If your child was a bum-shuffler...

[artifarti]

DS2 has turned out to be a bum-shuffler and very good at it he is too! His Dad was a bum-shuffler too so maybe it's genetic. DS1 was a textbook crawler and so this is all new to me. So if you had a bum-shuffler, I was wondering:

Did yours bother with crawling at all? DS2 hates being on his back or tummy (except to sleep) so I can't see it happening any time soon.
Everyone tells me that he will be a late walker - was this true for you?
How do they start negotiating steps etc?
Did it signify any problems (my HV has been giving us dark looks as DS2 doesn't seem to use his hands much which is 'unusual'.)

[mummy1973]

Both mine bottom shuffled. They walked at 22 and 20 months. They are now 9 and 6 and no problems.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

DSister was a bum shuffler. She walked and talked later, started walking at about 20 months. Hasn't affected her in later life, she has a good career and has just got her masters

[crunchyfrog]

DD both bum shuffled and crawled, but was walking at 10 months. DS1 never crawled, fastest bum shuffler in the west. He was walking at 10.5 months, but has a lot of issues (hypermobility, falls very badly) that are linked to not crawling according to the physio. He also has ASD. DS2 crawled at 7 months, walked at 12 months. I found him most odd!

[hazeyjane]

Just noticed I posted earlier in this thread (last year) about dd2 - having said she has had no further problems, she has just been diagnosed as dyslexic!

[GreenCurlyTeeth]

DD was a bum shuffler and took her first steps at 12 months and walking confidently at 13 months

[GreenCurlyTeeth]

Sorry-I should have said she is 11 now and is not dyslexic.

[rainbowfeet]

Dd1 now 10.5 was a bum shuffler.. Started at about a year.. Never crawled at all.. She was so fast bum shuffling though! Heard all sorts of silly things like bum shufflers will turn out to be Autistic.. A HV actually said she will grow up to have problems with her hips. & we should stop her shuffling. She was a late walker approx 16 months but when she did finally get up off her bum she was literally steady on her feet & running within a couple of days.
A family friend who is a GP did assure me when I started to worry just before she walked that the reason she hadn't stood up or cruised before 16 months was that she had no need to, as a bum shuffler she could reach stuff in her eye line & get around quick enough.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

I was one, didn't walk till I was nearly two, no problems or disabilities to show for it.

[LEMoncehadacatcalledSANTA]

My DD is was a bum-shuffler, walked late and is dyslexic. There is ANNECDOTAL evidence that links bum-shuffling with dyslexia and dyspraxia. It certainly has nothing to do with me not encouraging my DD to crawl Whoever told you that newyearoldmum was a fucking idiot!

On the other hand - I was a bumshuffler, who like my DD never crawled - i walked at nine months, could read fluently before i started school.

One of the things i was told about bumshufflers being late walkers, which makes sense, is that its just easier - they don't have to get up from sitting, they are already ready to do whatever they want to do when they get to their destination, a crawler has to clambour up into sitting position when they get to the duplo bricks

[LEMoncehadacatcalledSANTA]

My theory on bumshuffling is that its due to nappies - nice cushioned bum shuffle compared to hands and knees - ouchie :)

[ISeeYouShiverWithAntici]

My eldest was a bum shuffler. he couldn't crawl because he has erbs palsy and one of his arms is partially paralysed. But my god could he motor! He could bum shuffle across the room at lightening speed!

My youngest was a crawler.

One of them walked a few days before his first birthday and one of them walked a few days after. On account of clearly being the worst mother in the world i cannot for the life of me remember which did which.

I do remember they both did it in the kitchen though.

re bum shufflers more likely to turn out to be autistic - that's really weird! I've never heard of that. who told you that?

(mine both are btw.)

[Practicallyperfectnot]

Bottom shuffling can be a feature of hypermobility - www.hypermobility.org - as arms are flexible so can't take too much weight. My Dd is Hypermobile ( as well as ds and myself) and she is the only one who has bottom shuffled. Worth getting a physio to check as we have had fab advice how to get moving eg learning to weight bear on knees, stand etc. Hypermobile children are helped by wearing orthotic boots before they walk to encourage standing and cruising.

[Mintyy]

I was and didn't start walking until 23 months. But I'm NT with no disabilities.

[LEMoncehadacatcalledSANTA]

Practically, thats really interesting because i think my DD (who is now 8 and doesn't have any problems) is hypermobile in her arms - she can pretty much bend them both ways at the elbow . All her other joints seem to be normal. Never saught medical advice as it doesn't seem to be a problem for her, she bum shuffled and walked late

[LEMoncehadacatcalledSANTA]

What does NT stand for ? i see it alot here, i know it means no disabilities etc but what does it actually say?

[Mintyy]

neurologically typical

[LEMoncehadacatcalledSANTA]

Thanks minty :) ive often wondered.

[ipswichwitch]

DS1 was a bum shuffler - hated tummy time and refused to crawl until long after he mastered walking, just think he preferred being upright so he could see what's going on. He took his first steps at 14 months and progressed very quickly to running, there was no furniture-walking stage with him. He was prem (34 weeks), and had no significant delays developmentally so far.

Interesting about the hypermobility, as I was a bum shuffler and I'm hypermobile in all joints. Not seen much evidence of that in DS so far though.

[Practicallyperfectnot]

You can be Hypermobile and have no problems eg gymnasts, ballerinas, some musicians. Others - like us - do have symptoms of the hypermobility syndrome.

[lambbone]

All 3 of my DCs were pretty late walkers- two crawlers, and one........

....bunny hopper! Lord knows why, it looked really hard on the knees.

Never crawled.

Very physically adept once she'd got the hang of walking though. Could cycle without stabilisers by the age of 3, which looked very sweet.

[Persistentdonor]

Both my sons, (now in their 30's,) were bum shufflers, each with a different technique. They walked at 15 and 16 months respectively; not sure if that is especially late for boys?? Always sturdy chaps, they were award swimmers while at school and are still physical and active. Hope that eases some worries. :-)

[ChilliQueen]

My friends 2 DC's were both bum shufflers... neither walked until just after 2 years.... then just one day were up and about and no problems - they just wore out a LOT of trousers in the process! (Her husband apparently also bum shuffled). They are older now and absolutely fine in all respects.

[Doppledanger]

My dd was a bus shuffler, was seen by a physio because she wasn't weight bearing and and slept with her legs over her head!!??!! She walked at 16 months but took to it straight away and never really did much cruising. She did learn to crawl but was much faster at shuffling.

I also have a dyslexic son who never bum shuffled and crawled and walked fairly early.

[BackforGood]

My God-daughter was a bum shuffler.
Never crawled.
Walked at 26 months (do I win? )
She is a lovely young lady now and never had any physical difficulties.

[TheTragicClam]

DD was a bum shuffler, only walked independently at 22-23 months (much to everyone else's' horror). She's still catching up with her peers in terms of running and stairs but not far off (She's 31 months now). We did encourage her a lot and also played games with tunnels etc to get her to crawl. Don't panic I'd say OP.