To be worried about my babies development?

[flappybits]

I've reached out to the health visitor with concerns at 8, 10 and now 12 months. I keep getting told that babies do things at their own pace and to not compare, and I do understand that but I also really do feel like my baby needs support.

I think his social skills are ok, possibly slightly behind? He doesn't have any words yet but he babbles, interacts, has good shared attention, follows where I point, passes me things, takes part in repetitive games like peekaboo etc. He doesn't point or clap. He has waved a couple of times but not consistently.

His motor skills I'm concerned about, he can sit independently but can't get himself into a sitting position from lying down. He can roll but he can't crawl, he can't stand, he doesn't appear to weight bear well at all his legs whether he can't or he isn't trying to, I'm not sure.

So yes, I am comparing to my eldest who by now had been crawling for 4 months, pulling up to stand and cruising around furniture and was two weeks off taking his first steps. My baby is nowhere near that.

AIBU to be worried? Or should I keep pushing for a referral?

Is it completely normal for 12 month olds to just be rolling and not be able to sit themselves up, crawl or cruise?

Hi OP. My daughter wasn’t pulling to stand by 12 months and I remember she got referred to a physio because of that. He said within minutes of seeing her that she was slightly hypermobile (bendy) and would need a little more help to do that kind of thing. However within weeks she was pulling to stand and she was walking by 16 months. So basically I think you would be within your rights to insist on a physio referral - but I’m very hopeful about the fact that your DS will be just fine.

Some very dismissive posters here, I’m sure op knows not all babies are the same. But a babynot weight bearing at 12 months does sound like he’s benefit from a referral (physio). Have you been given a date for the 12 month check yet op? If not maybe see the GP who might be able to refer him

I would go see your GP instead if you're worried. It easy for everyone to say that all babies are different but sometimes it needs further checking

My youngest is 21 months and still can't get up really from lying down, she has to roll a bit and then pushes herself up, nobody is concerned. She has never crawled, just bum shuffled at 13 months, took her first steps at 19 months. A bit behind in most things compared to my eldest, she's caught up now though and right where she should be at almost 2. She coincidentally started walking the day after we got a date for her physio appt!

Mine was the same, they’re autistic.
But also, it’s perfectly within the range of normal, crawling isn’t a milestone and as long as they are showing the intention to walk by 18 months it is considered normal.

My DC was exactly the same. He was just a bit hypermobile, according to the physio we were referred to, at 16 months.

The health visitor dismissed my worries (nicely) up until that point. I think nursery may have given them feedback, as they were also worried. He never even bum shuffled, and often fell over from sitting.

There was no real need to worry though - a few months later he was up and running, like flicking a switch.

Worth seeing a physio though, she was very reassuring.

Hi

You've described my ds at that age. I was a ball of anxiety and pushed for every specialist opinion and intervention as I knew something wasn't right.

He's 6 now and Dyspraxic with SPD (and potential ADHD but on the pathway).

Thriving with support in mainstream, with SaLT, OT and intermittent physio. Will be assessed by Ed Psych at 7 for potential SpLD and we may go down route of Behavioural Optometry as he has some problems with visual perception.

Crawling is such an important milestone not just for physical development but for all of the other senses too including vestibular and proprioceptive. In our case lack of crawling and pulling himself to standing was one of the first signs something was different.

If you think something's not right, from experience do all you can to advocate.

My DS was classed as 'GDD' but he's developing at his own rate and a happy, loving, funny, kind boy, despite all of the intervention he's had.

I'm a HV (yes I know we are hated...) and it's only the lack of weight bearing that would concern me so I would do a physio referral. A paediatrician wouldn't be interested in seeing a child who hadn't seen a physio in the first instance. The social skills etc again a paediatrician wouldn't be concerned until the child was at least 2 and then they don't accept a referral unless there are other issues such as global developmental delay or health needs

I absolutely would push for a referral however it still may be completely normal. My friends DC only ever bum shuffled, he couldn't weight bear at all then just walked at 21 months. He had various checks but they all said he was fine, and he was.

My son was the same. His ASQs were awful. He had hypermobility. He saw a physio on the NHS. I'd fill in the ASQ and take it to the HV. If you can't get in touch with the HV, take to the GP. Request physio. If this is denied, refer to the ASQ and point out the instructions for referral on the scoring sheet (you can find these all online if you Google).

My DC failed the asq at 10m and again at 12m so has been referred to a Portage service, which is early intervention through play. The HV referred us and warned the referral would take months but we had an initial visit within 3 weeks!
My DC is crawling but only started pulling to stand at 12.5months and still isn't cruising at 13.5months.

I have been really, really worried and googling like mad, but it just seems like time will tell if there's an underlying issue or if DC is just doing it in their own time.

I’d take him to the GP. Of course you don’t think he should be “just like his brother”. I’d be concerned too. I’d see the GP and be prepared to do it again in a few weeks if there’s still no strength in those legs.

Communication - 15 (grey zone)
Gross motor - 0 (black zone)
Fine motor - 30 (black zone)
Problem solving - 15 (black zone)
Personal social - 50 (white zone)

That's pretty bad isn't it 😭😭

What’s his daily routine like? Do you have a ‘typical day’?

I do sometimes worry he doesn't get as much play time with me as his eldest brother did, between his two naps, three meals and two school runs for his brother plus a dog walk I feel sometimes like we don't get much down time together. Oh gosh, could I of caused this? Have I not interacted enough to teach him these things properly?

Do you go to any baby groups or is he in daycare? Just thinking there might be people there who would have advice for you or even reassurance

No! I was just seeing if there was anything that could be hindering him for example HOURS in a jumperoo, or ‘he loves playing on the tablet’ type stuff. Walks with you, fresh air, interacting with you at meals, sounds like he has plenty of attention.

I know a baby with very similar gross motor skills at that age, he was referred to physio by a HV and has recently started walking, I think he's about twenty months now. I'm sure your baby is absolutely fine but it's worth pushing for a referral.

I think the communication and problem solving skills are really subjective and not worth worrying about at this stage, if he's babbling, interacting with you and playing games I'm sure he's fine. Don't let your imagination run away with you and start assuming there's anything seriously wrong.

That sounds like something that needs investigating. My 3rd son wasn’t weight bearing etc until 15/16 months then tiptoed whilst holding 2 hands, wouldn’t walk on uneven surfaces holding hands. I knew there was something not right.

Pushed for physio referral, which I got and son has hyper mobility. My second son also has it. And now my fourth. My 3rd son is the only one it really affected with his mobility. Not saying that’s what is going on with your child op, but it doesn’t sound right and I think further investigation is warranted.

No he doesn't have any screen time bar giggling at Bluey when his brother watches it in the morning. He goes in the Jumperoo and his walker for short bursts but never longer than 10 minutes. Does spend a lot of time in car and buggy though with school runs etc. He has just started in a nursery but has only been for two days so far so they've not given any feedback other than he's happy when he's there.

I have wondered about hypermobility. When sitting he leans forward on to all fours but one of his feet is always underneath him and the leg always looks bent a weird way. If I pull it out he collapses flat. Sometimes when he leans forward and is on all fours with the foot underneath he will lean back into sitting up again and practically do the splits. He does seem bendy!

Could it be that he hasn’t had enough floor time? And that’s NOT me ‘blaming’ you, I was the same with my son, I suddenly realised just how much time he spent in the pram/car seat and basically just plonked him on the floor with some toys for 20 minutes, about 4 times a day. He went from just sitting but not moving to crawling/pulling to stand in about 10 days. It could be worth a try?

I would definitely go to your GP. My health visitor was a bit useless.

if it helps, one of my DC was at risk of having cerebral palsy after birth and got monitored regularly as well as going to physio for something unrelated. Only started crawling at 13 months, wasn’t weight bearing or anything like that prior. Started pulling up shortly after crawling and then was walking by 16 months with no issues.

I don’t think they are particularly worried unless your child still isn’t walking by age 2….thats what I was told. There’s also nothing they can do it’s just a waiting game, but obviously you can support them and encourage them to pull up and crawl by moving objects further away and making movement into a fun game.

Children all so develop at very different rates. My other child was so much faster.

Is he in a sit in walker? If so, get rid. They delay babies walking.

Push along walkers are great, though.