Not sitting up - reasons? 16 mths

[kiwisbird]

My dd will not sit up, I know she is physcailly able to do it from about 8 months but she cries and cries when sat up feet in front, she kneels instead. She is not walking but cruises well enough. I have concerns about a hip problem as she walks with toes well turned out as well. She is happy bunny, otherwise well. She does have a condition called Noonan Syndrome but is so mildly affected for it not to be a real cause of this.
Do some babies just hate sitting up? Are there any others?
DD also cannot stand up from a sit, nor when standing does she fall on her bottom, always forward to her knees.
Getting a bit worried about it now!
xx J

Hi,
I'm afraid I've no answer to this one - just bumping it up the list and I hope someone responds soon...
Have you mentioned this to a HV?

message withdrawn

My dd is also 16 months and only since this weekend has she been able to get down from standing at the settee and then only by slowly sliding her feet away so she gets to her knees.

Can't stand from a sit either, or sit from a stand unless leaning on a table/me/the settee.

Walks only if I hold her hands but is steady on her feet.

I was getting worried esp as all the others children at the toddler group have been walking for AGES, but am trying to keep a lid on it for now. Might start to panic if she nears 2 and is still not walking unaided.

Like your dd, she is an otherwise happy bunny.

Difficult though isn't it? What is Noonan Syndrome by the way?

HAs she been assessed by physio? What is her muscle tone like in her upper body?

I'm confused, Kiwisbird -- you're saying that she kneels but doesn't sit with her bottom on floor and her legs straight out in front of her? I would have thought this suggested something wrong with the muscles or ligaments in the back of the thighs (seems to me they get stretched when your legs are stretched out). Would that be part of Noonan's syndrome? Sounds like her torso/abdominal muscles, and general muscle tone, are fine for holding her upright, if she can holding her upper body vertical while kneeling. It's a problem of not wanting to unbend her knees, is that right?

Sorry, meant to say upper/lower body.

I agree with Lou33. I would ask for a referal to a physio for assessment and treatment tbh. I dont understand noonans syndrome but is it something that affects muscle tone? Has she high muscle tone, is that the problem? I know my dd has the opposite (but much improved now) where she has low muscle tone, so when she used to sit she was more curved/slumped iykwim?

The only other thing I would suggest is maybe getting a refferal to an orthapeadic surgeon to check whether there is some physical problem that may be causing her discomfort. have you seen your HV. sorry for all the questions!

olive your dd sounds exactly like mine! DD has been able to get down from stand for about 5 months though... She sits fine in highchair, pram and carseat etc.. bizarre, will ask for referral I think...
thanks ladies
AGAIN!!
Noonan Syndrome - long story, mild heart condition, some physical features and other complications, DD has it so mildly that it's not really affecting (we hope) her physical development in no way other than her low weight gain
16lbs 9 at 16 mths.
Eats like a horse

Yes Zebra, she kneels and stays upright, personally I cannot sit well with feet out in front so it may well be a muscle problem, actualy poor or low muscle tone is imlicated in Noonans so maybe I am being naive..
Thanks!

Have you seen the leaflet at the following web page on noonan's kiwisbird?

www.birthdefects.co.uk/pdffiles/noonan.pdf

(sorry about the title)

It does seem to confirm that poor muscle tone might delay motor development (but that it does happen eventually)

Kiwi, it might also be worth asking them to do some blood tests to eliminate certain underlying causes for lack of weight gain, like coeliac disease, and asked to be referred to a dietician.

Thanks HMc, yes we speak there to a nurse every few months, took a bit of getting over the title huh!
It was that we were so reassured by her progress, ie crawling and standing (from 8 mths weighing 10lbs only) that our paed said she had nothing to worry about.
The low weight gain is def Noonans, she has no symptoms of any food isues or diseases like coeliacs or intolerances etc, it is to do with not metabolising fats in the first 2 years, this should correct itself although she will remain in the smaller percentage always. They are not concerned about teh weight gain and as I spek it is actually improving now too... Should do with teh amount she eats!
I guess we thought we had got away lightly...
See opthamologist later today too, due to her heavy eyelid (ptosis) recurrent conjunctivitis (not helped by measles) and one very dodgy eye!
IT all seems to come at one you know!
Thanks a lot, really do appreciate the help.
Jane xx

my dd was like that with weight kiwisbird until she was 2. She went from the 9th percentil before 2 and is now on the 50th centil for her age (4)

As for the eye appointment, my dd has low muscle tone and that has also caused her to have a squint (I am pressuming this is what you mean by dodgy eye!)

Got a call from the consultant on Friday afternoon, he is referring Dd for a hip xray and for a physio assessment, he doubts she has a serious hip issue of any at all, as she spends all possible time on her feet and generally hip problems prevent most kids from doing that...
So fingers crossed!
opthamologst came back ok too!
Phew!!