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!

hi aloha, it is highly likely there is nothing to worry about, as mumsnetters have responded here, it's not that unusual.

however, i think i've noticed a number of comments from you along similar lines over the past few months. is that right? which indicates to me that you might be worried in general over your ds's physical development.

have you thought about getting a professional to look him over? i'm not suggesting anything is amiss, just that it might set your mind at rest.

Thanks again. Croak, now I'm worrying about ds being excluded from the skipping games

BK, you are quite right. I do worry about it. I did think of calling the HV and popping onto the babyclinic but that's usually such a waste of time. Not sure what to do really.

i'm not sure what to suggest...

jimjams, any ideas? paediatrician maybe? what's your gp like? have you come across anyone in the course of your work who could at least point you in the right direction?

sorry not to be more help - i'm sure he's absolutely fine btw.

of course if you weren't worried you could bet your HV would be really on your case about it...

my goodness the moon must be lined up in Venus or something as I am agreeing with BK again That's what I was trying to say earlier- but BK has said it much better.

HV probably won't know aloha. If I was in your postition I would get the book, have a read- and maybe browse a few dyspraxia type sites. Then if I was still worried go for a private assessment. Either with an independednt OT or at the dyscovery centre . They're meant to be very good. Don't be put off by the "learning difficulties bit". As far as I understand they basically work with dyspraxia. In either case you would be given exercises which would help any child.

I hesitate with paed- as there aren't may private ones- and I don't particularly trust NHS ones. A little boy at nursery has developmental dyspraxia as the manager (who referred him in the first place) recieved a letter which had been sent to her in error saying that he had it- but that no further action was advised until he was 8!!!! Parents were told there was nothing wrong with him (basically he had it, enough for it to be a problem but there weren't enogh resources so parents were lied to- your caring sharing NHS).

On the other hand you would need a paed report if it was an ongoing thing- but often the best way to get an NHS diagnosis is to get a private report saying youy need one. I think you're a long way off needing that though! AN OT or the dyscovery centre would be able to tell you if there was a problem.

Hi aloha,

When my son started playgroup, the leader there told me she thought he had dyspraxia. Was very upset but spoke to my health visitor who came to see us for about an hour one day. She asked about could he kick a ball, ride his bike, hop, jump etc? She thought he was fine but I wanted to get it checked out. My doctor then referred me to a paed. She came to visit me at home and did various tests etc on him and he was fine. I would speak to your health vistor or doctor. I am sure you son will be fine but you will feel happier in getting it checked out. Good luck

jimjams

i knew you would have a great answer for this.

BK

aloha, haven't had time to read all of this, but met up with a couple of ex workmates for lunch yesterday, one of whom has a 10 month old, the other is 4 months pregnant. We joked about kisses - dd1 used to kiss by clicking her tongue, dd2 used to kiss by just opening her mouth as far as she could - oes that now - like she wants to give her a proper Frenchie! I'd just put it down to one of the things you'll really miss when it doesn't happen!

Meant to add more but 'insert' doesn't seem to be working!

Oi BK & Jimjams, I'm getting jealous!! Someone said earlier, why would a child do something if they haven't seen someone else do it. They would and do because of natural development, they get to these stages without having to be taught or shown (within reason!) that's how we can detect those who are not developing normally.
Aloha, agree you should get the book, then the t-shirt and you could even write the book sometime Private OT is a good idea too.

Oh, I'm repeating myself, book twice! Must go and see HV... not! Try making the film then

OMG Davros that is such a good description. That describes the difference between ds1 and ds2 to a tee. Ds2 I haven't taught at all- he just "does" Ds1 has to be taught everything, from drinking out of a cup, to how to take his trousers off (we haven't taught getting them on yet- that's next), to how to pedal a bike.

That's very profound!

I hope you dont think Aloha that I infered that you were a negletful, vile and brutal mother. i cant see that anyone has implied that about anyone and I'm genuinely sorry if you feel this has happened. Just because someone has a different view doesnt mean they are implying all of the above.
You have certainly made me realise that not all babies are the same and that different things work for different babies and I was very lucky with ds (dont want to say dd as this is tempting fate). In fact mumsnet has made me rethink alot of my previous ideas and so I really hope you understand you werent meant to feel that way.

On second thoughts have I taken what you said too literally?

aloha - not had time to read the thread but I'd say he is a bit young to worry - he obviously doesn't feel confident so may be a case more of 'won't' than 'can't' - did he fall over badly once and perhaps remembers this?

I think kids develop at different stages. My dd is VERY agile - I don't know how many times people rush over panicking in supermarkets because she is standing in perfect balance on the trolley chair (she's been doing this since about 21 months)... and yes jumps with both feet at 23 months but her speech development is about 12 months at the moment

Aloha,

Try putting something that you know he will want to get on a shelf just high enough to necessitate him standing on tippy-toes to get it - and see if he can reach up like that.

I say this because as you know my DS2 was born with talipes, so obviously took a bit longer to walk, run, jump etc than some (and can still only jump a tiny bit). But the physiotherapist said that as long as the muscular development and co-ordination was such that he could reach up on tippy-toes, she wasn't worried - the rest would come.

My DS2 will be 3 in August.

Just one more thought - my DS2 can only jump a tiny bit on his own, but if I hold his hands on a trampoline he can jump quite well - presumably you've tried that with yours?

Aloha, my DS is 2yrs 9 mths and has only started to jump 'properly' in the past week! He thought he was jumping before but seldom left the ground.

Aloha sweetie- he's clearly a genius in loads of ways and I would stake my livelihood on him NOT having muscular dystrophy! (I'm so glad others out there become utterly convinced that their kids have whatever they're currently researching, tho.)

One of my sons is pretty uncoordinated too- he was very slow to jump, pedal, run etc and is also not the most efficient user of cutlery and pens but he seems to get by. He may need more specialised help later on but I feel that right now encouragement and praise are the most important things, as everyone's said. Guarding against loss of confidence is essential when areas of development are a bit delayed and it can be hard because sometimes parents are so worried that they push a bit too hard or simply make their concern and worry a little too clear to their kids. I know I do that sometimes. It helps me to really remember to compare what my son's doing now to what he was doing 6 months back rather than to what other kids are doing- I find that dead hard as he has a very agile twin and I worry when their skills differ substantially. (Sorry Jampot!) He's come on immensely tho- can now pedal, runs in a joyous skippy type way that is not speedy but is cute and does the job. He finds drawing and colouring difficult but when he's feeling motivated he can do remarkably well at both, through pure determination, I think. I really think that the chances are that your boy will be just fine too, especially with all the love and positive parenting that he's clearly getting. Just keep calm, keep encouraging physical play and praise massively for every small step forward. I would usually hesitate to link to another parenting site but I do think Jill Curtis's advice on possible dyspraxia in toddlers is pretty sound. (BTW, I think I may work in your neck of the woods and there's loads of info on dyspraxia in our resource room if you fancy a browse? Email me if you're interested.)

Aloha- I've been pondering on Davros's message about having to teach kids with problems. I really think that sums up the whole difference with them. For example when ds1 was 18 months he was off to nursery and I had to teach him to drink out of a beaker. By which I mean I had to stand behind him, hold his hands on the cup andd tip. he got it after about a week. (and I mean a week). When ds2 just did it at 5 months I did pass out!

DS1 has had to be taught every single movement like this. SO how to take off trousers he had to be taught to push them down then how to step out of them (haven't got to putting them on yet). Pedalling a bike - I had to put his feet on the pedals and then push the pedals round (quite hard to reach!) Even climbing a slide and coming down (and he can only come down sitting up). Doing up a zip, first how to pull the top bit then moving gradually further down.

Being autistic he doesn't imitate very well, but this teaching technique (starting with leaving them the last bit to do, then gradually getting them to do more) is called backward chaining and is used in helping dyspraxia, so I suspect a lot of his problems are due to the dyspraxia rather than the autism.

So long message but if you think you would actually have to TEACH your ds to jump (and I did have to teach ds1) then I would say it would be worth looking more into dyspraxia. if you think he would get there by himself albeiit slowly then I would say he was probably just unathletic (like ds2).

I meant it when I said Davros had been profound. It really sums up the difference between my 2 boys. ONe I have taught absolutely EVERYTHING to, the other I haven't taught anything.

Oooh, I'm so flattered that my wisdom and profundity (?) has been recognised at last I suppose this is an idea I've been used to for a long time and is the main reason for ABA home progs to require so many hours at a young age. When you add up the number of hours an NT child is learning, i.e. from when they wake up to when they go to sleep, the 30+ hrs of teachng we do to replace that is really not so much. Most people think it equates to slavery! Of course, it also includes teaching a child to copy and to observe others and listen to others which hopefully generalise into more natural learning...... sorry a bit long and convoluted! Have I lost the Most Profound MNer title?

Aloha, my ds is highly uncoordinated, but evidently not dyspraxic. (His fine motor skills & verbal skills are v. good.) He's just clumsy and, even if he could jump at your ds's age, I assure you he did it extremely badly. Heck, he's still more likely than not to fall when he attempts a big two-footed jump. (He's 4.5) One of his nursery teachers worried me a little when he was 3, telling me that his coordination was really quite bad and should be looked at by a doctor. Though I, personally wasn't worried, I took her advice (just in case) & had him looked at by 2 very good people, both of whom said, "He's not likely to be much of an athlete, but he's not dyspraxic. Just clumsy: end of story."

I am athletic but my dh is useless as sport. If we'd both been Olympic stars I might have been more worried. When I hear you say that you were never great at sports, I really think you've answered the question about your ds's inability to jump. I have a feeling our ds's are similarly athletically-challenged.

As for how you can get the reassurance you need. . .I have an excellent gp. Do you? He ruled out dyspraxia after conducting a few tests in which he asked ds to do a series a physical exercises requiring coordination.

nah still the most profound davros. So true about the learning as well. it's something I've noticed since having ds2. He doesn't stop playing (learning) form the moment he wakes up and if he's left alone for 5 miutes will immediately start looking for something to play with. ds1 was content just to look, and still doesn't know how to play.

Kind of wish my kids couldn't jump... we have fierce telling offs about not using my bed as a trampoline.