What to expect when toddler referred for physio

[Figmentofimagination]

Sorry in advance if this is long, also thank you for taking the time to read this.

DS (16mo) has been slow at learning how to move. He is a bum shuffler. No crawling, no walking. When he had his 1 year check up with the HV he was only shuffling in circles (mainly clockwise ), so the HV said she would check up on him in a month or so.

In the last couple of months he has learnt to move all over the place on his bum and he can be quite fast. However, the HV called today to check up on his mobility since he scored low at his 1 year review, and because he isn't crawling or cruising or walking she called physio up and they want to see him. And now I'm worried if there is something wrong with him.

Back story/ more info - DS has reflux (finally growing out of it). He learnt how to roll onto his back at 4 months, but didn't seem to want to roll onto his front a lot as every time he did he would vomit. He now rolls all over the place, but hasn't figured how to get into crawling position, it's either bum in the air or head in the air, never both.

He was also late at sitting independently. This is where I would sit him up. He finally mastered it at 10 months. Again I think he didn't like it that much compared to being reclined as when he would sit up and put pressure on his stomach muscles he would vomit. He also cannot get from lying down to sitting up himself. So if he falls over I have to sit him back up.

He doesn't pull himself up onto furniture, we can stand him against something and he will stay standing if we distract him, otherwise he will just sit back down. We have tried getting him to walk whilst holding him up and he just takes 1 step then lifts his legs up to sit down.

I'm worried that there is something wrong with him, and I'm also worried I'm not doing enough to help him learn these skills. My mum says he's just lazy, but what if he isn't? What if he is struggling? And what will happen when we see the physiotherapist?

None of us can tell over the internet, but the options will be
a) physio is not concerned at all and will give you a few ideas to help you encourage
b) there is a concern and physio will give you specific exercises and will possibly refer you to a paediatrician and also possibly to orthotics
c) physio sees there is a delay, and will give you some specific exercises to help him catch up

Many, children aren't walking at 16months. I am quite surprised you have a physio assessment this early, to be honest, but take it as a really positive thing, so you can find out if he is just a later developer, or if there is some delay - possibly linked to the reflux, or, if there is an issue with muscle tone or weight bearing or alignment of joints or whatever, in which case you are in the right place to get it sorted.

If you have questions, write them down so you remember them when you are in the appointment.

Thank you both for your comments. I think I'm worried, because like you said BackforGood, it's a bit early to be referred. I've always been told it's usually around 18-20 months. So if he's been referred early it must mean there is something to worry about.

It might not - it might be you have an enthusiatic HV, or one who just hasn't yet been ground down by the woefully inadequate lack of services.
Or it might be that for some reason unbeknown to us, she knows a new physio has recently been taken on or whatever, and the criteria isn't so high now, in your HA as it is in mine..
I tend to see a referral as a positive thing as it gets your dc seen early, and - if no issues, then nothing lost, but, if there is something, the earlier the intervention, the greater the impact with many things.

Totally agree with Apple about writing down anything you want to ask, or you think might be worth mentioning. Or, these days, little video clips on your phone of him doing something / struggling to do something, as dc rarely "perform" the same when being assessed