15 month old plagiocephaly, delayed gross motor and still no teeth

[pinkgin85]

I didn't know where else to put this as it covers health and development and frankly I'm worried and just need some guidance.

My 15 month old started with quite a bad case of plagiocephaly as a baby ( according to our osteopath he most likely had torticollis when born which got better on its own however it caused flat head on his right side. The flat head got better slowly on its own and since he has a lot of hair it hasn't been noticeable at all compared to what it was as a baby.

He's been generally meeting his milestones except for gross motor. Now at 15 months he can speed crawl, pull up, get down, cruise and walk holding our hands. However can't stand on his own or walk yet. I know it's not super late however I'm wondering if this could have been caused by the plagiocephaly?

We took him to a cranial osteopath this week and she has said that with sessions his head shape can improve and she also said she could feel leftover tension in his neck due to the torticollis which she tried to relieve.

He's generally fine otherwise, has about 6-8 words and is happy and very sociable and understands basic instructions.

My other concern is that he still has no teeth. This in itself didn't concern me too much before because my first DS didn't get his first teeth until 15 months too. However he was 6 weeks premature so I thought it was due to that. But now DS2 still has no signs of his teeth, osteopath said that his plagiocephaly could be causing teething delay too potentially, is that possible?

I'm just worried and wondering what else I can do to help him along?

Thank you

DD had noticeable torticollis and a large sternocleidomastoid tumour in her neck which I saw at 4 weeks. This is a totally benign muscular mass. From 8 weeks she was seen monthly by a physio who gave us exercises to do and by 12m the lump had disappeared and the torticollis nearly resolved. At 3y she isn't affected at all by it.

Her teeth came through as expected and she started walking tentatively unaided at 14m.

I would say the at 15m it's too early to think that either your DS' teeth or walking are worryingly late but equally, I'd make an appointment with your health visitor to discuss it. DD's health visitors have been great and were able to make a referral direct to the hospital when they did spot a problem.

Ok update! He is almost 16 months and I can finally see one of his canines erupting which is odd but ok. But the thing that's worrying me is that now I can see a lower incisor trying to come out but it's not coming straight up above the gums, it's sort of coming out the back of the gums at an angle?!?? What can this mean? Is he going to have crooked tooth including his adult teeth?!

Can you contact your dentist at all? There is a normal order to tooth eruption and that’s not it and while that isn’t necessarily an issue in itself, given you’re concerned I would perhaps be asking for the GP to refer your wee one to paediatric services just for a general once over and their input if necessary or their reassurance if not.

You haven’t mentioned getting checked by your GP or health visitor. I think that would be my course of action.

Try a dentist, I believe they do teeth.

Has he seen a doctor or a health visitor? Maybe he needs referral to a child development centre for a bit of support with the motor skills.

My DS didn’t get teeth until he was 13 months old. I remember asking the HV at the time and she said she has known some toddlers without teeth at 18 months but they did get them, she said they don’t worry unless they’re toothless at 2. As for walking, my DS was 16 months. Think they say anything up to 18 months is normal so I wouldn’t worry just yet.

My now 2.7 year old didn't walk until 15/16 months and was very late with his teeth too, he's still missing one now actually and I'm not sure he's ever going to get it!

He's absolutely fine development-wise otherwise and if I had another child the same I don't think I'd worry myself sick again

Ignore any rude responses, it's understandable to be concerned

Thanks for all your comments, I havnt taken him to the GP yet but he passed his 12 month ASQ apart from the gross motor so the HV wasn't worried. I can try and contact her again though.

In every other way he's developing fine I think, understand lots and is very social, brings us toys and books. Even the order of teeth doesn't worry me because my DS1 was the same, he got his teeth in strange order and now has all of them lovely and straight.

I thought about taking him to our dentist, so I'll call them today. We took DS1 a few years ago when he hadn't gotten any teeth and he wasn't concerned then.

@polkadotpixie

My now 2.7 year old didn't walk until 15/16 months and was very late with his teeth too, he's still missing one now actually and I'm not sure he's ever going to get it!

He's absolutely fine development-wise otherwise and if I had another child the same I don't think I'd worry myself sick again

Ignore any rude responses, it's understandable to be concerned

Thank you @polkadotpixie that means a lot, I think it's hard to judge from a post but I'm quite good at knowing about child development now, my DS who is 6 is under the autism assessment pathway and most likely has some form of high functioning autism and/or ADHD so trust me I'm on it with these things