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

1 2

Original poster

8 month old not interested in reaching for toys

46 replies

Ouchdownthere · 24/06/2012 21:15

My 8 month old DS is not really interested in reaching for and playing with toys. Is this normal?

He has always had strong legs and is more interested in bashing the floor and any toys with his feet whilst he sticks his fingers and thumb in his mouth. He very rarely reaches for anything and doesn't show more than a passing interest in physical toys. He rolls really easily and would be crawling if he realised that he needs to do something with his hands as well as his legs. He seems very alert and doesn't sit still, always looking around, and described as a real wriggler.

I just wonder if I should be in any way concerned or if there is anything I could try to get him more interested in using his hands rather than his feet.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

ccgirr · 24/06/2012 21:52

Don't worry is the main thing to do. They all do things at different times but they all get there in the end. He'll like toys soon enough :)

lovingthecoast · 24/06/2012 22:03

Actually, ccgirr, they dont all get there in the end. I know your post is trying to help but a normally developing 8mth old should usually be reaching out for toys and things.
Ouchdownthere, I too and worried about my 8mth old for the same reason. My 8.5mth old also has poor eye contact and hardly notices me though which all add to my worries. All these things together point to a developmental problem I'm sure but if the lack of reaching out is your only worry then perhaps it is nothing too concerning or perhaps he has an issue with his vision? My DS has been checked for visual problems do that may be your next step. Good luck.

Original poster

Ouchdownthere · 24/06/2012 22:50

Thank you both for your valuable replies.

It is so hard to know when to worry and when to not. DS had a worrying scan at 20 weeks and whilst all is deemed to be 'normal' with his brain I am a bit hot on checking his milestones.

I don't want to rush to the Dr or HV with every minor thing, as we have had our fair share of visits for one so small already. I know he only has me to rely on for fighting his corner though and would hate to think I have ignored something.

lovingthecoast hope everything is ok with your DS.

OP posts:

bishboschone · 25/06/2012 21:27

I would second getting his eyes tested . My ds was prem and was seen by the paed at 6 months actual . She said 6 month old babies should be reaching out for toys ( he wasnt) and if there was no improvement in a few months then he would be referred for an MRI. Anyways., I asked for a feferal to an ophthalmologist who we saw a few weeks ago . He said ds had delayed visual maturation and is longsighted. So everything close up was very blurry for the first few months and although a bit better is still blurry. He now has glasses and his co ordination is so much better . Take him into an opticians and ask if they will look at him or get gp to refer but there was quite a long wait . hope that helps .

laura4jasmine · 25/06/2012 21:42

My dd2 was never very interested in reaching out for anything much. She lay on her back for months and months (never rolled, hated tummy time). When she finally learned to sit up at about 10mths she still couldn't be bothered trying to reach toys, she'd rather sit and watch was was going on around her. She didn't walk till 22mths but is now a fun filled 2.10yo who is right on track with everything. I have a ds who has issues, so I won't tell you there can't be something wrong, but I think your LO is still young and I hope things progress. If you're still worried can you talk to your HV? Good luck.

Original poster

Ouchdownthere · 13/07/2012 11:52

Thanks bish and laura for your replies, must remember to check threads I start more . I mentioned to HV and she isn't worried unless he is not sitting at 9 months.

I swing between worry and nah he'll do it in his own time, it can be quite hard seeing his peers racing ahead and him seemingly stuck at the ability of a 4 month old but that's my problem not his.

OP posts:

bishboschone · 13/07/2012 12:10

Sounds like a sensible health visitor . They are all doom and gloom round here . Did you say he wasn't sitting? I made , I mean encouraged my ds to sit so I can help you if you want .

Original poster

Ouchdownthere · 13/07/2012 12:30

bish would be amazing if you could help.

Still not sitting, am trying to sit him up as much as possible but he just pushes himself back into lying position / cries / pretty much does anything rather than sit.....

OP posts:

Original poster

Ouchdownthere · 28/07/2012 01:46

DS has been referred as is considered to have gross motor, fine motor, and speech delay. Hopefully we can get some help in progressing his development.

Mothers instinct is a powerful thing.

OP posts:

Original poster

Ouchdownthere · 28/07/2012 01:48

Oh and has been referred to audiology and ophthalmology too. Referrals coming out of our ears in this house.

OP posts:

bishboschone · 28/07/2012 09:43

Sorry I missed your last message .. I don't think not sitting at ten months is considered delayed . My paed is very relaxed about the whole thing. I have done opthalmology and audiology so I can tell you what to expect if you are worried .

bishboschone · 28/07/2012 09:47

Ps .. How I got ds to
Sit was I sat behind him with my legs in a v shape and he rested on me. Gradually day by day I moved backwards so he had to use his
Muscles more . I used one of those v pillows against the corner of my sofa too and sort of wedged him . He hated it too but I never gave in . He sat from about 8 months so you are still within the timeline . Please pm me if you want to . Iwas told by a paed that if ds wasn't reaching out for toys by 6 months he would need a MRI and as an aside she mentioned his eyes . I'm so glad I pursued it as he wears glasses now and is so much better .

Thazmp · 01/05/2013 19:00

Can you update how you DS is now? I am having similar things with mine: he has very strong legs and bashes them on the floor all day long if I let him, but he hates sitting and tommy time... Rolled over from tommy to back few times, but never from back to tommy.. And while in tommy time, he is not interested in reaching anything! He also have a worrying scan at 20 weeks, but it turned out to be fine...
So it seems we have a lot of in common!

Sas1330 · 17/06/2014 01:51

I know this is an old thread, but how did your son make out? My 5 month old also isn't interested in reaching out

melissa3590 · 28/12/2014 17:14

I have the same problem, my lo is 6 months next week and will not hold toys, she bashes toys when on her play mat.
she has an mri in february as she was having seizures so we will find out of there is any more to it.

ELONASUFA · 11/11/2016 18:52

Please I need any update. I have my son 8 months old and he isn't interested in toys. Everything else is normal. Thank you!

Coolmind · 17/07/2018 17:01

Hiya
Did you get to the bottom of the seizures? And how is her development now?

Aangad · 17/09/2019 08:48

Is ur baby alright now. please give me brief reply about this. my baby is having same problem. he is 10 month old not focusing and reaching for anything we show him. Your reply will be very helpful.

Aangad · 17/09/2019 08:52

@ELONASUFA how is ur baby now. my baby is having same problem. he is 10 months old, not focus properly on anything. not shows any interest in toys. ur reply will be very helpful 🙏

Jenny15 · 06/03/2020 20:33

@aangad any update on your baby since your last post? I have a 7 month old and no interest in toys.

Mukshu · 29/04/2020 22:10

Hello @Ouchdownthere

Please help me with an update I am facing the same issue wit my lo not interested in reaching toys but enjoys if I play for her

Stephdk · 04/05/2020 12:25

@mukshu, I was in here a few months ago to check if anybody had any updates. Unfortunately everyone had the same issue, but no one posted any updates. So I just want to let you know, I have a soon to be 10 month old son. He was never interested in toys and didn’t purposely grasp after toys or anything. We have taken him to the pda and to a physiotherapy, when he was 7 months, as I was so afraid, that something else was wring. They all said that he is perfectly normal, but that he just haven’t discovered his hands, even though he always was putting them in his mouth. He hands were clenched into a fist all the time. But around 8-9 month he began looking at his hands, and opening them mere. Now he is grasping after toys, not all good at it, as his thumb sometimes is still inside his hand. But it is so much better, and I am relieved, that he is now interest in toy. So to all mums, not every baby discover their hand around 3-5 months. For some it just takes a little bit longer ;)

Junal · 28/07/2020 18:03

@stephdk @Aangad@Jenny15 hi everyone can I get an update on your bub?? How are they doing??
My 7 also does not reach out for toys. Please help and advise.
Thanks

Shelbyrob1997 · 30/07/2020 02:59

My daughter used to sleep right through this past week and a half she hasn't been doing and I literally don't get why not she used to sleep from nine o'clock to nine in morning which was a dream and now she goes to sleep at nine and wakes up at midnight so I go in put her dummy in she goes to sleep then she's awake around 3 o'clock sometimes she wakes up at 6 o'clock as well I don't know whether it's teething because she won't settled and then I'll do her a bottle but she's eating loads during the day and tonight she had about 8 ounces before bed too but still wakes up at 3 o'clock for a bottle? I don't know what to do about it? Do babies go through stages like this or is it due to teething?

OliveM2 · 30/07/2020 12:50

@Junal Hi, I had the same issue when my kid was around 8 months old, and I was really worried about this...fortunately on the playground, I met a girl, who is a Montessori teacher. And she advised purchasing some sensory balls, and play with my son, when he's at his mat. We started from holding these balls in his hands together, then I was massaging with them his feet... etc. It was quite fun. And you know, day by day he started expressing more and more interest in toys. Then, we bought a super cool busy board, I've found here , and he started crawling there to play with it. This is just my experience, I hope It will make worry a little less

Flip

1 2