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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Slow emotional (?) development in 7 week old?

20 replies

ParsleyCake · 30/07/2015 09:57

I look forward to each milestone as described in my baby magazines, but I have noticed that my seven week old seems a week or two ahead as far as physical development goes ( he can support his head, he can push him self up on his hands, and can almost support his weight on his legs) but he is slow in other ways. He hardly ever smiles, and sometimes it seems as if he's not even doing it on purpose. Also, he doesn't look at you when you try to attract his attention most of the time. His eyes are still a bit unfocused. He will look towards the light, or even this brightly coloured wall hanging I have in my room, but he won't follow brightly coloured toys with his eyes.

Is something wrong? He seems about a week or two behind in this aspect.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Sirzy · 30/07/2015 10:01

In the nicest possible way - move away from the baby books. Enjoy your baby and stop worrying.

Asleeponasunbeam · 30/07/2015 10:02

Oh heavens, you really need to stop reading the magazines if they make you worried about such things. Enjoy your lovely gorgeous baby as he is. Think about what a week or two is in relation to the whole of his infancy, childhood, life.

SnoozeTheCat · 30/07/2015 10:07

Agree with the above - don't read them! Especially not the age/weeks/dates they tell you.

At an ante-natal group meet up at about 16w old my DS was really knackered and wasn't following a you with his eyes (we lay the babies in a line and "flew" the toy over them, they followed it like they were at Wimbledon, it was very funny but DS wouldn't join in!) I panicked about this for a while but DH talked me down. 10-12 weeks later and he is leaps and bounds ahead of where he "should" be.

They leapfrog some stages! And at 7 weeks they're still so tiny. Your lovely baby is doing just fine.

SnoozeTheCat · 30/07/2015 10:07

*wasnt following a Toy

BabyMum1 · 30/07/2015 20:21

Just keep an eye on it and if it doesn't improve u can always talk to a neurologist. There is condition where the sight develops a bit later but usually sorts itself out by 6 months

Graceymac · 31/07/2015 04:24

He is seven weeks old! Don't expect too much. Babies all develop at different rates. It's never to the button as the books state. Just enjoy him.

GingerDoodle · 31/07/2015 07:02

Throw the books in the bin, you gorgeous bundle will not have read then! My daughter walked before she could roll or crawl properly!

MilesHuntsWig · 31/07/2015 07:06

You're worrying too much. As the others have said, he's 7 weeks old, enjoy your time with him and bin the books!

Those books are an interesting example of what can happen but what your kids actually do varies enormously.

Brambles35 · 31/07/2015 07:09

We had my sons 6w check at 8w and he failed all the sight tests. We were referred to the hospital and I was convinced he was blind. Nope.....he's absolutely fine! :-) x

Peppasmate · 31/07/2015 07:12

babymum1 I'm sure your post is well meant but a neurologist?!

Throw those badly written magazines in the bin...now!

I've been a parent for 26 years. 6dc & 2 with neurological disabilities.

Enjoy your lovely little dc. Speak to your HE if you have concerns but honestly stop comparing your baby with articles in a magazine.

Every first time mum worries. Maybe some groups with/for young babies will help you understand the variation in 'normal' development.

Best of luck.

Peppasmate · 31/07/2015 07:13

HE = HV

Nonnainglese · 31/07/2015 07:14

Bloody books, bin them!
I really don't understand this obsession with books - the contents probably only apply to the author's child/children.
How did we grandparents ever manage?

BabyMum1 · 31/07/2015 14:30

Peppasmate I personally can never tell a mum to not worry about anything as a) I'm not a doctor and b) I believe on mums instinct
A neurologist is not something terrible, on the contrary they can check the baby and put her mind at ease !
Also if a God forbid something must be monitored they can propose something that can help if caught sooner rather than later
For me it's very dangerous to never tell anyone never to worry If something causes concern
Other than that it's a bit early but always good to keep an eye

coffeeisnectar · 31/07/2015 14:33

I agree, bin the books and enjoy your baby.

madwomanbackintheattic · 31/07/2015 14:41

Lol babymum, I think the neurologists have better things to do than reassuring mums of perfectly normal babies - such as catching up on their wait lists of kids with brain damage and the like. It took us three years to see a neurologist I think.

Op, your baby sounds absolutely one hundred percent normal. I have two NT kids as well as the brain damaged one, and can reassure you totally that staring off seemingly into space, focusing on the differences in light between the ceiling and the wall instead of gazing adoringly at mama or waving toys is absolutely normal at this point. I have often pondered anxiously at this stage though - what IS it about the space above my head that is so interesting? The corner of the room? The ceiling? Are they seeing at all?

All fine. Even the brain damaged one that didn't smile for six months is emotionally 100% 'normal'.

Your baby can't read the book and follow the instructions.

Congratulations on your newborn.

comeagainforbigfudge · 31/07/2015 14:43

Just as a comparison, yo show how different babies are, my 7 week old only smiles sometimes and i never know what its at. Today she was smiling at her play gym. Inanimate object that i wasn't even moving for her yet.

She is most holding her head up herself but doesn't really push herself up on her arms. She does push herself across her playmat quite quickly.

If I'm honest, I've no idea what she's meant to be doing according to books etc I'm still concentrating on figuring out when she's tired so so can get her down before the overtiredness kicks in and the wailing commences.

HV and GP both happy with her.

Does your HV run a baby clinic? Pop to that for some reassurance for you. It's awfae hard going isn't it?

Lollirot · 31/07/2015 14:53

I followed those milestones emails religiously for the first year of my son's life and would panic if he wasn't doing something yet that he "should" have. They really are daft. The best thing to do is stop paying attention to those silly milestones. All those things you mentioned your little one doing are achievements of their own and you need to enjoy them instead of worrying!

BabyMum1 · 31/07/2015 14:59

madwomanbackintheattic
U can always use private insurance and go private
And of course I didn't imply brain damage! Neurologist r not there just for that

hmc · 31/07/2015 15:07

Hello Parsleycake - are you coming back to comment on the posts that you have received?

madwomanbackintheattic · 03/08/2015 15:50

I didn't say they were just there for brain damage, babymum. I suggested you might be wasting their valuable clinic time trying to get a referral for a non-issue, while babies and children with actual neurological issues were languishing on wait lists. But don't let that stop you wasting the resource (or your money - where in the heck do you live that you can rustle up insurance to pay for a neurologist because your baby is following normal developmental stages? ) HTH.

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