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Behaviour/development

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

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Original poster

Woman in Tescos: "Ooh, if he's an early walker he might have cognitive problems"

69 replies

OovoofWelcome · 01/05/2012 14:30

My DS (7 and a half months) has been crawling for a few weeks, and is now pulling himself up to standing against furniture and seems quite confident and steady on his feet. So I'm guessing walking might not be too far away (eeeek!), although who knows, he'll do it when he's ready

A well-meaning woman in Tescos was telling me that her son had been an early walker, and therefore had cognitive problems - and she felt it was her fault because he hadn't spent long enough on the crawling phase, which is apparently highly meaningful for cognitive development; said she'd made him 'too strong, too early' by putting him in his bouncer a lot

I don't believe that she could have had such an influence on his development with a bit of bouncer action - loads of babies spend time in bouncers. Besides, DS hasn't spent an inordinate amount of time in his so I don't think that accounts for his early(ish) crawling/standing. The only part I was interested in was the possible correlation between early walking and cognitive issues.

Does anyone have any idea of whether or not there is some truth to this? Slightly worried (please tell me I'm being completely daft! )

Thanks

OP posts:

Ponders · 01/05/2012 14:32

you can't make a child carry on crawling when it's ready to walk

& putting a baby into a bouncer won't make it walk early

(IMO obvs)

I wouldn't worry

Ponders · 01/05/2012 14:33

sorry, haven't exactly answered your Q - I think she's wrong.

arfur · 01/05/2012 14:34

You are being completely daft never heard of this and whilst I am no expert in behaviour or development (other being a mum) sounds like rubbish to me. Your ds is obviously just an early crawler/walker bless him! Take no notice x

Ponders · 01/05/2012 14:35

\link{http://babyshrink.com/2010/05/baby-walking-but-never-crawling-any-learning-disability-worry.html\here} - "it's an old wives tale"

Firawla · 01/05/2012 14:37

I don't think its the case - late walkers can have cognitive problems too? these type of issues are not "caused" by early or late walking?? and mums can not really "make" their child crawl or walk early or late - the baby just develops at their own rate so i wouldnt worry about it, unless you had any reason to worry about your babies cognitive development (which it sounds not??) then i would not give this tescos lady a 2nd thought!! she shouldn't be going around worrying people like this

crawling is supposed to be good for the brain but your son is already crawling anyway? ive just heard something about if they miss out the crawling stage completely then sometimes it can be a problem - but even then not necessarily!!!

its quite sad this lady feels that way though as if she is responsible for her sons problems because of the walker, im sure that is not really the case :(

Hullygully · 01/05/2012 14:38

It's all true.

The earlier they walk, the thicker they turn out to be.

Sad but true.

tara0202 · 01/05/2012 14:39

Oh well my dd is done for as she never ever crawled! She only ever bum shuffled. She is nearly 3 now and very bright!

DharmaBumpkin · 01/05/2012 14:41

My DD ended up with a Paed referral for different reasons but was an early walker / non-crawler so I specifically asked about this as I also heard it a few times.

Load of old cobblers according to the Paediatrician... The areas of the brain crawling stimulates can also be stimulated by other activities, such as skipping etc, so let it all flow naturally & don't worry!

duchesse · 01/05/2012 14:42

No wonder my older three only have IQs of 135+ - they all walked at 10 months. That explains everything!.

duchesse · 01/05/2012 14:43

In fact that poor woman sounds as though she is blaming herself for her son's problems.

MyMelody · 01/05/2012 14:44

Hully -

Ponders · 01/05/2012 14:45

Hully, you are a bad woman

lisad123 · 01/05/2012 14:46

I have two very late walkers and they have "problems". One never crawled at all but shuffled on her bum

Hullygully · 01/05/2012 14:47

You wait and see Ponders, it's like the old proverb:

Walk too soon
Brain like baboon

Original poster

OovoofWelcome · 01/05/2012 14:47

Daft it is then!

ponders thanks Yeah, I didn't give any credence to the idea that you could influence whether or not your baby whizzes too quickly through the crawling stage with a bit of bouncing. I just wondered if anyone had heard this theory (early walking being connected to cognitive stuff), especially since she was talking about 'experts' in relation to her son.

firawla it is sad isn't it? Someone has obviously fed her a crock of sh*t and she feels rubbish about it.

hully pppfffffffffff that's me told!

OP posts:

lisaro · 01/05/2012 14:47

All mine were early walkers - youngest at 8 1/2 months, we think he was trying to keep up with his 14 months older brother. He's expecting 4 a's at A level, a gifted sportsman and I've heard rumour he can be a very pleasant polite chap out of the house, even to the point of putting together whole sentences. So, in summary, the Tesco woman was talking bollocks.

startail · 01/05/2012 14:51

There is believed to be a link between not crawling and Dyslexia.
DD1 and I didn't crawl and are Dyslexic.
My DSIS and DD2 were great crawlers and absolutely aren't.

But I don't know anything about walking.

I think the dyslexia one is about how DC do or don't coordinate using both sides of the brain.

Original poster

OovoofWelcome · 01/05/2012 14:52

lisaro He sounds luvverly!

OP posts:

lisaro · 01/05/2012 14:54

He's an 18 year old male, Oovoo, course he's lovely

Original poster

OovoofWelcome · 01/05/2012 14:54

startail that's interesting, thanks. DH is dyslexic and was an early walker.

OP posts:

ExitPursuedByABear · 01/05/2012 14:57

Oooh - never heard any of this - but DD was an early walker (10 months) and never crawled. I put it down to her having large feet and therefore a stable base on which to stand.

What sort of cognitive problems.

Original poster

OovoofWelcome · 01/05/2012 15:00

Don't worry Exit, see above for reassurance (or below, depending on your MN particulars)!

(Apart from hully's poem, which, erm, demonstrates more flair than accuracy I feel )

OP posts:

rockinhippy · 01/05/2012 15:03

if there is, then if mines anything to go by, its nothing to worry about

She was running up & down stairs by 10 months, walking at barely 9, though never did crawl & caught us on the hop - she's now 9, considered very bright G&T etc ( though I hate that term) -

so no "problems" there - unless being too grown up for her age & too able to argue a good argument count

hattymattie · 01/05/2012 15:09

My eldest didn't crawl - she didn't even really do the turning over thing as a baby - quite happy lie kicking on her back. She's 16 now and a gifted child. I'm not a doc but I cannot see the relationship between physical development and brainpower. Look at Stephen Hawkin! My DS was much more active and he's not shall we say up there with his sis!

piji · 01/05/2012 15:11

Suggest telling idiot Tesco woman to F off.

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