Should I be worried about my 10mo DD's development?

[Jessicatmagnificat]

I've got a few concerns about my DD's development - she is 10mo. Ideally, I would discuss them with a HV, but they are not doing any checks at the moment as the clinics are too busy, so this is not an optin until I can get an appointment in a few week's time.

DD is 10mo. She cannot crawl, pull herself up to standing, feed herself with a spoon, tilt the beaker to take her water, or cruise round furniture, move from lying down to sitting up.

She can: sit up, get onto all fours and rock, feed herself a biscuit or banana, roll over, wave, clap, point to things, babble (though does not say any recognizable words), point to some objects in a book such as a cat, beaker, the moon etc, turn pages.

Having looked at the book "What to Expect In hte First year", I see that she should be doing most of the things I have listed under the cannot. Should I be worried? Does this list of "cannots" cause any alarm bells to ring, or is this within the range of normal? I am a nervous first time mum, so do not know what to expect.

She sounds ok to me. As a laid-back third timer I noticed that DS was slower to reach physical milestones than his sisters, but he got there in the end. And 10 months isn't late for feeding herself or tilting her cup, I don't think.

It just sounds like her language and understanding are developing fast and physical skills are taking a back seat, but she will get there!

I don't think you should worry at all. My ds could do none of those things in your "cannot" list at 10 months - in fact I don't think he could do half the things in your "can" list! He is 13 months and started crawling last week, pulling up to stand about 2 days ago, still doesn't cruise, feed with a spoon or point to things and definitely no recognisable words. He always seems to be the last baby in his group of friends to do something, but he is completely normal and gets there in the end! Your dd sounds absolutely perfect. Enjoy her immobility while it lasts

Oh and agree with Castille, 10 months sounds very young to be feeding with a spoon, none of ds's friends could do that - although they are all boys...

sounds fine to me. do you mix with other mums with babies the same age? you'll see they're all different. some don't crawl at all ever. some walk at 7 months, some at nearer 18 months.

my son crawled at 8 mths but was late walker i know children that never crawled my son pulled himself up at around 10 mths didn't start using spoon till 1 yr and didn't use cup properly till 1 yr

all children develop in there own time if she gets up on all fours she's on the way to crawling if she feeds herself snacks thats perfect she sounds like she is progressing fine dont follow the books as its only a rough guide all children learn at there own pace

my ds is delayed in speech yet does things he shouldn't be doing untill 3 and half he is 2.4 so dont panic to much enjoy and relax

Thank you for this. A bit of me thinks that I am just being daft, but sometimes these books - and the fact that all other babies at the playgroup are crawling - makes me need to check everything is ok. Deep down, I think I'll know she'll do it when she's ready, but there's always that nagging voice of worry!

I wouldn't worry yet Jessicat - my DS didn't crawl until he was 10 months and used to do that rocking on all fours thing first. Some never crawl of course. DS was too lazy to use a spoon to feed himself - my HV said that some children like the food to come quicker than they can do it for themselves.

tbh, I think the What to expect book was a bit over ambitious, particularly where the gross motor skills were concerned. I had it too but also saw other books which put similar milestones a bit later.

If she wasn't sitting up or rolling over then I would worry but it seems too soon to worry about crawling and walking. Most children don't walk until their 1st birthday and plenty are much later than that and are still normal.

Sounds like she is bright enough if she is pointing at pictures and turning pages. Both my ds's would rather eat a book than look at it at 10 months!

Jessicat

I wouldn't worry....although I'm not an expert, so probably still best to see hv when you can! Its really difficult not to compare your baby to others, but it sounds like yours is doing plenty of things....and will do the others when she feels like it!

My friend is a consultant doc, with a mega brainy dh who is a fast jet pilot in the RAF...ie 2 bright parents who are real achievers. Their DS, much to their annoyance, is in no hurry to do anything. Started crawling about 14 months and walked at 18 months.

Did you have an 8 month check and was that alright? It sounds like she has a good range of abilities, and her peers who are walking and feeding themselves may be the ones resitting their GCSEs when she is already off to Uni...these things sort themselves out over time.

all babies are different, my dd was cruising round furniture at 10 mo crawling 10.5mo walking 13mo but my sisters dd is 13mo and only just crawling says very little compared to dd only just sitting up alone i dont normally compare them as they totally different but it is an example that all babies diferent hth

Our HVs are not doing any checks at the moment, so have not had an 8 month check. This is really annoying when you just want the reassurance of someone looking over your DC and letting you know that things are ok!

Jessicat I wouldn't worry - my dd is 14 months, could do none of those things at 10 months. Started crawling just before 12 months, pulling to standing a few weeks later, now just started walking (cruising mainly). She didn't roll from her back to her tummy until 8 or 9 months. Still can't quite tilt the beaker back far enough to feed herself a drink of water, just about spooning / forking food somewhere near her mouth sometimes. I have NEVER concerned myself with her development - she is alert, very vocal, very aware. Don't read the books!!!!

Hi Jessicat, I just wanted to reassure you some more! My dd is 10 months, my cousin had a baby 3 weeks after me, she is almost 10 months now. My dd can crawl, pull to standing, cruise and move from lying down to sitting up, she can't point to things in a book - books are purely for chewing on still! My cousins dd can't crawl or cruise, she can pull herself to her knees but not to standing. Neither of the girls can feed with a spoon.
At the 9 month check the hv wanted to know if dd could finger feed, follow an object when thrown in front of her, turn to look at a noise, pick things up with one hand, pass things from one hand to another, sit unsupported for 10 minutes, eat a variety of foods, roll over, weight bear on feet if held steady, look for an object when object shown to her then hidden. Think thats it. Your dd sounds perectly normal to me .

Hiya, My DD is 10 and a half months, she's just started crawling forwards (crawled backwards a while) and is thinking about cruising (if she can hold of falling on her bum for five seconds! )

But she started moving in 24 hours. Seriously, one day she was rolling across the room, the next she suddenly got up and legged it!

We do BLW so I don't know whether she could feed herself with a spoon - somehow I doubt it - but don't worry a bit, not all roses flower in one day my dear, they get to it all in their own sweet time and if she has a slow bit, she'll make up for it later with learning to reprogramme the microwave while you aren't looking!

If she's healthy and happy, who cares where she is currently placed in the baby olympics!?

Don't worry.

My DD3 just sat there until she was about 10.5-11 months old. Then within about 2 weeks she started crawling, pulling to stand, rolling around a lot, lying to sitting, and standing against furniture to sitting. I think often if they don't do much for ages, they then do loads all at once.

I also wouldn't expect a 10 mo to feed herself with a spoon. I would expect her to try and finger feed and wave a fork around, but not actually use the fork.

swounds fine my ds was the same, finally crawled at 12months for 2 weeks then walked but b4 then would just sit and never move. i honestly think its his personality as now at the age of he will try to get out of doing anything himself if he thinks someone will do it

I would also say don't worry .

When DD was 10 months, she could sit. Couldn't move (started a sort of half bottom shuffle, half crawl at 10.5 months). Couldn't pull to standing. Couldn't feed herself with a spoon. Can't remember about the beaker, didn't cruise and definitely couldn't move from lying down to sitting up.

She is 2 next week and does all these things and more now .

Am in total agreement with wmmc, dd went from strange bum shuffling, commando rolling to crawling then cruising in 2 days. Can't get over how fast they grow and change, enjoy her while she can't run away!

Another "don't worry" here. I had the same book as you, Jessicat, and found it a bit annoying after a while - all about what the child "ought" to be doing. And my DSs could never do half the things they were supposed to according to that book. Including "paying attention to a raisin" (???)

Mollymawk- my daughter has never knowingly paid attention to a raisin - she's eaten woodlice but has no interest in vine fruits shrivelled or otherwise. Perhaps she's a thicko?

Oh and Jessicat - TREASURE THESE DAYS - in a few weeks you will not be able to get your daughter to sit down in the bath or lie down for nappy changes at all and it's like wrestling an octopus for every sodding thing you want to do with them.

Yet another 'don't worry' here. That list of what 10 month olds 'should' be doing seems VERY ambitious.

DS is 14 months and has been feeding himself with a spoon (that I have loaded) for about a month and I have picked up that that is unusual so young so 10 months

Again, cruising, pulling up to standing etc - I would say not many 10 month olds would be doing that.

DS has only 1 recognisable word (hiya) and that has only come this week but he understands questions such as 'do you want a yoghurt' and will nod and shake his head accordingly.

So I guess what I am trying to say (in a long-winded manner) is that they really do all develop in their own time so really don't worry.

If it helps, some children just walk without ever crawling, some bum shuffle and walk later, they are all different,
My dd could not use a spoon until about 15mths but used a fork so try that instead to get co ordination without spillage.
Do you explain and show her to tip the beaker as she holds it or do you do it for her? Lying to sitting usually comes about the same time as crawling. They need to get almost on all fours before getting upright.
Don't worry yet.

Please dont get the next one "What to expect in the toddler years" . You will only go mad. Its the bit that says "please consult your doctor if your child cant do the above" that freaks people out by in large for no purpose.