Worried about my 14 month old baby’s development

[MaryLouFreebush]

Hi, I’m new to Mumsnet & this is my first post so I’m sorry if I’m putting this in the wrong place. Any help/advice/reassurance would be much appreciated!
I’m a first time mum to a 14 month old boy. He’s amazing, my absolute world, but I’m getting a bit concerned about his development & just curious to know what others think.
He isn’t walking yet & in my opinion he’s not going to master it any time soon. He doesn’t pull himself up on anything, the only time he’ll get up onto his feet is if I offer him my hands & then he’ll do it straight away. He tries to pull himself up in his cot but he can’t do it, although he will stand up happily in his cot or against the couch if I put him there, & he’s just started to cruise a bit now.
He can roll from front to back & back to front no problems. He can sit unaided very well, but he can’t get from sitting to lying down on his front or back, unless this is by accident i.e. falling. Similarly if he’s lying down he can’t get into a sitting position, like he wouldn’t roll onto his front & manoeuvre his legs to sitting up. He doesn’t crawl, he doesn’t really use his knees at all & if I try & put him on all fours he just laughs & sinks down onto the floor! He can get around by bum shuffling or he bounces around on his back. Or he can kind of push himself backwards if he’s on his tummy. But to be honest, he just doesn’t seem to have much interest in getting around! I’ve tried sitting him in the middle of the floor & putting toys out of reach, & he’ll try & reach them but he tends to get really frustrated & cry.
If I stand him up & take his hands & walk around the room with him he will walk but he’s very unsteady. He can’t stand unaided, he can hold on with just 1 hand but he’s a bit wobbly.
Also, various websites have said that in terms of milestones for his age he should be able to say a few words now, but he can’t. He’s very vocal & he babbles loads, but he doesn’t say any words. He does dadadadada & nanananana, we’ve had the occasional mamamamama - but he doesn’t say them in context.
I don’t know if I’m worrying unnecessarily & need to chill out & concentrate on just enjoying him, or if I’ve been too laid back & not tried to encourage him enough to do more.

Comparing your baby to other people's will just make you miserable! Stop that and the rest becomes much easier.

Bum shufflers generally take longer to walk. I wouldn't be concerned at all yet, far too soon, but please talk to your hv for reassurance.

It all happens in time. Some babies are later than others. If it gets to 18 months and still not walking then start worrying. Is she talking ? Sometimes that happens first

A health visitor should be able to reassure you. Doesn’t sound like anything’s wrong with him but sometimes you need to hear it from a professional.

My friend’s baby is around 17 months and doesn’t walk or talk yet. He’s always been super chilled out and seems happy just bum shuffling about. Mine started walking at just under 15 months but has only recently (at 20 months) started saying a few actual words as opposed to dadadada and babababa. I used to worry about these things but I don’t have the energy to anymore. Haha. They all develop at their own pace and when they’re a bit older no one is going to remember who started doing what at which age.

Sending hugs. I know what you’re going through right now.

My twins are almost two - one had a lot of health issues from birth, the other was fine. I wasn’t overly concerned about their development until about 17 months when one had a huge regression. He lost a lot of skills he still doesn’t have back. He walks and is fine physically but doesn’t play with toys. It’s taken me a good six months to get to the stage where they’re finally investigating it.

The other twin isn’t talking at all, so I now have to start the process of getting him seen by SALT which is going to take some time and honestly if it turns out we don’t need it then better to cancel it.

Lots of babies skip crawling so I wouldn’t worry about that. Some babies really focus on specific skills and others fall behind. From what I’ve seen of the system so far, there’s a very wide spectrum of normal and it’s most likely nothing to worry about but I would see your HV sooner rather than later so they can assess him and make any necessary referrals to check him out - you’ll probably find that he starts doing things you’re worried about as soon as you get the ball rolling ;)

My son was a bum shuffler. He didn’t pull himself up to standing until 11 months and then he would cruise a bit but didn’t really use the baby walker for a long time. He didn’t stand unaided until 17 months and then about 10 days later (just before he turned 18 months) he suddenly started walking. Within 3 or so days he was walking everywhere really confidently. I worried so much as he was the last of his peers to do all the physical stuff even though he was sitting up from 5 month old. It was all completely unnecessary. He is going to be 2 next month and he can run around, he is happy and extremely smiley and a very charismatic, engaging little boy. His vocabulary is getting there but again he doesn’t have as many words as some others his age but he can do sign language, is already potty training and in a toddler bed and so in other respects he is miles ahead of his peers. They all develop different things at different time. I think a lot depends on what things spark their interests. If you are truely worried then speak to your HV but they will probably tell you to wait and see as they don’t worry until they are over 18 months and not walking.

My ds1 was comparatively slow to walk (17-18m) but at 14m he was walking asymmetrically (one toe facing forward I've facing inward) with a push along walker, so we saw an orthopaedic consultant who x rayed his hips. His view was it was worth checking around this age that there weren't any physical reasons he wasn't walking, but that some children didn't until they were two. A Physiotherapist followed us up and checked that he was getting lots of floor play, not sitting in a bouncer/ bumbo etc and suggested giving him things to play with on the sofa, eg he is standing playing to strengthen his legs, and perhaps things stretched along the sofa, so he might cruise along a bit? I agree with pp a health visitor appointment seems a good first step, but if you are still worried I'd book a Gp appointment perhaps to be referred to a paediatrician etc?

Bum shufflers usually walk late. My daughter was one and refused to walk without holding a hand until she was weeks off 2. He's probably fine. I would keep pushing tummy time as much as possible. Crawling, whilst sometimes skipped, is important for strength and will lead to pulling up and walking.

My boys both walked at 16 months, my eldest dd walked at 21 months and my youngest dd is 2 a month tomorrow and only just starting to take a few steps. She didn't crawl until she was 11 months, has shown zero interest in getting to her feet. She has just walked on her knees.
They all do things at their own pace. Speak to your hv for reassurance.

Chances are he'll be fine, but there's never harm in getting a referral to Physio for an assessment. He can weight bear and can sit but it's the transition from one position to another that he can't do. You can help him with these things. For example, lying to sitting. Have him lay on his back, you put your hand on his pelvis to stabilise him and if you sit to one side and take his hand further away from you and pull him, so that he's half turning toward you, and help in into sitting. That is teaching him how to transition. He will get his other elbow into the ground to help push himself up. This is how we all get into sitting from lying generally.
To encourage crawling, do you have stairs? Put him at the bottom of the stairs on his knees and hands on the first step. Support him in the kneeling positions and see if he wants to climb. Or support him in the kneeling position at the sofa to encourage weight bearing through his knees.

You've just described by son. He was a bit of a Chunky monkey as a baby and that's what I thought stopped him. He bum shuffled EVERYWHERE! I was worried too as he wouldn't properly weight bare on his legs (though would in jumperoo) but he got it in the end. Started standing on his own one day at 17 months and then at 18 months whoosh he was off. Now runs everywhere and never stays still:

Honestly he will be fine, please don't worry about it, they all do it at there own pace x

I would definitely flag it with the health visitor or doctor. It could be an issue which requires early intervention. It definitely could also be nothing - my friend's little girl was quite similar. Only bum shuffling until 21 months and quite speech delayed too. She suddenly caught up and by 2.5 was a little ahead for speech and walking/running around normally.

DS was the same at 14 months. He started walking just before he turned 18 months - took his first steps on Xmas day, almost like he had planned it!

I have only read the OPs first post so apologies if I am repeating.

My oldest 2 children bum shuffled. They never really crawled. They both walked at 17-18 months. Neither really rolled either as they both hated tummy time. Now both at secondary school with absolutely no mobility issues. Once they were up that was that.

3rd child crawled rather than bum shuffling (we had carpet by then so easier! Wooden floors before made bum shuffling easy!). She walked a bit earlier but not before a year.

What I’m saying is don’t panic but if you have concerns speak to your health visitor.

I was told bum shuffling babies have less drive to get up and walk because they can carry things as they get around

I've got a 14 month visit for a routine check up with my HV and I've a questionnaire to fill in first. Some of it seems far too advanced (stacking three blocks, dropping a cheerio into the neck of a coke bottle etc)

I'll add photos of the speech and gross motor skills bit. You get 10 points for yes, 5 for sometimes and 0 for no. 15 or less in communication = below the cut off and may need further assessment from a professional, between 15 and 30 gets you activities and monitoring. For gross motor it's below 25 and between 25 and 40.

How are his fine motor skills/problem solving/etc?

It's probably nothing to worry about but seeing your HV might get you some stuff to try to see if you can bring him on a little.

OP, you know your son and for peace of mind take him for a checkup with your health visitor or doctor.

Hi everyone! I just wanted to update because when I was desperately googling my worries about DS's development I came across loads of threads similar to this one, but there were never any answers or outcomes posted!
DS is nearly 16 months old now. He can now pull himself up to standing whilst in his cot/playpen (bars) & is very nearly managing to pull up on the couch too. He cruises around all the furniture, walls, doors, anything really, & seems to love being up on his feet. Still not walking yet & he can't stand unaided, but I've definitely seen a big improvement in his movement generally.
He still isn't keen on using his knees & he isn't able to get into a sitting position from lying down, but I feel he'll get there soon.
Not much change with his speech, he can say "daddy" now & is doing lots of babbling, but I'm trying not to worry too much about it just yet.
I spoke to my HV about all the concerns I outlined in my OP, & she explained (as many of you kindly did) that not walking isn't too much of a worry until 18 months & talking until 2yrs. She said it sounds like he has progressed a lot since his last review at 10 months (when all he could do was sit unaided) & that from what I'd told her she didn't think there were any concerns, but to monitor him & get back in touch if I felt there were any further issues.
I feel better having spoken to her & readings all your helpful responses (thank you). Hopefully he will come on leaps & bounds over the next few months!

I was exactly the same as you but I can honestly say that I’m sure it will be fine. I had a bum shuffler who didn’t crawl and then didn’t start coasting or using a walker until 18 months. He started walking at 21 months! Honestly the days I lost to worrying, I don’t even want to know. And now he’s just as fast and active as kids the same age who started walking 12 months before him.

He’s now 29 months and his speech is only just starting to come on - he had glue ear though 8 months ago and had to have grommets.

If you are concerned then by all means have him checked out, but they will most likely tell you to leave it for a while. I only saw a paediatrician at 24 months, one month after he started walking. That was only because I’d booked the appointment before he started walking so thought I’d go along anyway.

My son was similar in that he bum shuffled, he didn’t stand unaided until he was 17.5m old and didn’t walk until 5 days before he was 18 months old. He started pulling himself to standing at 11m old. He was far behind his peers in terms of physical ability.

He is now just over 2 years and is walking/running well, is fantastic at kicking a ball, can jump and climb stairs whilst holding onto a rail. In terms of speaking I wouldn’t say he was the most advanced but I can see him building on his language day by day and is starting to string a few short phrases/sentences together.

There is always a chance that there is an issue but more likely than not he is absolutely fine and just developing at his own rate. I wish I had worried less with my little boy as he is doing just fine now. I now have a baby daughter and will definitely not stress about her development anywhere near as much as I did with him.

I hope this helps.

Reading your original post hit a nerve with me. Because I am in the exact same position with my DS who is 18months. He is a bum shuffler, pushes himself along on his back, and can onIy walk if we hold his hands. A month ago he wasn't pulling himself up, or crawling or cruising. He also couldn't sit himself up if he was on his back. I have been very worried about him, and my HV referred him to a physiotherapist who he saw a few weeks ago. The physiotherapist said he had no problems with his hips, just needed to be taught how to get from a to b, so she gave me some exercises to do to help him learn.

Since that session, we have been doing his exercises daily, and he has improved massively. He can now sit up from lying down, he's pulling himself up on furniture, and slowly starting to cruise on furniture. He can also get up onto hid hands and knees, but no crawling yet.

If you would like, I could share with you the sitting exercises that you could try with your DS.

Just realised this is an old thread updated and that I also commented on it when it was first started, doh!

Yes please Figmentofimagination, that would be great.
I'm just trying my best to chill out a bit about it all. Sometimes I'm fine & think 'he'll get there in his own time', but other times I really stress myself out over what he 'should' be doing & what he can't do yet.
I don't want to be too laid back & do nothing if there's things I could & should be doing to help him a bit. But equally I feel I need to relax & let things happen naturally, & stop stressing so that I can enjoy him rather than worry abut him so much!

My DD crawled at 12 months, pulled up at 16 months and walked at 22 months. DD sat unaided at 10 months and walked at 21 months. Left the HV in a bit of a spin but when I told her I was 2.5 years before I walked she put it down to lazy genes.
DS also did not talk in sentences until he was nearly 4.
Both DS and DD are in their 30s now with absolutely no problems

Mine was so similar although he did crawl. Walked at 18 months despite never standing unaided before and quickly learned to run. Now at 22mo we’re having a language explosion, lots of words including finally my name and he’s even started to count and name colours.

Ds2 was a bum shuffler..didn't walk independently until 23 months!!

He is an hyper and super energetic 9 year old now.. he was just a lazy arse!