Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

Flip

Original poster

11 week old not reaching developmental milestones...?

14 replies

Zoe20 · 21/07/2011 09:17

My 11 1/2 week old DS has not found his hands yet - they are still mostly curled in tight fists and he shows no signs of attempting to reach for things. He also does not track an object (eg. rattle) if waved in front of him and moved. I am just concerned because all the baby books I have read say he should be doing these things by now. (He does chew on his fists a lot but that is the only thing he does with his hands, otherwise his movements are completely random). Also his head control is not that good and he hates tummy time so I don't do it that much. He is such a lovely baby and does smile and look at us quite a bit when he is in the mood although there are times when he will not look at me at all and it is as though he doesn't see me.

I was just wondering if anyone else's babies were a bit delayed in reaching certain milestones (particularly finding their hands) or if I should be worried. I know I should probably stop reading the books and just enjoy him but I just wondered if anyone else's babies weren't doing certain things at the 'prescribed' times...? Thank you!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Flisspaps · 21/07/2011 09:26

If you're concerned, have a chat with your HV.

Remember though, your DS won't have read the baby books :)

Sparklyboots · 21/07/2011 10:14

One sec, this sounds familiar ... ... right, my 6mo DS didn't 'watch hands' til 13 weeks, whereupon I helpfully and proudly filled out my red book. I assume grabbing came later (I haven't been consistently helpful or proud). He is not developmentally delayed in any way thus far - is crawling and attempting to stand very early, about average for 'speech' etc. Keep Calm and Carry On. x

skewiff · 21/07/2011 13:06

Well, my DD is about 11 weeks - sorry have lost track - but she was born 12th May.

Her hands are mostly in tight fists too and she is not reaching for things yet, or grabbing stuff. I am not worried though.

My DS does have mild CP so perhaps I should be worrying more with this one. But she is so alert and smiley and is lying on her front holding her head up ... she is getting stronger and stronger all the time and trying to sit up on her own ...

Maybe your little one is progressing in other areas first. For example my DS is cooing a lot and 'talking' to us. So I think her brain is working on these things first. I am sure that I have read that a baby's brain can only work on one skill at a time, so if she/he is focussing on language, then something else has to wait till later.

And they don't all come in the same order. So with each baby they learn things in their own individual order.

skewiff · 21/07/2011 13:07

Sorry I meant to say my DD is cooing a lot- not my DS.

Original poster

Zoe20 · 21/07/2011 14:04

Thanks everyone, that's reassuring! I agree it's best not to worry for now, although I can't seem to help googling 'developmental delay' on the internet. Anyone else got any experiences to share?

OP posts:

alowVera · 21/07/2011 16:32

I have a folder given to me by sure start will all the developmental stages in to fill out for DD2, (she's HI and has a mild developmental delay) but there are milestones in there that DD1 (advanced in everyway) didn't do. DD2 did everything late, but DD1 didn't roll over or crawl, she just got up and walked at 9mths. DD2 didnt find her hands, she just wasn't interested. And DD1 didn't point.
But I am saying all of this in hindsight, when dd1 showed no interest in crawling or rolling when all my friends babies were, you start to question everything.
I agree with previous posts that 11weeks is still early days. Your DS has plenty of time, and could well be developing other skills. please be reassured that these developmental milestones are guidelines, some children reach them early some reach them later, and some just bypass some of them completely.

lurcherlover · 21/07/2011 21:35

Way, way too early to be thinking about developmental delay.

My brother is a doctor and he told me there are only a few really "true" milestones medical people care about: smiling, holding the head up, sitting up independently, pulling up to standing, and walking. As long as they do those (roughly in that order), everything else is optional really. You only have to look at how many babies skip crawling and go straight to walking, for example, to see this.

My DS, by the way, is 9 months old, has rolled over twice in his life (and then only from his back to his front, never all the way), and shows no interest in wanting to crawl at all. All his little baby friends are busy crawling all over the place. It's hard not to be a bit worried at times, but he did all the official milestones he should have done in the right times, so I'm not worried there's anything wrong.

Original poster

Zoe20 · 22/07/2011 09:15

Thanks AlowVera and lurcherlover! Your posts definitely make me feel better - looking up stuff on the internet just gets me so worried and upset. AlowVera - sorry for my ignorance, but what does HI stand for? Thanks again.

OP posts:

BarbarianMum · 22/07/2011 13:25

Are you sure she cannot track? Not at all? Because actually that would worry me.

I don't want to alarm you and I am not an expect but I think a total lack of visual tracking at 11 weeks is worth a mention to a GP.

minibmw2010 · 22/07/2011 20:29

Zoe20 I have read that boys can be slower in development than girls, happy to be contradicted though. My DS is 9 weeks old today and doesn't really look at me (except feeding time then he stares at me which I love) and has only smiled properly twice (both times he looked so surprised with himself, so cute) and I really wish it would Halle more but I guess I need to be patient or I'll scare him I think. He has a cousin who is about 5 weeks older than him and she's so lovely and smiley and rolling and I hope he'll catch her up but who knows, they are individuals aren't they ....

alowVera · 22/07/2011 20:41

zoe20 HI is hearing impaired.

alowVera · 22/07/2011 20:42

Thing is, I'd convinced myself she was autistic because of everything I'd "researched" on the Internet.

alowVera · 22/07/2011 20:53

I know I'm contradicting myself now, but have just remembered being told by HV when dd was less than 6 months old, that we were concerned that she wasn't responding much to us, and being told by HV "enjoy it, you're one of the lucky ones, you've got a quiet baby" (dd passed newborn screening for hearing despite being pretty much profoundly deaf)
If you are concerned about Your DS, please go and see a doctor, or even 2 if you have to.

Lalvarez · 19/05/2025 18:48

Hi! Please let me know how everything turned out? I have an almost 12 week old who is doing the same thing

Flip