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.

Yep!

I never did tummy time with my kid, I hated it. He's fine. I bum shuffled and am fine.

My brother was a bum shuffler and two of my grandsons were bum shufflers. All are bright, high achieving, sensitive and well-behaved. Not everything you read is true, taken at face value. Statistics can prove anything.

Are you always this dramatic?

Go enjoy your baby.

mmmm I was a bum shuffler…..excelled academically, earned lots of £, live well etc etc….appreciate its hard when it’s your baby, but please don’t put limits on him.

DS crawled. He has a chromosomal abnormality, ADHD, dyspraxia, and probably ASD. I hope you continue to find joy in your beautiful son x

My bum shuffler has two degrees, including a law degree from one of the top universities in the UK.

i don’t think you need to worry.

Seriously…what on earth??! Never ever heard this one and what utter rubbish. Sorry. Both my dc were bum shufflers and didn’t crawl. No issues whatsoever.

Erm I bum shuffled and never crawled. I’m perfectly physically and mentally capable.

My son was born with brain damage and has cerebal palsy.

But by your logic, the fact that he crawled ("commando crawling" as its known) means that his early signs were better.

You really are looking for worries. Its said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and your case I would say that it really is. You are assuming a link where there may not prove to be one.

I crawled at 5 months (I didnt believe it either but I am assured by all family that I did!) and I have ASD and ADHD (late dx). All of my kids crawled....eldest has CP, second was bang on average and NT, 4 youngest all have ASD and ADHD (2 of whom are gifted).

Proves absolutely nothing. But I would kindly suggest that you seek some talking therapy about your reaction to this. To have such a strong reaction might suggest other issues at play.

Well yes any child would have a tricky future ahead if their mum catastrophises and storms out of the room every time they don’t conform to what she sees as the correct way to achieve and develop.

Whether he’s neurodivergent or neurotypical he needs parents that celebrate and embrace him exactly as he is.

I was a bum shuffler. I am probably mildly autistic but I do not require a diagnosis and function very well in life. I have a good job, a home I own outright and I have raised a family.

I have three DC who are all autistic - one is fostered so I do not know about his early milestones, but the other two crawled like anything and are still austistic. They are also highly intelligent, working, independent young adults.

Stop catastrophising.

This is crazy and such an overreaction to a self diagnosis, both my children shuffled, one is a top academic the other an elite sportswomen, means nothing in isolation, and even if they are, doesn't mean they can't have perfectly normal life.

Yes! Exactly this!

My son bum shuffled for months, then one day he just got up and walked.

Neither of my kids were bum shufflers and both of them are ASD. One walked at 12 months the other was a pro crawler.

I put my son’s bum shuffling down to nothing more than the fact he was fat. Really sumo wrestler level fat. Ebf too. 😂

Well if half of them turn out to have an asd diagnosis then you have a 50/50 chance that he wont have asd? Keep an eye on it OP so you can get him all the help that he needs should he need it but please don't cry. It is what it is , I don't think tummy time can change a child who is autistic to not being austic. You are probably worrying for nothing. Sending you virtual hugs OP x

I have two DCs who are ND, one has ASD and one has ADHD.
Neither of them bum shuffled.

Also, they are amazing humans with incredible brains.

It may well be that bum shufflers / non crawlers have a range of SEN. But I think outcome and causality are being confused here.

ASD / dyslexia etc are mostly hereditary. So babies with hereditary SEN may not crawl. But not crawling isn't what causes the SEN. It's a symptom, not a cause. So even if you could force you DS to crawl, it wouldn't reduce his chances of having ASD.

I have two sons, eldest was a bum shuffler, he was (and is) academically gifted, scholarship to private school, super brainy …the youngest never shuffled but has been a very troubled kid and is very weak academically … utter nonsense to think bum shuffling is a bad thing!!!

I’ve never heard of this before.
If it cheers you up, both of mine were walking before they were a year old, just.
they were solid middling C students!
My friends DC was a bum shuffler till quite a way into toddler hood, probably nearly 2 and a half, just refused to walk. They’re now at Cambridge studying something complicated…

To be honest, I was also worried my DS as a baby was autistic and I Googled things constantly (although he crawled and didn’t bum shuffle). Turns out he is in fact ASD (and speech delayed and most likely ADHD too!) and yes whilst not always easy, he is a lovely happy little boy and I really really wish I hadn’t spent most of his babyhood so anxious over it and just enjoyed him more - what will be will be.

Honestly don't read too much on small child and especially baby, I read so much and diagnosed my son with tons of things in his first year as an anxious first time mother. They change so quickly and aren't textbook.

Also, my son hated tummy time as he had reflux, we never did it, and he was crawling and walking just fine without it, so please don't beat yourself up on that score.

My youngest daughter was a bum shuffler. I was worried tbh and it felt like she was never going to walk. She’s now 10. She is super bright, no problems at all, in fact she’s above average in all subjects. She’s also a fantastic dancer and swimmer, has great coordination and rode a bike well from an early age. No ND diagnoses.
Conversely, my eldest child crawled but is also bright, no dyslexia or dyspraxia but is definitely ND!
I don’t think it means anything tbh.