To worry about my sons spine

[Logiclady94]

Hi all, just wanted some advice on whether I am being unreasonable to worry about my sons spine or not. He was born at 34 weeks in January, he only weighed 3 lbs 8. He had two weeks of no growth so that was the reason they decided to deliver him early.

Since he has started putting on weight the crease in his bum has gone into a Y shape. There is a deep dimple at the bottom of the crease in between and there seems to be a fatty lump under the surface of the crease.

He is almost 6 months from his due date and he is 6 months from his actual birth so he should be better at sitting up but he still leans forward and falls backwards like his spine isn’t strong enough. He is constantly leaning forward which makes him a very sicky baby 😓

I am getting really concerned that he has a form of Spina Bifida Occulta but as he was in and out of hospital from January to March surely something should have been picked up.

Ah I meant you did everything you were supposed to do my last sentence looks awful sorry

Just wanted to add my lo only started sitting at 8 months!!! Before that she kept putting her back forward or falling side ways.

Is it a sacrel pimple ?

OP my son was born at 34 weeks and he didn't sit unaided until 9 months. He was delayed with most things physically due to his early start but is a very active healthy 5 year old now.

I also have a 6.5 month old and he is only now able to sit independently for 30secs at a time, albeit wobbly.

Give him time he's still little

Does he show any other signs of being developmentally delayed ?

I also wanted to add that my second son only started sitting at 8 months. He was totally unsteady and within a week went from not sitting for even a second to sitting for about 20 seconds at a time. So try not to worry about this, 6 months is average for sitting, lots sit later.

OP - DD1 was born at a similar gestation (right at the end of 33 weeks) and bang on 4lb.

She was on the late end of normal for motor milestones - 9 months to sit unaided, 11 months for commando crawling (remember that one clearly as she started when I was in hospital having her sister and Grandma's babysitting gig suddenly got a lot more lively!), and 18 months for walking. I used to leave baby groups and cry because it felt like she was so behind.

You honestly would never know it now - once she started walking she seemed to skip that really doddery phase and become very stable on her feet very early on - and now she's pretty much top of the class, usually top of the climbing frame and people don't believe she was premature.

In contrast it's the child who hit all the motor milestones "early" who ended up with motor skills problems and has fairly severe dyspraxia!

Hi OP it's stressful isn't it waiting for tests. My DS was taken ill shortly after birth - long story - and needed additional tests afterwards. Because of this, it has taken me a long long time not to panic about everything medical related. I stayed calm at the time by telling myself - there's nothing you can do to change the outcome, this is not your fault, and your job is to support your DS whatever challenges life may bring now and in the future.

FWIW my DS never sat upright by himself at this stage. I would prop him up and he would go immediately into a crawl. I don't think he every sat unaided as he went straight from commando crawl to standing ... I was worried because he did none of the things he was supposed to do at the development milestones. He was either doing something they expected an older child to do or less than a child of his actual age. I found the HV slightly unhelpful in this respect to be honest as she was a bit obsessed about milestones.