Worried about my darling 9.5 month old boy

[Jpan]

Hello all. I guess I just need to talk about this. I’m really very worried about my darling boy. He is my absolute world. I have quite a few concerns on both the gross motor skills and cognition front.

He’s around 10.5 kg now and has a very big head (off the charts) - but it’s always been this way, even gestationally. There were initial concerns about dilated ventricles but that resolved itself.

On the gross motor front, he’s always felt a bit ‘floppy’ to me. Like he might slip through my arms (especially after a bath!), like a heavy sack of potatoes, does not really ‘hold on’ when hip held. He rolled late (but does now - both ways), always hated tummy time, and started sitting around 6.5 months I would say. However, my concern is that he does still topple over. Not because he’s tired or anything but he’s just unreliable - when he goes for a toy, or gets engrossed in something he’s doing, he’ll just fall back. It’s like he has not much body awareness. He does not play on his knees… doesn’t crawl.. doesn’t really stand unassisted or assisted very well (but does bear weight). He just doesn’t hold his own weight well and feels soft. I saw a physio privately when he was 5-6 months and she said his tone was ok although I don’t agree and it’s becoming more obvious w age I think.. am I being unreasonable? I really don’t see him crawling or walking anytime soon… or even sitting reliably. I should add when I pick him up or play with his arms and legs … he clicks a lot!

Cognition wise, he’s alert. Smiles and reacts to emotions. Laughs and cries and all that good stuff. His eye contact could be better. Doesn’t reply to his name that great. Interactive play is not great. I see what I would regard as stimming a lot - constantly twirling-open clothing hands, feet and other things. Kind of feels like he’s in his own world a lot of the time. Claps (to himself only), but otherwise has no gestures at all. Babbling is limited. Obsessed with hands and feet (including other peoples), etc.

I don’t know what the point of this post is. I just need an outlet I think to talk about this anonymously. Thank you all.

Hi, you could be describing my son (many years ago..now a young adult)
Big head, felt like a sack of spuds...and he was my 4th so I was very aware he wasn't quite how he should be.
DS2 was slow to keep his head up, slow to roll, slow to sit..he sort of looked like a frog when he sat and toppled a lot. He was 15m before he crawled, 2 before he walked. Very poor eye contact (he did have long sight and had glasses while still a baby but he was still 18m before he really made eye contact). Didn't talk. but happy and content .
I of course was worried sick.
He had hypotonia (poor muscle tone) and was gradually dx with developmental delay, and also later autism. Had splints to support his weak ankles.

It felt devastating at the time... but he got there slowly. Not a lot of support when he was a baby but as he got older he had physio, OT, Speech ( pretty much non verbal til he was 5) etc

Now he's 25. Can talk the hind leg off a horse (and does!) Yes he has autism, but he is gentle, kind, friendly and actually very intelligent albeit with some differences in how he processes stuff.. Went to a special school, but is now working full time in the local Asda...where he is brilliant. He is still very uncoordinated, but he gets around absolutely fine and you'd never know he was such a floppy baby. He was recently the best man at his brother's wedding,,I wrote the speech but he absolutely nailed it. He had such a mix of diagnoses as a small child and yes he has his challenges and always will....but he's ok.

I think what I'm saying is don't panic. Through being his Mum I ended up meeting a lot of floppy, delayed babies and the majority ..well you wouldn't know now.

However, I would ask your GP for a referral to Paeds and get into the NHS system. He may need supportive boots etc and some input and the sooner you push for it, the better.

@Jpan Hey. Do you have any updates at all with your son. I’m quite concerned for mine who has similar things going on

Hi how’s your little one getting on now?

Hi @Mumof3bb1 and @Danielle1989x - I'm sorry for the really late reply. What a blast from the past 😅. My darling is now 2.5 year old little bundle of joy. Physically he’s still behind others. He crawled at 11 months and walked at 18 months and only started running in he last few months. He still can’t jump and is a bit clumsy but he’s a darling.
Behaviour wise we are under assessment for autism but he really is so clever and has come on so much i think it’s more likely he has adhd…The more he grows up the less I am convinced about ASD. He talks loads, is incredibly intelligent, understands emotion, interacts with those around him, smiles, responds to his name, and absolutely loves on all his people. He can understand instructions, ask for what he wants, tell me what hurts etc etc. He does still stim, but he is less in his own world now and I believe he does it just to show his excitement.
Is there anything you wanted to ask me about in particular? x

@Mumof3bb1 and @Danielle1989x ... I wanted to mention that I now have a little girl who is 8 months and she's almost identical if not even slower than her brother lol.

@Jpan hi. May I ask how is your son now?