My 11 month dd can walk but cannot stand up or sit down alone! HELP!!

[TaraQ]

My dd has never crawled but has wanted to be walked around using our hands for months. She has taking her first steps alone this week and now will happily let go of us and walk away (even though she is still a little wobbly). The problem is though that she does not know how to sit down again! Plus she cannot actually stand up alone either (although she can pull herself up on the toybox etc). Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like she needs a crash helmet!!!!

dont worry!!! lots of children do this,my son just kind of slams himself back down on the floor!! but as time is going on hes getting better at it.when her legs are strong enough she will be able to stand up alone,her little legs will get there.unfortunantly you may get a few falls and knocks and probably lots of tears as they are mastering this fine art,but dont worry!!!xxxxxx

ooooh ooooooh please do encourage her back to crawling - it's really important for their neural development that they do crawl. There can be probs later on if they miss the crawling phase e.g. difficulties copying off blackboards, co-ordination etc. Sorry to witter on. If she won't crawl - do lots of 'diagonal work' with her - e.g. get right hand to touch left foot and left to right etc.

Pipe - WHAT?????

TaraQ My DD is 12m and cruises fine if you stand her up but has only ever pulled up on her own twice. She has also only just started crawling after bum shuffling for a few weeks first. She did however sit unaided very early. I suppose I am saying that they are all different and yes maybe a crash helmet would help - I certainly consider one at least once a day!

I've just done a very quick google and this is the gist although not a proper medline article etc www.minti.com/parenting-advice/885/The-Importance-of-Crawling/

Oh My God! I'm sorry but isn't this going a bit too far?????!!!!! My gorgeous little girl is not interested in crawling and suddenly some researcher with too much time on her hands is saying that she could have ADHD!!!!! Is this not paranoid parenting gone mad?! As a teacher, I cannot possibly understand the link between a non-crawler and the ability to copy off a blackboard!!!

my ds could pull him self up stand unaided from 12mths yet did not walk untill he was 14 half months they all do things differently and at different rates some dont crawl shuffle then walk some dont walk till really late all at own pace i wouldn't imagine a problem if walking

Pipe - my brother never crawled, not once. Some children don't and I've known a fair few as it is not that unusual.

None of the children I knew who didn't have had any troubles growing up and my little bro was a champion skateboarder and bmx'r so no neural problems there!!

'It is hypothesised' and an 'interesting theory' according to the article you linked to. Sounds like one of those studies done to justify someone's job role/ thesis in a University to me, hardly ground breaking research!

some children don't crawl - it's not unusual.

SOme bum shuffle and some do nothing until they walk. It's nothing to worry about.

They don't always do things in the order they're supposed to. And when they first walk they do have problems getting up and down by themselves. I think ds used to give up adn just throw himself to the floor after a while

SHe will probably get covered in bumps and bruises as will be continually fallign over - but again this is normal.

SO all sounds quite normal Tara and nothing to worry about.

My sister did have ADHD, dyslexia and spatial awareness and coordination problems - she was an early crawler. Crawled fro months.

Thank you all for your very positive messages - completely agree with you Wisteria that it is one of these "theories" to try and justify someones Job. The big problem that my dd has at the moment is that she does not seem to get the concept that she needsto bend in the middle when she falls backwards so only hurt her bum. Instead she falls back straight and smacks her head on the floor. Lets just say we are having a lot of tears at the moment!. Thanks for all your messages x

Bless her!! Poor little wee thing, she'll suss it out before too long.

Can you try and 'teach' her how to do it by bending her? Like the way you teach them to go up and down stairs IYKWIM, forcing guiding their legs/ bodies into the positions they need to be in?

It is very true - crawling or not crawling may or may or may not have an effect. Speaking as a healthcare professional, it is strongly suggested that in some individulas who have missed the crawling phase, that that has had a negative effect on some neural pathways. If they are subsequently taken 'back to crawling' (either literally or exercises using lots of diagonal work using opposite limbs), this does seem to help significantly with some key neurological pathways.

The issue with the example I gave of copying from the blackboard is (again, please note that this is absolutely not the case in all individuals) that when crawling, LO looks ahead to see where they're going and then down to the floor and up again etc. Bodies are very lazy things and will only develop what they need, so if there's no call to learn how to look at an object in the distance and then closely again quickly, then the neural pathways won't necessarily develop. So, when the need to at school suddenly arises, it is then that the neural pathways start to form and so it can be a bit slow and difficult until they're in place.

My ds1 was just like this, I had forgotten. Completely bypassed crawling and just pulled himself up and cruised then walked but had to have support to sit for ages.

Note to self - must tell teachers when he started school that he did not crawl, no doubt they will put him 'back to crawling' to perfect his blackboard copying skills.

Parp to you ptiypasi.

TaraQ is very young still, its just another skill for her to learn.
My ds2 crawled till 14m then just got up and walked one day no cruising, so each one is different.

It's the same principals as learning skills such a typing and playing the piano. The more you practise, the better you are at it and the faster you get - this is as a result of the neural pathways froming shortcuts as they learn patterns.

Parp away. It's what bodies do.

My neural pathways are clearly still developing.....

TaraQ. Just found this thread - my DS is exactly the same! He's just turned one and has never crawled but has been walking with support for ages. He's just started taking steps unsupported and pulling himself up but cannot get to places to pull himself up on on his own, or get to standing from sitting. So I spend my time lifting him up onto his feet which can't go on forever. He also just falls backwards without bending and because I'm always there to catch him he finds it hilarious! I'm almost tempted to let him fall once to see if he learns but don't want him to hurt himself (he's already covered in bruises from bumping into things). I spoke to my HV about his not crawling and she said it's quite common for babies to miss it out. She also said (and this was reiterated on a website but I can't remember which one) that crawling does not feature as a medical development check milestone as it is not a necessary developmental ability and some babies skip it. So I personally think the article is a load of rubbish and won't worry about it.

Sit to stand and stand to sit takes more balance and muscle power than walking.

Most paediatricians and therapists involved with children with dyspraxia/dcd will have noticed a link between those conditions and not crawling. However doesnt mean that all non crawlers will have dcd.

But if a child sees a physio or ot because of handwriting or fine motor difficulties, they will give them exercises to strengthen the shoulder girdle.

Crawling strengthens this, which allows better control of hand function.

Also if a child goes straight into walking, for whatever reason, it stands to reason they will have trouble getting up and down, and will have to work this out for themselves.

Too much "walking" babies by holding their hands, or using a babywalker, could cause this, and make it difficult to work out how to get into the required position.

So Pipe isnt talking crap - but while the majority of kids will manage quite well, there will be a small percentage who will have problems.

Nice to read your comment tjandluca that my dd isn't alone - they sound identical!!! My dd is the same - she knows that if she falls back I will be there to catch her. I am completely not worried about all these articles - more worried about my back with all the hunching over I have done for the past 4 months!!! They will all get there in their own time xxx

I've just seen this thread and tbh am a bit shocked...I really don't think TaraQ needed to hear about the tiny majority who might develop dcd and especially in a sensationalist, designed to frighten, way pipe! She just wanted a bit of reassurance that this is normal...IT IS Tara...I've got 2 ds now 6&7, neither crawled, both walked at 9 months, ds1 is G&T, ds2 is perfectly average!

THANKYOU ingles2 - that is exactely what I wanted to hear!!!xxx

I meant exactly - I can spell - honest!

My DS 12 bypassed crawling and does have mild dyslexia. But he did have swimming lessons from 1 and piano lessons from 6 which both help with the left/right brain coordination (I didn't realise it at the time so didn't do it intentionally)
If I remember correctly he couldn't stand up or sit down when he first learnt to walk, I don't think he could heven get into the sitting position by himself.

He is doing really well at school and is in top class in his new secondary school He is having a bit of a wobbly about having to do 2 languages.
He can't spell at all and does have problems remembering what is on the blackboard when it comes to copying , but he still manages to get really good results .