15 month old not cruising only bum shuffling

NotMyDayJob · 2023-06-14T08:24:01+00:00

My 15 month old is a very speedy bum shuffler but will otherwise only pull herself on to her knees. She doesn't cruise at all and although we can stand her against furniture she makes no attempt to move (we leave toys, remote controls etc to try and encourage her to go after them). If we stand her she seems to be able to weight bear but she has no interest in making a walking movement. I know it's relatively early but she is a heavy baby and it's really starting to get me down particularly as she has to be carried all the time. She's really getting too heavy, she's too heavy to be left with grandparents and I'm starting to feel very fed up that there is no prospect of her walking on her own any time soon. Do I just need to hang in there, or should I take her to the GP?

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ItalianMUM89 · 14/06/2023 11:02

Hello!
I think bum shuffler normally take longer to walk (closer to 18/20 months) but than eventually start to walk without any issue. Once she will start to walk she will also become skinner.
About the fact of carrying her always around maybe just reduce if it's a peoblem for u.
Just resist few more months that soon you will need to run around to catch her 🤣

Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 14/06/2023 12:20

Unfortunately I can't really carry her less than I do, I'm only really carrying her when I need to. Also she's just heavy, she's not overweight, she's just big, that's why it is difficult to carry her.

Thank you for commenting though.

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Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 07:53

Anyone?

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SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 15/06/2023 08:04

Does she bear weight at all @NotMyDayJob? So if you hold her hands, will she stand?

Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 08:07

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 07:53

Anyone?

Sort of, but not very well. It's not a confident standing movement. So she's ok leaning against something and her feet are flat. But if we try to stand her, she's pretty wobbly, legs splayed etc, but her feet are flat which I've been checking as the health visitor keeps asking 😞

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Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 08:07

Sorry meant to reply to @SiouxsieSiouxStiletto

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SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 15/06/2023 08:16

Ok so if the HV is chasing it up she's obviously concerned.

I'd get back to her and say that DD is still not bearing weight properly and you'd like her to be seen. Sounds like she needs her hips checking l, just to make sure that's not the problem.

I'd also ask your HV to do the Ages & Stages. You can fill it in now and ask her to score it at the appointment

Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 08:19

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 15/06/2023 08:16

Ok so if the HV is chasing it up she's obviously concerned.

I'd get back to her and say that DD is still not bearing weight properly and you'd like her to be seen. Sounds like she needs her hips checking l, just to make sure that's not the problem.

I'd also ask your HV to do the Ages & Stages. You can fill it in now and ask her to score it at the appointment

It seems to be the protocol here to follow up til 18 months and we've been told if DD is not walking by then they will refer to a pediatrician. And we've done ages and stages we did it at her one year check.

If I go to the health visitor they will want to wait til 18 months, but I'm wondering if I should take her to the GP sooner

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SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 15/06/2023 08:34

If I go to the health visitor they will want to wait til 18 months, but I'm wondering if I should take her to the GP sooner

Yes, I would. NHS do say to wait until 18 months if they're not walking but as your DD isn't bearing weight, I'd go to the GP much sooner.

How did she do on the 12 month ages & stages?

Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 08:40

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 15/06/2023 08:34

If I go to the health visitor they will want to wait til 18 months, but I'm wondering if I should take her to the GP sooner

Yes, I would. NHS do say to wait until 18 months if they're not walking but as your DD isn't bearing weight, I'd go to the GP much sooner.

How did she do on the 12 month ages & stages?

Good, everything else seems going well. Good fine motor skills, and she's babbling a lot, throwing balls turning pages etc, but she was quite late to even start bum shuffling (about 13 months) and the standing she can do really doesn't seem to have come on at all. We could prop her standing up two months ago, the way we can prop her standing up now doesn't seem any different.

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SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 15/06/2023 08:54

Definitely go and see the GO then if she's making progress with everyone else other than the standing. Bum shuffling can be a sign of ASD but in your DD's case I'd want her hips checking out first

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 15/06/2023 08:56

*GP 🤦‍♀️

Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 09:04

SiouxsieSiouxStiletto · 15/06/2023 08:54

Definitely go and see the GO then if she's making progress with everyone else other than the standing. Bum shuffling can be a sign of ASD but in your DD's case I'd want her hips checking out first

Thank you. In terms of 'signs' of asd she doesn't seem to have any, she smiles, responds to care givers, babbles lots, reaches up to be picked up etc. We have private healthcare for her through my DHs work, so even if we could access a physio to help us work with her to build her strength (or whatever) that would help a lot.

Thank you again for responding and not just saying 'oh they all walk in their own time' it's not just the walking and it's really starting to be an issue.

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ItalianMUM89 · 15/06/2023 10:58

I told you she will eventually walk with her time beacuse i have seen 2 babies (both bum shufflers) which were similar to your child. They barly put weight on their legs until 18 months. Usally crossing their legs or holding them up when u tried to put them standing. Both parents were very stressed but the hv told them that with bum shuffler it can happen.anyway in both cases they started to walk closer to 2 years and are now compleatly fine (and walking well and non ASD for sure)
You can have a look with your doctor/check the hips and so on but in the meanwhile try to be optimistic beacuse most probably she is just a bit later on this milestone.
I am a very anxiuos mother so i am not trying to dismiss your fear but just to give u some reassurance.
Whish u and your little one the best.
Ps: sorry for my english i am italian

Toddlemum94 · 15/06/2023 11:45

Hello!

I’ve has the exact same problem with my daughter. She’s 17 months now, starting shuffling at 11 months but nothing else, I asked to be referred to a physio at 14/15 months. Within two sessions she had her pulling to stand, cruising and now climbing the stairs!
I think even at 17 months we’re quite a while off independent walking but she’s actually making progress since starting physio.

Bum shufflers are notorious for being late walkers and I feel like my daughter just needed a bit of extra help to get her going, I think if she hadn’t started physio just wouldn’t even now be cruising or climbing!

Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 12:38

ItalianMUM89 · 15/06/2023 10:58

I told you she will eventually walk with her time beacuse i have seen 2 babies (both bum shufflers) which were similar to your child. They barly put weight on their legs until 18 months. Usally crossing their legs or holding them up when u tried to put them standing. Both parents were very stressed but the hv told them that with bum shuffler it can happen.anyway in both cases they started to walk closer to 2 years and are now compleatly fine (and walking well and non ASD for sure)
You can have a look with your doctor/check the hips and so on but in the meanwhile try to be optimistic beacuse most probably she is just a bit later on this milestone.
I am a very anxiuos mother so i am not trying to dismiss your fear but just to give u some reassurance.
Whish u and your little one the best.
Ps: sorry for my english i am italian

I do understand and I know ultimately it will be fine, I just think if the health visitor is going to refer her anyway then I may as well think of getting some help earlier. And your English is excellent, much better than my Italian!

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Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 12:41

Toddlemum94 · 15/06/2023 11:45

Hello!

I’ve has the exact same problem with my daughter. She’s 17 months now, starting shuffling at 11 months but nothing else, I asked to be referred to a physio at 14/15 months. Within two sessions she had her pulling to stand, cruising and now climbing the stairs!
I think even at 17 months we’re quite a while off independent walking but she’s actually making progress since starting physio.

Bum shufflers are notorious for being late walkers and I feel like my daughter just needed a bit of extra help to get her going, I think if she hadn’t started physio just wouldn’t even now be cruising or climbing!

Thank you that is really reassuring. It's not so much the lack of walking but the lack of progress as well, ie no cruising no stair climbing etc, if some physio could help her make a bit of progress, I'd be completely happy with that

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Toddlemum94 · 15/06/2023 13:56

yeah I was the same, before my daughter started physio she couldn’t even sit herself up from lying down, she couldn’t really do anything physical aside from shuffling.

What the physio had us start with was getting her comfortable being on her knees and getting in and out of that position from side sitting, once then can do that the pulling up will happen naturally.

What I was told not to do was to put her in the standing position to try and get her to hold on to things. They need to learn the process of sitting to knees to standing.

Hope this helps a bit!

Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 15/06/2023 14:26

That's really helpful thank you, we have been standing her up, but makes sense we need to encourage from kneeling to standing. Thank you again xx

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Lauralayla · 25/10/2023 22:42

Hi all this is my first post so please forgive me if I’m posting in the wrong area 🙈 I have a 12 month old daughter who has never crawled , and always hated tummy time, she now gets around rapidly on her bottom but shows no signs of standing and bearing weight on her legs , she bounces in her jump a roo and can get around in a baby walker albeit backwards 🫣 at her year check they said her lines was all in the right place but would like to see her again in 3 months I have got pull up walkers ,tables , small seats to help encourage her but still no signs of her wanting to stand so feel a little worried
any suggestions or anyone else experiencing this
many thanks

Toddlemum94 · 26/10/2023 08:42

I had the same exact thing with my daughter, bum shufflers do just tend to be a bit later.
Do not worry at all, my daughter didn’t even attempt to stand or pull to stand until around 16 months but once she did it all happened quite quick (started walking at 19months).
It’s really hard not to worry but she will do it in her own time. As I said on a previous post our physio said avoid putting her into standing, encourage her into side sitting, onto knees then support around the back of legs and waist into standing. I tried to entice my daughter with everything to get her to pull up, she did it when she was good and ready.

unknownscot · 30/10/2023 13:41

How did you get on?

We accessed physio at 12 months with my bum shuffler as I was concerned about his hips. At 17 months he now crawls and cruises. He's desperate to stand on his own but not quite there yet.

Physio was a great help.
X

Original poster

NotMyDayJob · 30/10/2023 16:55

Hello, OP here! Just to give a brief update. I got a PM from someone who kindly gave me a couple of tips to try and encourage DD including showing her how to climb the stairs, at this point DD was only bumshuffling, no cruising standing etc.

Anyway, she got the hang of climbing the stairs and about a month later started cruising, once she started doing that we felt a lot more confident that she was getting there just slowly, we were only concerned because she wasn't weight bearing at all. In the last two weeks she has started walking, so just shy of 19 months. She's still a bit wobbly but she's really taken to it. Big thanks to @toddlermum94 for her kind words and support

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Lauralayla · 30/10/2023 22:23

Ah thank you so much for your response I know all babies are different but was not sure when to worry about this , I have got lots of exercises and toys to help encourage her