Non-jumping toddler...normal?

[aloha]

Ds is now 2/1/2 and still seems incapable of jumping. He's always been physically pretty inactive and a bit behind (although a genius in other areas, obviously) - he prefers to literally get down on the pavement and go backwards on his hands and knees to get down a normal kerb, for example. And he's a very slow runner. To jump, he bends his knees, leans forward and waves his arms. And that's it. I have worked myself into a panic about this tonight and am imagining all sorts of awful things wrong with him. Please, someone, tell me your ds/dd didn't jump at 2/1/2 and is now captain of the football team/high jump champion/normal!

Feel in need of reassurance!

I would say that it is pretty young to worry too much. dd is the same age and only now starting to propel herself up from a standing start on the flat. Atm it is still a sort of skip rather than 2 footed jump although better when going down steps etc. She can now do a flight of steps without help or holding on, but that is quite recent (she fell down stairs about 6 months ago which set her, and my, confidence back).

Having said that ds is almost 6 and is being assessed by an Occupational Therapist precisely because his motor skills are lacking - runs awkwardly, has only recently been able to hop, does n't physically coordinate well and has difficulty holidng a pencil and writing - and he couldn't jump at this age and showed very little inclination to try (at swimming pool for example).

my DS is same age aloha and although he can jump he only very recently started and he keeps his legs straight when he jumps so does this funny kind of tiny jump. Aren't physical tendancies mostly hereditary, do you know how early you and DH walked/jumped. My DS was late to walk too (19months) although, like yours, was early to do other stuff.

This was one of my worries with DD, as I read somewhere that it is about this age that they learn to jump with two feet. It took DD ages of trying and practicing before she could do it. As mum said though, why would she do it unless she had seen someone elde do it!! I think it helps to use trampoline or bed!! DD is just 3 now, and we have started a gymnastics class which is brilliant. She has started to jump from a height now with 2 feet, rather than stepping down.
If you are worried, ask HV to do one of those growing skills things on him.
HTH.xx

I think it really varies from child to child aloha - I think I said to you before that we got ds a trampoline and that taught him to jump. But he has some friends who are brothers, and none of them could jump for ages. In fact the oldest only learnt when he was about 4 or 5, and the middle one when he was 3.

I used to take ds to a gymnastics club (it's a proper club, but they do a toddler session), and it was before he learnt to jump, but the teacher there who is a gymnast said that some children just 'get it' earlier than others. He said it's quite normal for them not to be able to jump, even on a trampoline.

If you're worried though, it couldn't hurt to speak to the GP or the HV. But I would have thought 2 1/2 is a little early to worry.

I think this is a dire warning against reading developmental stuff - though in my defence it was research for work. He does go on a trampoline at Tiny Gym and just sort of stands there,bobbing about! Thanks though, feel less hysterical this am.

this has put my mind at rest too. DS (23 mths) can't jump yet some of his contemperories can. he goes round the house shouting "boing" and doing a sort of john cleese funny walk which is his interpretation of a jump. seems i have years to go before worrying!

Really interested in this thread, dd, 26 months, can't jump but all of her friends can! Glad she's not the only one... I've tried to get her to do it and she's seen her friends do it loads but she just doesn't seem to 'get it' just yet.

This might put your mind at rest. My ds is 23 months and has been able to jump, with both feet off the floor at the same time sice about 18 months. He was jumping properly during his 18 month check and my HV remarked how early this was, saying that it was normal for a 3 year old not be able to jump properly. My ds's speech is not as good as other kids his age though, so it just goes to show that they all do different things at different times.

My son is five next week and can't jump, he failed his pre school check for having terrible balance. Not worried about him in the slightest and think its not an issue (probably very ignorant, sorry )

Aloha- depends what you're worrying about really. If you want him to be an ace at sport he probably won't be. Not being able to jump CAN be a sign of dyspraxia (ds1 couldn't jump and also used to just stand on trampolines, ds2 who is cack handed but not dyspraxic can- albeit a bit craply). To get a better idea you need to look at all his motor planning though.

TBH if recognised dyspraxia isn't really a major problem anyway (the problems come when it isn't recognised). I think it would be worth you reading Madelaine Portwood's book developmental dyspraxia (she's the fish oil woman). It is great, and gives a detailed picture of what a dyspraxic child looks like at a variety of ages.

Jumping develops in stages by the way. Jumping feet together off a kerb for example is the last time of jumping to devlop (ds1 still can't do it at age 4 and a hald - he just steps). He can jump wildly on a trampoline though.

Sorry this won't be what you want to hear, but you've obviously been worrying about this for a while. I can't think that it could indicate anything "worse" than dyspraxia (which is may not indicate at all), and if he does have a touch of dyspraxia you may as well start doing some stuff now.

Brain gym is good. Or I'd recommend an OT if you still think you're onto something after reading Portwood's stuff. I wouldn't bother with the NHS though - you'll be waiting until he's 8. If you remain worried book up an assessment with a private OT- they would give you stuff to do at home anyway.

We are having checks on DD ATM, she was referred to a SALT and they have recommended that she is checked for dyspraxia, probably due to DD showing them all her bruises and chipped tooth!!!!
However, she can balance on a beam and run and gallop and jump, it is just she is clumsy!! The HV is doing an age appropiate test on her next week, which I am sure will be quite pointless.
Does your son use alternate feet to climb stairs or ladder? Apparently this is one of the tests they do.....

dyspraxia is strange though. DS1 could walk down stairs using alternate feet from a very young age, and could pedal a bike (which is another question they ask) but he's still fairly severely dyspraxic. He's just more affected in the fine motor area than gross motor. They do need to look at everything as a whole. For example if you told ds1 to lie down until he was about 4 he could only lie down with his face to the ground, bum in the air, he literally couldn't work out how to get onto his back. Likewise he couldn't get onto the toilet as he would end up facing the wrong way.

I still think ds2 has verbal dyspraxia as well- but the rest of his motor skills seem crap normal rather than a problem iyswim

I'd really recommend the Portwood book- it gives a very good overview.

What is verbal dyspraxia please?

Aloha, these developmental things can be a bit scary can't they. In the "What to expect book" they suggest children will "probably" be able to jump by age 2.25, and "should be able to" by age 2.5. This was the first thing that my boys had done "late", so I was quite worried.

They are now nearly 5 and 7. They are certainly not natural sportsmen and are their coordination is not otustanding, but they are very active, and within reasonable expectations for their age, and when they apply themselves and practice can actually do well at a sport - ds1 is doing brilliantly with his swimming.

HTH

aloha, my friend's little boy has only just jumped at 3 years old. He's a brilliant talker though as I believe yours is from other threads you've been on. Now he jumps like a little frog all over the place all the time! On the other hand another friend's little girl who didn't walk until 16 months was, by 18 months, jumping! Who can tell they whys and wherefores of it all. My dd's almost 18 months and definitely can't jump. She's nowhere near being able to go up steps though walks v. well. Whenever she gets to a tiny incline of even an inch she holds out her hand for me to help her over it!

littlerach- also called apraxia (in the states). Loads on it here

My ds only learned to jump at about 3 (funny, I was so bothered about it at the time, yet now I can't even remember when he first jumped!), can still not go down steps without holding on, and very very rarely manages more than 3 steps using alternate feet. He also can't use scissors and has only just started getting the hang of pedalling at 3.5y. He is, and always has been, an exceptionally good talker, so I put it down to uneven development, ie because he spoke so early and so well, other things lagged and will catch up. But recently I saw him and his dad running together (and ds doesn't run particularly well, either), and I suddenly realised that they move very similarly indeed. So, on the one hand, a bit more worried because dh may be dyslexic, on the other hand utterly reassured because he used to play national league volleyball!

Thanks all! Jimjams, it's not that ds can't jump off the kerb that worried me - it's that he can't step off it, but gets down on all fours and goes down it backwards on his hands and knees - I'm no hygiene freak, but it is pretty appalling in wet weather! I think I really ought to read the Portman book as I do think he's a bit odd, physically despite being a model of beauty and charm in every other way Oh, and yesterday I had to park further up the road than normal, and ds looked out of the window looked at the front door of number 55, and said, "Who lives at number fivety-five?"
I have to admit that I was researching Muscular Dystrophy, and got myself completely terrified. I must be careful what work I take on, clearly.

I remember reading up of muscular dystrophy and getting terrified when ds1 was about 15 months! He did just turn out to be dyspraxic! Your son may just be cerebral rather than physical (brain rather than brawn- lol).

I think things like brain gym are good anyway (not that I've ever done it- just always intended to).

Portwood's book is good- it does show you what severe dyspraxia is like. It's worth reading each subsection separately though, as ds1's gross motor skills aren't that bad individually, although fine motor are appalling.

The step thing may be poor depth perception - ds1's is appalling. He uses a balance beam and stepping stones daily now (part of the BIBIC programme) and it is improving. He still finds it difficult to move from say carpet to wood- and that's probably because he can't work out the heights. Or it may just be motor planning. DS1 still gets himself in a right mess trying to do simple movements sometimes (for example getting into the car).

Motor planning - yup, I can see even from the term that might be a problem for ds. Getting from one position to another seems quite a trial for him. Will get off other thread where, despite sleeping with ds as baby, having cot in room for five months, breastfeeding for over a year, having a baby sling and still carrying the fat little blighter everywhere, seem to be regarded as vile, brutal martinet bringing up a neglected and unloved child - and go and order it from Amazon - via the Mumsnet button!

did i miss something? Is there a punch up going on without me

It is a good book. She has a website as well. No idea of url.

Its on the "effects of cc," or something like that, thread Jimjams. Thought I could type reasonably fast but totally can't keep up with it.
Your ds sounds lovely aloha. I know that I was a very cack handed child, don't know when I learned to jump but remember being marginalised in the playground at times for my lack of skipping abilty . In the end I actually turned out pretty good at repetitive type sports like swimming (like roisin's ds) and running and represented town/county at both in my teens. Don't want to say 'oh don't worry' and as ever jimjams advice seems fab but know how easy it is to wind yourself up over things especially after a bit of internet research - need to take my own advice here though - my ds is a pretty slow talker compared to his little friends/rivals in the developmental olympics and therefore I have obviously been on that link to the verbal dyspraxia site and panicking - poor little tyke is only 16 months old. Hope all turns out well, you callous old brute

"turned out to be pretty good at..." rather than "turned out pretty good". I sounded very texan there I think.

oh another thought aloha. When we saw the OT for the first time she was watching ds2 being a bit useless and spatially crap and unaware- and she said that lots of c-section babies can be like that. They miss all the deep pressure and so remain a bit unconnected iyswim. SHe recommended thihgs like rolling him in a duvet (which we do with ds1 anyway- BIBIC again). You roll them up and then leave them to get out themselves- the deep pressure is good and they learn to roll really well (ds1 initially used to struggle to standing to get out, now he rolls really quickly).

I know your ds was a section as well- so may just be a result of that. OT said research had been done, but I've never bothered reading it- might well be out there somewhere though.