11 month delayed motor skills -

[Kalar25]

Hi I am a first time mum to my 11 month daughter born February 2020 in the year of the pandemic. I find myself struggling and stressing mainly because there no help I am receiving. My daughter doesnt crawl, doesnt roll over, hates tummy time in fact its non existent i place her on her tummy and she straight away goes on her back. She doesnt bear weight on her legs so not standing. All i keep been told is she has delayed motor skills i am trying the exercises but she just crys and moans. Doctors dont want to know they said cant see her its covid and childrens therapies centres are closed and virtual classes are not helpful and i have no where to turn. Im so upset and anxious all the time.

Can anybody offer any help or advice please im at my wits end

Sorry that you are feeling so worried. My daughter has delayed motor skills. When my DD was 11 months she was at a similar stage to yours. She is now 17 months and has since learnt to roll, bum shuffle, crawl, cruise and climb - but still can't walk.

My DS (they are both adopted and not blood relatives) has global developmental delay. He had physio from about 16 months old. They mostly demonstrated exercises that I needed to do daily with him - so similar to what you have. It was only after the age of 1 that they started looking to see if there was an underlying cause. He's now 7 and you wouldn't know now that he didn't walk to aged 2.

I think it is so hard at the moment to have these worries but not have normal support and distractions.

Hi Kalar, I'm sorry to hear you are struggling and stressing :( your daughter sounds like my DC at that age. Mine really hated tummy time too so did hardly any. They are now 18 months and are crawling, not much standing though. I really battled to get a GP appointment to check for any obvious physical problems. Please insist your GP see you in person! Keep calling and calling and make sure you get an appointment. They have since referred us to a paeditrtion, still waiting to hear from them though. I also battled to see a HV visitor in person and they referred us to a physio, we have a telephone consultation with them soon. I don't see the point at all of a phone consultation with a physio but it is a hoop we must jump through! Even prior to the pandemic to get anywhere with the health system you have to push push push and jump through many hoops. I hope this advice helps. Please try not to stress, I was like you and I am much more relaxed now. How is your baby doing in other areas? Are they reaching other milestones?

Sorry, forgot to add, tell the GP they are crying and moaning when doing the exercises.

I'm very sorry to hear you are feeling this way. I can't offer much help, but you are definitely not alone with feeling like that. I am currently going through similar situation with my DD who also was born Feb 2020. I do have lots of concerns, but was told to wait and see. She curls her foot a lot, so now even has a mark on her skin and is extremely unstable, falls all the time, she has been crusing for a month. I'm waiting until she turns 12 months to really start pushing further. I know how isolating and hard all this is, wish all of us lockdown first mums could give each other a hug! It should get better

Hi kass, im sorry to hear your going through a similar experience. I do wish there was more support for us first time mums. Is your little one reaching any other milestones? Is she rolling over, sits up by herself, clapping, waving and does she do tummy time

@Kalar25 she rolled pretty early on, we managed to see chiropractor before the lockdowns and in between, I think that definetly helped with some tension she had. I did loads of tummy time with her early on, was doing exercises with her on the gym ball, because her muscle tone was quite high. Maybe that helped as well with her mobility. She claps, but waves only on her terms, very rarely. What about your girl?

Kass12- my little girl doesnt clap, she waves in her style when she wants to. What size gym ball did you get? As i have been looking on you tube and they help babies develop upper strength so was thinking of getting one

@Kalar25 I have got 55cm 65cm 75cm 85cm, like a standard ball for yoga and pregnancy, the size was 85cm.

Does your daughter sit up by herself? Our chiropractor recommended an exercise to keep straighten the core by encouraging her looking up, like a toy or something, so she doesn't get hunched. Not all the time, but just a few times a day.

Sorry forgot to note, looking up whilst in sitting position

Kass12 I sit her up and she sits up unaided bt when she falls back she cant get bk up. I usually hang or swing something above her so she looks up as she does hunch

Kass12 - forgot to ask did u find the chiropractor helped? As i go to one and if it did perhaps they could take a look at her

@Kalar25 I think they did. Because each time shortly after the session her mobility was improving. Just make sure you find someone who is experienced with babies. Also, if the chiropractor feels something is wrong they are obliged to report it, like to write a letter to GP and list their concerns, so that might get things going in order to get help.

Kass12 made an appt for next week friday and the chiropractor clinic where i go and they are really experienced so fingers crossed they can help. Thankyou for bringing my attention to go and see a chiropractor i dont know why i didnt think of this first

dimples76- did you go and see a chiropractor i have made an appt for my daughter to be seen nxt Friday now. Personally i think they will be mote useful than the physiotherapist and virtual lessons. Did your little one at 11 month reach other milestones like waving and clapping. Does your little one go nursery. My girl going next month and im a little anxious bcse she not doing much

@Kalar25 that's good she will be seen soon! Hope it goes well !