Straight to Walking - Link to Dyslexia

[PandaBear]

Hi All. I mentioned to a friend of mine that my DD was showing no signs of crawling (10 months), but that she loves being on her feet and that I think that she may go straight to Walking.

She said that babies who do not crawl are more likely to be dyslexic!! First I have heard of this. Has anyone else heard of this link. Since she told me about this I cannot get it out of my head that DD may turn out to be dyslexic. If there is an established link, it doesn't matter, but it's worth knowing if it's true or not so at least I can look out for the signs and get her help if she needs it.

Thanks.

Yeah anything like that- dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism take your pick. Mind you I went straight to walking and although I'm a bit cack handed have none of those, and my son who crawled then walked it autistic. Oh and his younger brother was crap at rolling for ages which is another supposed autistic, dyspraxic (and probably dyslexic- they're all related) sign and if he certainly isn't dyspraxic or autistic.

I wouldn't worry about it. They can't pick up dyslexia until about 7 or so anyway. If you were really worried then give a fish oil supplement once she gets to 2, and before then either bfeed (and take efanatal yourself) or give formual with DHA in.

I heard this ages ago from the mother of a dyslexic boy who never crawled. It's supposed to be something to do with sending nerve impulses to the brain?

Don't think it's 100%, but I assume that a higher proportion of dyslexic children than non-dyslexic never crawled. Or a higher proportion of non-crawlers go on to be dyslexic. Or both.

I don't know if it would be worth putting DD on her hands and knees and making crawling movements for her - like the "patterning" they do with children with cerebral palsy?

Anyway, PandaBear, as Jimjams says, it probably isn't worth worrying about (but you could do some research via google if you are still worried).

Me again. Just googled and on this page :

81.89.134.99/main/information/parents/p01signs.asp

from the British Dyslexia Association there is a long long list of possible indicators for dyslexia. It says "If a child has several of these indications,further investigation should be made. The child may be dyslexic, or there may be other reasons. This is not a checklist."

Under pre-school it says "May have walked early but did not crawl - was a 'bottom shuffler' or 'tummy wriggler'" Note the extensive use of the word "may" here! There are many other indicators, most of them in older children, but it's clear that one characteristic like this, alone, is not something to fret about.

HTH

I'm another person who never crawled & went straight to walking at 9 months (supposedly). And I don't have dyslexia, either.

I have heard this and the other interesting thing that I have heard is that rocking (you know when babies get on all fours and rock) is very very good for devloping brain pathways and the gut who was giving the lecture was saying they know try and get children who have severe education needs to do this rocking (when they are much oldrer) to do this and it really helps their devlopment both physically and cognitively) - I am sorry this doesn't help but it is very interesting!

cazzybabs- have you come across braingym - it expands on that idea. I'm hoping to get some of those sorts of exercises for ds1.

Jimjams - I was going to mention braingym. My MIL used to talked about it a lot. She was a primary school teacher and I remember her talking about cross-body exercises and possible benefits of spinning round like a top.

I have heard about this. My mum recently went to an early childhood conference and one of the lectures was about the link between lack of crawling and developmental problems. As has been mentioned it is to do with building up the correct nerve networks in the brain plus building strength in the upper girdle. I will try and get some more info about this. I also have a friend who is very into movement (she teaches dance to toddlers) and has quite an extensive knowledge about it so I will go and pick her brains. I do know she is always going on about how important movement is to development.
Anyway, I hope I haven't alarmed you. As people have mentioned they never crawled and have no problems plus 10 months is still young. My friends dd crawled for the first time on her 1st birthday!

I have heard about brain gym - am trying to get my school to pay for a trainning course. - Maybe I just buy a book!

Thanks to you all for your help. I am a little concerned about DD's lack of mobility - but then again, perhaps she is just a bit lazy like her father .
I've decided that perhaps we leave her with too many toys within easy reach. we are going to move them so she has to get up if she wants them. Hopefully this will encourage her. If not, oh well, at least if she does go straight to walking I am aware of the links and I can look out for any signs and get her help if she needs it.
She is still very young and I guess she'll develop at her own pace.

I'd be very interested to hear what people find out about this - my ds went straight to walking at 10 months, and he has an uncle (on my dp's side) and a cousin (on my side) who are dyslexic. Does dyslexia run in families? I particularly wonder up to what age you can develop the necessary brain patterns - my ds is now just over 2, so have we missed our opportunity to do braingym with him?

just to add some of my (rather random) comments.
DS (18months) started crawling at 10 months having shown no signs beforehand and then didn't walk until 15months.
my brother didn't crawl and walked from 9 months and he's not dyslexic.
10 months doesn't sound too young to me.

sorry that didn't make sense I meant, 10 months is still fairly young I wouldn't worry about not crawling yet.

I read that Dyslexia pretty much doesn't exist in Spanish or Italian speaking countries -- because, they are phoneticly spelled languages!!! Nowhere as difficult to learn to read as English. Seems like one ought to be able to do something about that....

Of my parents' 6 grandchildren, 2 never crawled and went from bottom suffling to walking. My eldest niece (16 years old) is not dyslexic, my dd is 2 so too early to say. Meanwhile, 2 other grandchildren both crawled and one is dyslexic and the other dyspraxic (sp?). So my guess is that while there may be some kind of link, there is much more to it.
Yes NQWWW, it does seem that dyslexia runs in families. My brother is dyslexic and so is my niece. And we suspect that my cousin is too, although "undiagosed" and called lazy and/or not very bright instead as a child. (A generation older than my brother and I.)

Find that a bit strange zebra. Maybe Italians just don't recognise it. Dyslexia is often due to eye problems- things like tracking can be hard, or the paper appears bleached so letters can't be made out. Irlen (coloured) lenses can make a huge difference.

Of anyone is seriously worried about dyslexia give a fish oil supplement such as efalex.

I read it in the New Scientist... doesn't make it true, though!
I found this related reference , and This guy tries to address the whole concept of dyslexic in some languages, but not others.

thanks zebra- that's really interesting. I guess there must be different causes. I've always concentrated on the letters waving around, bleaching paper etc as that's related to problems faced by autistics. Interesting its related to phonological awareness though. I maintain that ds1 will be unable to learn to read by phonics as he is unable to pronounce the sounds. He is learning to read (not being taught- he's only 3- doing it himself), but he's very clearly learning each word individually. Mind you that's also how he's learning language. I'll read up on this stuff later- could really help him learning to read- thanks for those links zebra.