worry you.

[edam]

Everything will almost certainly be fine, but I think it's reasonable for the HV to come back in a couple of months just to make sure. By then it will be easier to see whether dd is just doing things in her own good time or if there may be a problem.

The only thing that would worry me is the not rolling over, as she's definitely unusual in that respect. Good question from StealthPolar about how she bum shuffles if she can't roll over...?

[StealthPolarBear]

My DS is 15 mo and has still never rolled over front to back as far as I know! I think he will get through life never having to

[lucyellensmum]

Go back and ask for a refferal now. Not because i think there is anything to worry about, but because it will save you from spending the next few months fretting and watching your DD like a hawk. I hate this whole "oh, thats a bit of a concern, come back in a few months if its not sorted itself" its very worrying.

Bum shuffling is fine, i bum shuffled, walked at 8 months . DP bum shuffled, walked at 18 months. DD bum shuffled and walked at 17m. So don't let this worry you.

Saying that there are conditions in which the incidence of non-crawling is elevated. It is thought that i higher percentage of dyslexics and dyspraxics didn;t crawl. BUT REMEMBER that MOST people who were non crawlers go on to have no problems at all - 90 something percent even. So really, i wouldnt worry overly.

The fact that she is alert and reaching out for things is REALLY reassuring as this shows she is aware of her surroundings etc.

Go back to your HV and ask for a refferal or at least some reassurances.

[ten10]

to honest i would be rather worried,
but only because every one on both sides of our family turned over, crawled, walked etc early, so it would be out of the general pattern,

but this might be normal for your family because everyone is different.

[PortAndLemon]

She's said it's a concern, not necessarily a bad thing, and I don't think she's overreacting just by wanting to check again in a few months. Obviously the chances are that everything's fine; plenty of babies don't crawl or roll at this age and develop perfectly normally. But there will be a few for whom it's an indication of a wider problem, so from the HV's point of view keeping an eye on babies who aren't hitting those milestones is worthwhile as it means that babies with genuine issues will get picked up even though they'll spend time monitoring babies who are perfectly fine.

The only thing that might concern me at all (and again only in a "keep a vague eye on it and it'll probably sort itself out" kind of way) is the not rolling. I have read that bum-shuffling instead of crawling tends to run in families, so that's not particularly surprising given that your DH did it, and the weight doesn't sound like a problem.

If you don't want your baby compared against developmental targets, just don't go to developmental checks. They aren't compulsory, but if you do go then ultimately that's what they are going to do

[Weegle]

I wouldn't worry about the rolling over, like others have said. My DS at 25 months has JUST learnt to roll over. He did crawl at 9 months, and walked at 13 months though but he just never rolled! Some children don't. And having watched friend's babies who bum-shuffle they don't tend to pull up etc as soon as their crawling peers because they have two hands nicely free in their means of movement anyway, the incentive isn't there! And most of them are so efficient at bum-shuffling again there's not so much incentive to get up to standing. I don't think I would be worrying but would keep the appointment anyway.

[Highlander]

lesson here - never see the HV. They're good at weighing and fark all else. If you have a concern, see an experienced GP

[SofiaAmes]

My dd never did "roll over" and didn't walk until 19 months and her HV was very concerned about it. Frankly, I think dd just couldn't be bothered. She was speaking in full sentences at 12 months and just ordered everyone to bring her what she wanted, so why bother going and getting it herself. When she did start walking, she just got up and walked and never toddled or fell over ever. She is now 5 and extremely bright, athletic and capable.
Re the weight thing...don't worry. If she's eating healthily and well, then it should be fine. My dc's were born at 50th percentile and then went way down for years which caused the hv's no end of consternation. Now dd at 5 is back to average and ds is a little low. but if you look at them they are thin and healthy kids.

[ilovemydog]

and I would dispute hvs even being good at weighing!

[TinkerBellesMum]

I was told they give them 18 months to walk before they worry. Tink was just like your LO, she would only crawl upstairs and wouldn't make much attempt to move around other than that. One day she just started doing a few steps and she just started walking.

Don't worry about weight, the chart doesn't mean much. My daughter wasn't even ON the chart at a year old. She never had been so they were happy because her weight was consistent, that's the important thing.

[Sidge]

I feel sorry for HVs. They're damned if they do and damned if they don't. If your HV had just waved you off with a cheery smile and then in 3-6 months time your DD still couldn't roll/crawl/pull to stand you would probably be cheesed off that no-one had followed it up.

Of course I am sure that all is well with your DD and no doubt she will be charging round like a bulldozer before too long, but she is slower to do some gross motor things than most babies and that needs following up. Not crawling isn't a big problem but going from bum shuffling to walking can sometimes mean that shoulder strength isn't as developed, and balance can be affected.

It sounds like she is just being thorough, but if you don't want the HVs input or to be followed up then you don't have to see them, it's not compulsory!

[MatNanPlus]

Hardly fair to do a 12m assessment 2 weeks early for a start, huge changes can occur in a few days let alone 2 weeks.

agree ilovemydog they aren't that reliable in any area.

If she is doing the things yours and DP's family have done i really wouldn't worry to much.

I bum slid then walked at 12m and crawled at 17m just my mum was ready to drop my sister, much annoyance i am told as i ruined to toes on my shoes until i stopped crawling at 20m.

[Miaou]

Well ds2 had his 1 year assessment (at 11.5 months too). Weight wise he is off the bottom of the charts and weighs 16lbs! HV is not concerned though because he is tiny, but also chubby, and dh and I are both small.

Dd1 couldn't roll over at one year either. I don't think it ever occurred to her to try

I don't think you should be annoyed that she brought up the rolling over thing - it's fairly unusual not to be doing it, and tbh she wouldn't be doing her job properly if she just said "oh I'm sure it will be ok". However the weight thing is not a concern, just don't worry about it.

[IdrisTheDragon]

DD couldn't roll until she was 11.5 months; as DS had rolled at 4.5 months I did wonder if she would ever do it. She could move at 10.5 months, but by a weird bottom shuffle/slide type of movement, whereas DS crawled at 8.5 months and was pulling up at 9 months.

In the end, both of them started walking at 15 months.

[gagarin]

There are certain "red flags" for development and not rolling is one of them. But it's only an indication - just needs another look that's all.

For interest these are some red flags (from singapore site) ...

www.dumex.com.sg/experts/expertopinion_detail.php?id=623

[Niecie]

I think she is only doing her job - she isn't rushing you into a referral but at the same time she is keeping an eye on your daughter to make sure that she does begin to make progress.

They set 'targets' for babies so that they can do comparisons to make sure they can help those who do have problems as soon as possible. Development largely occurs in a certain order and if that order is not followed or if it isn't followed within a very loose time frame then it can be cause for concern. Not bollocks, just a HV doing her job and keeping an eye on things.

That said, my DS2 sat up alone at 3.5mths, crawled at 8mths and walked at 11mths and I didn't see him roll over whilst lying down until well passed his 1st birthday so they are all different. DS1 rolled over at 4.5mths but is dyspraxic and didn't walk until he was 14.5mths so development is not set in stone. However, it is better to be aware than not imo.

As far as the weight goes, if she hasn't dropped down the centiles and her height isn't a wildly different centile to her weight I wouldn't worry about it.

[mommy6]

My dd1 never rolled over.She bum shuffled from about 9 mths but didn't walk til she was 19mths.She was alway classed has under weight.
When she left nursery and started school,i was told she would need extra help.She never had any extra help.
She left school last year with 1A,4B's and 1C.She is doing really well at college and is planning on going to uni next year.

I wouldn't worry to much,just keep a eye on her.You know her better than anybody else,so know if she is doing other things just not rolling.When the HV returns in afew mths she may be walking.