4 yo DS - just uncoordinated or something more worrying?

[orangutangerine]

My DS didn't roll over until he was 10 months old and never crawled (went straight to walking at 13 months). He is now 4 and is still physically awkward. He can't hop very well and when riding his scooter he can either steer or scoot but not both at the same time. He does football classes and can't run to a stationary ball then kick it. He also does swimming lessons and can either kick his legs or 'scoop' with his arms but not both at the same time. It all seems to be related, ie. difficulty doing two different physical things at the same time. Do you think there could be something wrong?

Not sure but my 3.5 yr old is the same. He has only just learned to ride a bike and is hopeless with a scooter, like your child, he seems to have difficulty doig 2 things at once. He also seems to not know how to fall properly if that makes sense, whenever he runs or plays with other kids my heart is in my mouth because he is always the one to get hurt!

I have a DD with co-ordination problems. There are lots of reasons why your DS might be a little un-coordinated but sounds like he is doing all the right things - swimming is the perfect exercise. Horse-riding is also good.

In my DD's case she has neurological problems with her muscle tone. She has balance issues and has to think a bit harder about her movement and co-ordination. She has physio every few months which is helpful.

How are his fine motor skills e.g. writing/running?

Running is OK although he does trip over his own feet sometimes.

He can write his own name but it's inconsistent (sometimes neat and legible, sometimes all over the place). It did take him a while to master the pincer grip.

He sounds within the normal spectrum, OP.
I am thinking of kids I know who don't move right, in less than obvious ways, he's already beyond where they were at age 5-6.

DS walked by 11 months, rode a bike without stabs before he was 4yo. He can swim around safely in the deep end, but at 6.5yo still can't coordinate his limbs very well for the actual swim lessons. And crashes into things (very clumsy). With him it's a problem of high distractibility.

Well my 4 year old never took to his scooter, the bike is in the garage and in some ways his cousin who is 2 in March is ahead of him (she is very precocious physically tho').

Still, I think he's in the normal range and we haven't had any comments from pre-school or school nursery. In fact his pre-school "report" said he was an agile child. Ho ho!

Each in his own time.

It could almost certainly be each in their own time, but also have you looked at dyspraxia? I am not trying to "find something wrong" but worht mentioning?

Get his eyes and ears tested.

My ds1 now 7 didn't crawl and was slow to ride a bike, a bit clumsy etc. Nothing major but at the lower end of the agility stakes.

Recently, I took him to an Occupational Therapist who found that he had a number of retained reflexes which can hinder the development of gross and fine motor skills. We are now working through an exercise programme to integrate those reflexes and the changes in my son's co-ordination and physical confidence are clear.

Keep an eye on things and if you still have concerns it might be worth looking into retained reflexes a bit further.

So he can't hop. He can scoot on his scooter and steer too but not at the same time. He can't run and kick a
stationary ball. In the pool he can kick or paddle but not at the same time, however he can run but when he does he trips over his feet.
This lack of dexterity in boys is all perfectly normal and is highly typical development of the gross motor skills.

Of a circus clown.