Does anyone know what this is called and is it considered a development stage?

[workandwork]

My DC23months doesn't walk yet - they will get help when they turn 2 hopefully.
They also don't grip at all with their legs when I carry them on my hip.
I've never know a child not grip (unless of course they are trying to make it hard for you to carry them!)
I don't think she has low muscle tone, she's very big (95% percentile weight & height) and my back is frigging killing me and it feels unsafe that she's not holding on with her lower body at all. She 100% wants to be carried, just doesn't want contribute with assisting supporting some of her own weight. It's like she thinks she's in a sling (I've never used one until a few weeks ago) and so doesn't need to bother.

I've tried googling it, but I can't seem to hit the right key words or terminology so I'm drawing a blank bug I'd love to understand a bit more.

Des she bear weight on her legs in supported standing? Can she cruise on furniture?

My friend's twins are dyspraxic (amongst other things) and she has described the lack of weight bearing in the way that you have here.

Now that you've mentioned it, my 2 year old is the same. She didn't walk until 23 months. I'm afraid I have nothing useful to add. She doesn't seem to realise that she might fall.. which is quite nice really.

I would say that could possibly indicate low muscle tone? Do you think it could be anything to do with her hips? I would go to the GP for some advice.

What does your GP say? Why no help until 2?

They should intervene if not walking by 18 months. Not gripping on with their legs is indicative of low muscle tone. Unless you’re a trained paediatrician or paediatric physio it’s unlikely that you’d be able to spot low tone to be honest. It’s not the same as strength and you need to know how to test for it. Her being big is irrelevant, plenty of big children learn how to walk before this age. You need to push more for further tests and intervention, sorry I don’t mean to worry you but this is very outside the normal window for walking and even the pre-walking skills and you need to find out why.

It's complicated because they are recently adopted (by me) so I haven't got the full picture of health/development (UK adoption) I never will have the full picture regarding family health history, but what I do have nothing seems to flag up anything.

They do cruise and stand, has been doing this many months before I've know them.
Can climb the stairs on all fours, crawls well, climbs furniture etc.

Very very wobbly when trying to walk, can manage a few steps, but is very clearly very unbalanced. Have been like this for months, doesn't ever improve or progress with this. Same with walking with adults fingers. I don't think it's confidence. Have tried wooden walkers/trucks etc, not interested. Doesn't seem to see the point of trying to walk. Just crawls or wants to be carried.

It does seem they are happy to sit in one place a lot, not very active in general so it could be low muscle tone, I had thought hypermobility as a possibility but I hadn't heard of low muscle tone.

Does eat well, but probably does struggle now I think about it with non-mushy food in terms of endurance. Struggles to use cutlery so I mostly tend to spoon feed them so they eat enough.

Had had a hip scan, before my time no issues.

I'm pushing for help, unfortunately social workers have lied/downplayed development delays and so I'm starting to try and access help from a standing start and having not known the child very long so having to guess what's going on.
Plus getting lots of obstacles to accessing help because they are adopted and in care since birth therefore there is the extra complication of not knowing what is attachment difficulties etc (was with same foster carer from birth - never neglected etc).

Have you asked your gp to refer to paediatrics?

Referral to paediatrician, especially considering the lack of family health info, and possible unknown pre-birth issues.

Are HV checks done by SS as it is an adoption? Does dc meet other development stages?
How old were they when they came to you?

I'd push for a referral too.
DC1 was often like a sack of potatoes! And large and heavy. Never crawled though- which can be an indication of issues like dyspraxia.
Have ears been checked? That can affect balance can't it?
Have teeth been checked? Do they align properly of e.g. teeth hit gums when child bites?
What about at baby groups are they interested in following others or at playgrounds or mini zoo/farm type places? What about puddle jumping?

As a former LAC your DC should be able to access additional support from the LA as well as from medical professionals. Discuss with the GP and insist on a referral - I would want her to be seen by a paediatrician and a physio. We got a physio referral for my DS when he wasn’t cruising by 15 months. It was hyper mobility in his case. They may consider hyper mobility and low muscle tone and I would also want them to consider neurological issues.

I'm probably way off here op but this did ring a few bells. When my oldest was a baby he was slow to develop walking, standing, climbing. He wouldn't 'help' by gripping with his legs and he often would sit for ages. Turned out he had ASD and I think these were early signs of communication difficulties/differences and in terms of sitting a lot he just wasn't interested in anything in the room. He's never played with toys, doesn't care about TV, doesn't care about where I am or other kids in the room. It was a hell of a shock when my second started crawling round after me, desperately trying to be involved in everything I did from 6mo as I wasn't used to it! Anyway my oldest did start walking at 15mo so not late but he literally went from not even really standing to walking overnight, no in between. We also noticed a huge regression in speech at 18mo and he's now non verbal hence ASD diagnosis. Anyway, as I said, I'm probably way off and it's not that at all but just thought I'd mention as some similarities!

Get the ball rolling on a referral asap. The wait for most paediatrics is ridiculously long. My friend had a similar situation and it turned out to be a genetic condition but it took nearly 2 years for a diagnosis and a support to be organised.

Plus getting lots of obstacles to accessing help because they are adopted and in care since birth therefore there is the extra complication of not knowing what is attachment difficulties etc

This comment has been playing on my mind - please don’t be fobbed off with this line. Yes, it’s true that some attachment disorders can present as other neurological issues and this can delay diagnosis BUT it should not delay referral, investigation or treatment - and if anything it should expedite all three. More often than not the strategies and treatments are very similar and support should always be based on need rather than diagnosis (although sadly this isn’t always the case). Early intervention is absolutely everything in both cases.