DS just bum shuffled and I could cry

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I desperately don’t want him to be a bum shuffler but I knew it was likely to be on the cards because he has always hated tummy time and was pretty late to roll.

Bum shuffling is linked to all sorts of developmental delay, dyspraxia, dyslexia etc. I’ve just read a study that stated half of bum shufflers went on to be diagnosed with ASD.

I just feel very sad that I can see a tricky future mapped out for him. I will forever ask myself if we could have done more to encourage tummy time but in the early days he just screamed and screamed and in the later days he was just not fussed about it and would roll onto his back.

Crawling is so important for developing visual acuity, handwriting, visual spatial skills etc. I am just absolutely heartbroken for him.

DH bless him doesn’t have a clue about the implications and is sitting there cheering him and proudly videoing it 😔 I’ve had to come out of the room I just feel sick and so gutted.

I’m really sorry to see you’re getting such a hard time OP.

everyone on this thread is throwing anecdata at you in an attempt to make you feel better- it’s well intended (mostly!) but you’re right that early milestones are often key indicators of later developmental issues. I think something that is key here is that you know about it - how lucky is your dc that you can read what early interventions may help IF there is an issue (and I hugely emphasise if). Look into what other motor input may help him especially things that might encourage him to cross his limbs over the mid line but don’t stress. It’s totally okay to worry but this is just one indicator - it’s not a diagnosis.

FYI similarly to you I picked up mild symptoms of my ds issues in babyhood and I felt the same fear. He does have some symptoms now as an 11 year old - poor handwriting and some mild ASD traits. However his future is fine, he’s managing well, goes to a super selective grammar, had some tutoring for the writing and on and off therapy for the anxiety/other stuff. No one else in his life particularly picks up on these issues (other than the writing!) - I think when you’re informed and attuned you notice details others miss and it makes you worry. just do the best you can in the moment

I haven't read the full article but a quick scan around also shows that it concludes "The associations reported require further investigation."

It's also a 12 year old study.

Chat GPT says there is no strong evidence for a link between bum shuffling and autism and slates the Japanese study as the babies were already flagged for concerns - see below

• One small, clinic-based Japanese study followed 48 “shuffling babies” who had been referred to a developmental centre; 20 (42%) were later diagnosed with ASD. Importantly, this was a referred group (i.e., already flagged for concerns), so you can’t generalise those percentages to the general population. In that study, early red flags—poor eye contact and delayed first words—were what distinguished the babies who were later diagnosed, not their gross-motor profile.

Kindly if you’re “worried and afraid” of something that is statistically less likely to happen then happen (based on your 42%) then I think you need to get some help for yourself.

Both mine bum shuffled. One (17 year old DD) is autistic and is living her best life - in year 13 at a super selective grammar with a great bunch of friends. Ds (15) didn’t walk until he was 21 months old preferring instead to fly around on his backside. He is totally neurotypical, super bright but doesn’t love learning as much as his sister and isn’t end the popular kids in the class. The bum shuffling hasn’t held either back - whether it’s true or not that neurodiverse kids tend to bum shuffle not crawl is one thing. But one thing is for certain, bum shuffling doesn’t cause neurodiversity. You could have forced your child to stay in his tummy 20 hours a day but if he is neurodiverse, he would be regardless.

When did we have world peace? I must have blinked and missed it.

Great minds think alike 😄

My now 9 year old is dyspraxic. Other than his handwriting is messy, and he struggles at sport although he still plays in a football and cricket team. The only other issue he has is that he gets muscles spasms when he is sitting still- so he basically twitches. But he’s extremely advance intelligence wise, has a good social circle! Is friendly, kind and the most pleasant child

also he crawled and walked before his first birthday. Can swim, ride a bike, all the things I presume your worried about with his development

With all due respect, is your own mental health alright? Such high levels of anxiety and reading such meaning into your baby learning a way to get around isn’t usual.

Very silly. I crawled and have probable dyspraxia. Im very clumsy and lack spacial awareness but otherwise fine. Well educated and professional job.

Both siblings bum shuffled. One is entirely NT; not massively academic but doing well in career. The other one has ADHD diagnosed in adulthood and has a PhD. It mostly manifests as losing things and constantly on the go.

People are entirely individual and its a massive overreaction to be this upset.

I do think that so many on MN are incapable of using statistics properly or reading information with any sense of discernment.

This is such a strange post! Doing more tummy time doesn’t mean that the child won’t have ASD. If they are autistic they are born autistic, tummy time won’t change that!

I have never heard of that link before, but funnily enough I had 2 crawlers and 1 bum shuffler and the bum shuffler does have an ASD diagnosis. But she is also the absolute light of all our lives, the kindest, sweetest and funniest child ever.

"Well, no. Half of all crawlers are not diagnosed with ASD, but half (it was 42% actually, I just checked) of bum crawlers were."

Can you post a link to this research please?

Unless you're seeing signs of developmental delay or ND, I really wouldn't worry too much. My youngest was a bum shuffler and walked later than his 4 brothers, around 16 months. He's 25 now with a masters degree, a wide social circle and shows no signs of being ND, was always very academic and had no problems at school. My 2nd son is autistic and learning disabled and he crawled at 6 months and was walking at 10 months.

My DD bum shuffled…and then crawled and then walked.

Obviously I have not seen this in context, but if the group concerned had already been reported as low literacy then isn’t it already a self selecting and atypical sample?

I could give you loads of examples of non crawlers from among my family and friends, a wildly variant group… some have slight issues as adults the vast majority don’t. None, bum shufflers included, have dyspraxia, dyslexia or hyper mobility.

I expect the reality is that the research is not as discouraging as you fear, but in any case, you are catastrophising. I totally get it and do it myself. It’s natural when you so want the best for someone, and we are bombarded with so much often misrepresented information.

Here is the thing though. There are all kinds of behaviours or traits that are within the range of normal, but also sometimes part of a significant wider context or pattern of signs. It takes an expert to even attempt to analyse what significance, if any, they have. Your child will display many of them over the years, because every child does, and it may not be of the slightest relevance. All you can do is plough on and remain as calm as possible.

I would try to reframe this as not that your DS is likely to have a problem, but that when you he displayed a normal trait, but one that you perceive as sometimes having an association with problems, you felt very emotional and panicked for a few moments. Not because he is likely to have any issues, but because you care a lot and feel anxious for him, so just even being reminded of these possibilities was triggering for you. Now you can put it into perspective and move on.

The very fragile world peace that I have enjoyed since the 80's when we saw the fall of communism

First 20 years of my life we had sirens, we had Public information films on how to survive a nuclear attack , we had films like Threads and for the very sensitive - When the Wind Blows ( christ I still sob like a baby at that one - threads I cant even watch )

In my lifetime we have had 30 years of near on stability.

Now we have war in the middle east and EU and Russia , we have China, Russia and Korea one side, we have Isreal the Middle East the other side. We have Trump and Starmar - I have never felt so unsafe in my life ( and I still remember the fear of the 70's )

But hey ho, we will get stressed on a baby's development - takes our minds of the fact that there's plenty out there struggling to feed a baby

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32878720/

Is this where the 42% came from?

They used a total sample size of only 48 children, presenting to one individual clinic in Japan. They haven't suggested that their results should be extrapolated universally.

I think you need to step away from the Internet and get your advice from a medical source in real life.

I would not worry at this stage because most babies do not like tummy time. And like others have stated, you have misinterpreted the academic literature you mention.

You can only parent the child you have, not the child you wish you had. Whatever happens in the future, I think it is important to meet your child where they are.

Ok, I have two children OP. The eldest was a bum shuffler and hated being on her stomach and crawling at all. She would shuffle to the nearest piece of furniture and pull herself up to standing and then walk while leaning on things. She did that from 9months or so and took her first unaided steps on her first birthday and then went back to bum shuffling and leaning/walking.
the youngest was crawling at 7 months like a speed demon, walking at 9 months and literally running after her sister by 12 months.

The youngest is the one who is autistic. My “bum shuffler” is not autistic, is very academic and has just got her GCSE’s of mostly A* and A’s.

The future isn’t set yet, don’t assume that one thing now will mean your child will end up being x,y or z.
Don’t be heart broken. There’s no need.

I’ll be honest I was overwhelmed when DD2 was finally diagnosed. I was diagnosed with a life limiting illness when she was 8 months and was convinced that I had “damaged her” while pregnant. Stupid now when I think about it rationally, but sometimes the weight of being responsible for the little human you’ve brought into the world can be like that.

OP the upshot is, love them, make them laugh, keep them safe, show them how to be kind, inquisitive, gentle, courageous and deal with the child you see in front of you. Worrying about what the distant future is a total waste of time. 🙂 you’ve got this.

Please try not to worry. Neither of mine were bum shufflers that both turned out to be autistic.
I also want you to be aware, generally these things don't have half as much of a link to the ir outcome in life, as their general upbringing and outlook they have inherited from their parents. The way your husband deals with things will be less damaging to your sons confidence so try to emulate that a little atleast outwardly.

One of my girls was a bum shuffler, she’s 16 now. No issues, high achiever academically.

"Bum shuffling is linked to all sorts of developmental delay, dyspraxia, dyslexia etc. I’ve just read a study that stated half of bum shufflers went on to be diagnosed with ASD."

I never read such drivel. All our DCs bum shuffled and none have ASD or any of the other conditions you mention. Stop believing everything you read.

This post is exactly why the phrase 'a little knowledge is a dangerous thing' is true. Why on earth OP are you reading research papers on bum shuffling v crawling? If you hadnt read that paper you'd be happy now that he started moving and totally oblivious to any risks. It seems like you are treating this child like a project, he is just a little new person, your little person, and he needs to let nature guide him, and for his mum to just love him and care for him as he is now, not look for issues down the road.

Fwiw I had a very early crawler, a bum shuffler and an average crawler. The early and average crawlers have ASD, but the bum shuffler is NT.

This is so upsetting actually. I don’t care where this research has come from it’s absolute crap.