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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

General health

Does not crawling really hinder development in other ways?

31 replies

pgwithnumber3 · 30/07/2008 22:05

I ask for my cousin, her DS has never crawled, just walked at 12 months. He can't crawl up stairs or crawl over obstacles if we go to soft play centres.

She has expressed concerns (her dad was a special needs teacher and was concerned as said it was vital for development). Can anyone put her mind at rest?

OP posts:

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pgwithnumber3 · 30/07/2008 22:12

.

OP posts:

penona · 30/07/2008 22:15

Apparently I never crawled. I walked at 9 months and walked up stairs and eventually (around 3 or 4) learned to climb. Badly.

I am not very sporty or espcially co-ordinated, but I can drive, ski, walk, run and had a very successful career!!

Elmosgirl · 30/07/2008 22:16

My DD didn't crawl, she was a bum shuffler. She is now nearly two and so far have not noticed any problems but she is still young. However she can crawl now such as upstairs, and have seen her crawl on the floor once or twice but only after she started walking and is something she has done very rarely.

noonki · 30/07/2008 22:18

most likely no probs but apparently there is a link between dyslexia and not crawling

but this can be rectified at any age by doing crawling exercises and not all dyslexics don't crawl and all non-crawlers aren't dyslexics!

liath · 30/07/2008 22:18

A friend's dd never crawled and went straight to walking. She did struggle for a bit doing stuff lke climbing or going up stairs but that was only temporary and at 3 she is absolutely fine (and scarily bright).

crokky · 30/07/2008 22:19

My DS never crawled, neither did I. My DS walked at around 13m.

Both of us can crawl now if required!

Habbibu · 30/07/2008 22:20

My sister and I never crawled. Walked at 14 months. Are quite normal, mostly.

pgwithnumber3 · 30/07/2008 22:21

Are you sure Habbibu?

OP posts:

MsDemeanor · 30/07/2008 22:22

I believe this to be a myth. Many children with dyspraxia don't crawl. Their not crawling is an early symptom of their dyspraxia, lack of coordination etc, not a cause of it.
In many cultures children never crawl because they are carried until they are one and the ground is stony and hazardous. It doesn't hold them back. Crawling is as much cultural as developmental.

pgwithnumber3 · 30/07/2008 22:22

If DD2 didn't crawl up the stairs, my life would be a breeze! I have 4 sets of stairs in this house. Life is bloody hard atm!

OP posts:

Habbibu · 30/07/2008 22:24

did qualify it with mostly... I can't spread the toes on my right foot

blueshoes · 30/07/2008 22:33

I believe crawling is not considered a developmental milestone, because not all children crawl - for very normal reasons.

OurHamsterisevil · 30/07/2008 22:33

Apparantly in Scandinavia they think that crawling first is very important and do exercises with young babies that help coordinate their limbs to start crawling. THis was something that my HV showed us at baby massage class. It involved crossing the legs over the body one at a time and sometinhg with the arms, can't quite remember.

Anyway just a point I thought others might find interesting. I don't think that crawling is vastly important. Also have bum shufflers in my family

gagarin · 30/07/2008 22:39

I don't think it's about crawling before other types of movement.

It's about being able to crawl at some stage. It's something about patterning in the brain or something.

Need to ask a physio!

brimfull · 30/07/2008 22:41

my ds never crawled

he also just got up and walked at around 12months

he is nearly 6 now

he is entirely normal developmentally

Treeny · 30/07/2008 22:41

I have no idea if it hinders development. But DD1 didn't crawl - she shuffled on her bottom, but not til she was a year old, and finally walked at 16 months. She's now 5, bright as anything, runs, jumps, climbs, explores everything and everywhere. It doesn't seem to have made a difference. Wish I'd known that when people (including health visitor) were making us feel anxious that she wasn't crawling.

lucyellensmum · 30/07/2008 22:54

i didnt crawl - walked at 8 months
DP didn't crawl - walked at 18 months
DD didn't crawl - walked at 17 months.

I am academicly minded, but completely cac handed and STILL struggle to know my left from right.

My DP is not very academic but can make anything you like out of a peice of wood.

DD is only three so i'll reserve judgement

chipmonkey · 30/07/2008 23:58

There is definitely a link between Special Educational Needs such as dyslexia and dyspraxia BUT as noonki said earlier, not crawling does not mean the child will definitely have issues, it just increases the risk.

solo · 31/07/2008 00:01

I didn't crawl either, I walked at 9 months. I am fine in all ways...I think

thornrose · 31/07/2008 00:03

I've always been a bit confused about the link, a bit chicken and the egg for me, don't crawl so have SEN or have SEN therefore don't crawl? My dd has dyspraxia and AS and never crawled, but I never crawled and I am fine (although I do ramble .
I seem to think it is something to do with crossing the midline and neural pathways?

kid · 31/07/2008 00:05

My DD never crawled, she was a bum shuffler. She walked at almost 2 and for a long time was very clumsy. She is 9 now and although not very athletic, she can climb but wearily.
She has also been diagnosed as having dyslexia.

Olihan · 31/07/2008 00:09

Crawling involves using opposite sides of the brain at the same time, eg, left leg, right arm and helps to develop the left/right connections in the brain.

There are studies to show that a large proportion of dyslexic and dyspraxic children never crawled and a lot of the therapy involved in helping those children incorporates crawling and movements that use opposite sides of the body at the same time.

Like MsDemeanor says, it's a symptom, not a cause, so there's no need to panic!

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AnnVan · 31/07/2008 01:30

My DB never crawled as a baby, parents tried a family crawling race when he was a bit older and he still couldnt coordinate enough to crawl. He does have some problems with putting ideas on paper etc, and also had some behavioural problems. Still has an intense lack of coordination (he's 23) BUT I dont think that all non crawlers are destined for these probs. With DB it was obvious even at that age that he had severe problems with coordination.

thumbwitch · 31/07/2008 01:35

I was a bum-shuffler, not a crawler, have no problems in terms of dyslexia/dyspraxia etc. BUT I do have back problems and have had for many years, since I was a child (not diagnosed, nothing done about it until I was 30). THis might be because I have a long-ish back for my height, it might be because I didn't strengthen my back muscles by not crawling or it could be any number of other things.

chipmonkey · 31/07/2008 01:49

pgwithno3, how old is your cousin's ds now?

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