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Original poster

Head lag at 3 months

18 replies

10187Mummyof2 · 01/01/2022 21:22

Hi
My DS is 12 weeks but still has head lag when pulled to sit. When I hold him he holds his head up fine just abit wobbly sometimes. When we do tummy time though he will only do it on boppy and can't do mini push ups or weight bare on his arms. When I pick him up its like he could slip through my fingers, I have to hold him really firm under hos arms. I'm just so worried about him, do you think it could be hypotonia? Has anyone has this headlag and things turned out okay? He has just started reaching but only using his left arm and can't grasp toys yet, is this normal? His movements seem abit rigid still and he struggles to hit the target

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PanicBuyingSprouts · 02/01/2022 10:42

I've not got experience sorry but if you are worried, I'd get the HV to have a look at him. You might need to be insistent as they're so busy Thanks

Original poster
10187Mummyof2 · 02/01/2022 11:12

@PanicBuyingSprouts hi, thank you! Hopefully your comment might bump it up Hmm yeah, I know what you mean about HV! Mine hasnt replied to any of my calls and texts. I am almost 100% certain now in my mind he has CP. Yet noone listens! Not sure if I am just having bad luck with GPs and paeds, but because of his age they dont want to know- also he is gaining weight so apparently 'thriving'. He is back at paeds next week anyway due to reflux and has actually stopped gaining weight. I am going to ask for second opinion this time if he brushes me off. Its so frustrating because everything I read says early intervention is key. Even newborns have some degree of head control during pull to sit- he has none Sad

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PanicBuyingSprouts · 02/01/2022 14:19

Good luck at the Paediatricians Thanks

Original poster
10187Mummyof2 · 02/01/2022 15:34

Thank youSmileFlowers

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Watbo · 22/01/2022 00:52

Hi Mummyof2, my nearly 12 week old also seems to have significant headlag. His hands are also still mostly curled up and he isn't holding things when I put them in his hands. Wanted to check of you had any updates from your babe? Thanks 😊

Original poster
10187Mummyof2 · 22/01/2022 12:01

Hi,
Is that headlag during pull to sit? How is he when you hold him over your shoulder? Can he hold his head? How was the birth? I wouldn't worry about the grasping toys, they usually don't grasp til atleast 4/5 months. Mine has only just started grasping, but drops quickly and he is 4 months tomorrow. I can't really give you an update yet sorry, unfortunately no change with his headlag, and very bobbly headed when I sit him down upright. I am seeing the paediatrician next week so I will update you then Smile Also, you will likely see him start to uncurl his hands over next few weeks xx

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Watbo · 22/01/2022 21:33

Awesome that your little one has started to grasp! Same with the bobble head but particularly struggles with pull to sit. This mumming business is so stressful!
Hope it goes great with the paediatrician! X

Foreverbaffled · 22/01/2022 21:57

DS2 has been under neurology since he was 3 months. I was told that they don't really worry about head lag until 6 months. My son always felt like he was slipping through my hands but was actually due to a lax and hypermobile shoulder girdle and not low muscle tone. Just putting out another view. I know what it's like to be 100% convinced about CP. Sending a hand hold x

Original poster
10187Mummyof2 · 23/01/2022 10:47

Hi watbo, Thank you! Yes mine particularly struggles with pull to sit but I feel its more to do with his shoulders and arms than his head ifgm. He can't seem to engage them to lock, he does try though but his arms seem weak Sad I know we worry to much and probably nothing! Haha

Hi foreverbaffled, yeah I think they put it back to 6 months didn't they? As since the sleep safe guidelines children are having more head lag due to sleeping on back. Thats interesting about the hypermobility, as I notice his shoulder bones click a lot when I pick him up 🙈 would you say that could be a symptom? My son did have his shoulders squashed as well as they got stuck during childbirth x

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Foreverbaffled · 23/01/2022 15:35

@10187Mummyof2 Ah yes, the clicky shoulders are a definite symptoms as confirmed by our physio. My son was late to bring his hands together which was part of the same problem. She encourage side playing to help this. Sounds very much like hypermobile joints. This isn't an issue, just need to encourage lots of strength building Smile

Original poster
10187Mummyof2 · 23/01/2022 19:46

Oh great! Thats gave me some hope, hopefully its nothing too serious then. DS does bring his hands together, was yours late with milestones? Sitting up etc? I might try and get a referral for physio and see what they think- thanks Smile

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Foreverbaffled · 23/01/2022 21:51

@10187Mummyof2

Oh great! Thats gave me some hope, hopefully its nothing too serious then. DS does bring his hands together, was yours late with milestones? Sitting up etc? I might try and get a referral for physio and see what they think- thanks Smile
DS2 was on the slower end of average with weight bearing gross motor milestones (eg pushing up on arms, pushing up on hands, cruising the furniture) but very average with sitting unassisted (he did this at 5/6 months which was amazing as had a very wobbly bobbly head at 4 months and head lag). We have seen a physio a few times who said that it's the weight bearing stuff which is more effected by hypermobile joints whereas hypotonia would be more of a cause of head lag after 6 months or delayed sitting (and of course weight bearing stuff too in addition)

I did do a lot of physio with my son though so maybe that helped with his core strength.

Cerebral palsy is a tricky one but most cases of severe CP are obvious by 6 months and moderate cases easily by a year. Nothing you've said is out of the realm of average. We are under neurology as I had major CP concerns for other reasons (my son was born with sustained ankle clonus which has since resolved) so was given a lot of information which has helped.

Original poster
10187Mummyof2 · 23/01/2022 22:29

Thank you, thats really useful about the physio! I will look out for that. He definitely doesn't weight bare on his arms/ hands or on his legs when I hold him. Do you have any links for the physio stuff you did?

Aw god that must have been an anxious time! Yeah I was obsessed with CP for a while, only because I had a traumatic birth, he got stuck because of his size and his 02 kept dropping, they then used forceps and he had injuries to his eyes and head. He was making really abnormal eye movements for weeks, then I noticed he had a weak cry, he also has reflux, a high palate and a lazy eye (they think he is having a dilation eye test next week) he also had a weak grasp reflex. But the more he develops the less I think Its CP. I am hoping its nothing too serious. I know that its too early to tell though but I'm not as worried as I was. So glad your DS2 is doing okay. Thanks for the adviceSmile

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Foreverbaffled · 24/01/2022 08:27

@10187Mummyof2

Thank you, thats really useful about the physio! I will look out for that. He definitely doesn't weight bare on his arms/ hands or on his legs when I hold him. Do you have any links for the physio stuff you did?

Aw god that must have been an anxious time! Yeah I was obsessed with CP for a while, only because I had a traumatic birth, he got stuck because of his size and his 02 kept dropping, they then used forceps and he had injuries to his eyes and head. He was making really abnormal eye movements for weeks, then I noticed he had a weak cry, he also has reflux, a high palate and a lazy eye (they think he is having a dilation eye test next week) he also had a weak grasp reflex. But the more he develops the less I think Its CP. I am hoping its nothing too serious. I know that its too early to tell though but I'm not as worried as I was. So glad your DS2 is doing okay. Thanks for the adviceSmile

Don't worry, not bearing weight is expected at 4 months anyway. A lot of the physio techniques I used were from this brilliant YouTube site called Starfish Therapies. There are loads on there, many focused on improving strength. They were identical to what my physio recommended.

Oh and a high arch palate is a sign of hypermobility syndrome too. I have one (and hypermobile joints) and I'm fine. It can be a positive thing to have flexible joints as long as you have the muscular strength to back it up.

Good luck. I know how worrying this can be ❤️

justmewithmylifetoday · 24/04/2022 18:22

Just wondering how your little one is getting on now OP? currently worrying (probably unnecessarily) about my 10 week old. We're seeing Neurology next week. 😧

Original poster
10187Mummyof2 · 05/05/2022 21:31

Hi,

Aww still so tiny! Why are they seeing neurology? I am still worried about mine- sorry I can't give you a more positive update! He is doing okay, just still very behind. Headlag has gone but bobbly head. He is seeing a physio next week to assess him. It is stressful isn't it 😥x

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Friendlycav · 12/04/2023 18:16

i hope your little boy is doing well. Do you have any update?

Yas1362 · 05/07/2025 19:53

Hi @10187Mummyof2 can you please give us some update?

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