Can your six year old stand on one leg?

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

My dd1 is six and in year two. She is naturally clumsy and so are many others in my family (including me), but dd1 seems to be more uncoordinated than most. She still struggles with getting dressed and I noticed again this morning how she was unable to stand on one foot even momentarily. She loves to dance and prance around but she is such a large child (well above average height, sturdy, broad of shoulder and hips) she frequently stamps on others feet and falls over hard.

How do you distinguish between clumsy and too clumsy - should I be taking her to the GP and getting advice - I don't want to worry her but I do want to help her. Any advice? Thank you.

I can't answer your question per se, but can I ask another that might give more of a clue :)

Is your DD (your family too for that matter) also very flexible - ie can she bend fingers/legs/arms/hips further back than the norm?? or does she have stretchy skin ??

I ask as my own DD is in the process of getting a diagnosis for a Hyper-mobility Syndrome - not sure exactly what yet, but she too has always been quite clumsy & a bit uncoordinated, she was also very tall until other health problems slowed her growth rate - more recently (started at just before 9) her clumsiness & flexibility has taken a turn for the worse as she's become more active/competitive with sports etc & we've spent the last year & a half keeping A&E busy with her various sprains, fractures & other injuries.

We knew DD was flexible/bendy boned, but neither DH or I realised this can actually be a medical problem until the physio who dealt with DDs ankle fracture/ligament/tendon injury mentioned it to us by way of explaining DDs injury & slow healing - since then we've also realised it links her stomach problems & is very probably my own real diagnosis too - I was a very clumsy kid with very "bendy bones" which is apparently a give away, but not picked up on before - DH possibly also has a version of it as he's exceptionally tall & we now know he has exceptionally stretchy skin - my skin too is stretchy, though I had no idea, as its normal to me

in short, its a hereditary condition, theres a few versions of it (EDS & Marfans etc) & it varies in severity - might be worth you looking into - if your asking a question here it suggests your instinct tells you somethings not right, so maybe google & see what you think

good luck - its not all bad, scared the life out of me for my DD, but realising now its good to know as we can help protect her from it becoming bad as she gets older

My just 5yo can and has been able to for some time. He does ballet which does help that sort of thing, but I would think most of his friends can.

I'd make a list over a week things you notice (eg how's her handwriting? Can she tie laces? Can she skip-both with a rope/without?) and go to the GP. It amy be nothing, but generally if things are caught earlier it's better.

My nearly 6yr old can stand and hop on one leg. I have just asked my 4yr old and she can do it too.

Dd1's dyspraxic friend (5.6) would struggle I think.

No, not for more than a split second. He is generally a bit uncoordinated though.

Thank you for your replies.

I have made an appointment with the GP to get her checked out, next week.

I have hyper-mobility syndrome and have back issues as a result and so I will raise that with the doc. But interestingly dd is not flexible - she is very stiff and unyeilding when I try to help her move or dress, her joints don't seem to be like mine (dd2 is a different story but is not clumsy) - but I won't ignore that as a possibility until it is ruled out iyswim.

Dyspraxia is in the family (and cousins on the autistic spectrum) but although dd1 has had some letter forming issues her writing is coming on v well now and her reading and communication skills always v good. It is in PE and dance lessons that her lack of balance/ coordination is becoming more obvious, tying laces is well beyond her and she struggles with messy eating. I think there is a possibility that she is somewhat dyspraxic, but reading about it there is much I do not recognise - so hopefully a GP can advise or at least refer us.

Well took dd to the doctor today. She stood there looking lovely and healthy and earnestly told the doc that she is clumsy cos she fell on Andrew in PE.

I told GP about my concerns re her development but he was more interested in the fact she is not continent at night yet. Anyway doc is referring us to paediatrics in local hosp. I felt like an over anxious twat but I think I am doing the right thing.

I hope the paediatric docs follow up your concerns.

My nearly 6YO DD is still not continent at night either, but very stable on her pins.

Good luck

Good luck getting proper help - sounds like you know your stuff anyway & far better coming across as an over anxious parent who trusts there instincts & gets there DCs the help/diagnosis they need - I've felt that way on several occasions with my own DD & have been made to feel that way by Drs too - though in the end I have always been right & had I listened to the Drs, rather than my instincts, on 2 occasions DD would not be here as a result, so stick to your guns & don't be fobbed off

Our friends DD was diagnosed a bit older as Dyspraxic - at 8 if my memory serves me correctly - there were no signs of the emotional immaturity bit up until that sort of age though, if there was it was put down to her being the youngest, but she's friends with my own DD & I was never aware of any social problems until later, when it became obvious my DD was struggling with her friends childish outbursts - thankfully DD's more understanding of her friend now - but she was also always a bit clumsy & she also was a bed wetter.