Feeling a bit worried (again) about DS's development.... is he still within 'normal' range?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

I've posted before about DS not walking, he is now nearly 20 months old and still not walking on his own while his peers are running everywhere! He has been walking with his push along walker (and cruise along furniture) for a few months now but he barely ever attempts to walk on his own. DH and I are trying to encourage him every day and so far he has only managed about 3 steps between us and usually lunges between us instead of trying to walk. His wee pal has been walking for ages and the other day I was out with his pal and mummy at Jo Jingles (a kind of music and movement baby group thing)- DS has been into it before but for the past few weeks he has just sat there, not wanted to go over for the toys, not join in and has been quite clingy to me. So his pals mummy starts saying to me 'what's wrong with your DS? He seems pissed off, does he not like the class, he's not being very sociable, ho many words is he saying these days, is he not walking yet BLAH BLARDY BLAH.' I haven't been that majorly worried about DS (I figure he is just a late walker as me and his daddy were) but she started to make me worried again! And then yesterday I was out with another mate who said 'oh are you not worried that he's not walking yet?'

I just feel ike shouting 'No I'm not too worried yet but people like you are bloody MAKING me worried!!!!'

So it's on my mind again and I'm starting to get concerned- do you think my DS is OK or should I get him checked out? Anything else I can do to help him walk? Thanks

I would talk to a HV or GP if only to put your mind at rest TBH. If he's cruising and can walk with a walker I wouldn't be too worried, but a chat with someone 'in the know' might help you.

How is he with his other developmental milestones?

Do you have any other concerns developmentally?

I take it he has independent sitting balance?

Does he crawl/bumshuffle?

Can he support his own weight unaided? (I guess this is a yes if he has a walker and cruises)

He is probably just a late walker but I got ddreferred to a developmental paed at 19 months when she was still not standing or walking independently.(she ha dother dev issues,though)

It will not hurt to see Gp/HV.You will probably find it is just a late walking thing,but it is good to be in the system as early as possible should it be something more untoward (WHICH IT PROBABLY WON'T BE)

Hi, I have just posted on Latrucha's thread about my experience with my DS2 - didn't walk till he was 20 months and was "late" reaching all physical milestones. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said you and his dad were late walkers too. I think it's genetic, as I didn't walk till 18 months and my husband's brother was 22 months!

He has been able to sit independantly since he was about 7 months old, he can pull up to stand, can walk backwards using his walker, bend down to pick things up (while holding on to something for support), he has been crawling for ages (since his 1st birthday), can support own weight, kneel, roll over etc.

He can say words such as ball, bye bye, hiya, no, yes, monkey, bubbles, bath, book, shoe, ddaddy, mama, and can understand instructions like 'go and choose a book, or where is your pram' etc. His pal is just so advanced IMO and is saying all sorts and running everywhere so I think I end up comparing and get worried!

DS actually has a GP appt tomorrow for a very flaky scalp so I will mention all this there.

He sounds fineI think as jmontan27 said,he is probably just a late walker

I have no idea as my DD is only 10 months old but he certainly sounds fine to me and I wanted to add that I've experienced this kind of bollocks from other mothers over my non-moving DD and it is just their own bitchiness coming to the fore so please don't worry!

I would have thought the vocab you've listed is good for a 20 month old boy rather than average too.

Well my dd is 21 months, bum shuffles, never crawled, can't pull herself up to standing and if i do stand her up she only stands supported for 20 secs max.

He sounds fine to me, all in their own good time!

I wonder if the clinginess of the past few weeks is because he's gearing up to start walking?

Also, this is just a thought, but maybe if it's a confidence issue (DD went through a long phase when I thought she could quite easily be walking from the physical point of view but she seemed reluctant to) maybe it would be better if you stopped encouraging him for a while and see if that has any effect? Just in case he's feeling the pressure from the encouragement, if you see what I mean.

I probably would have him checked over.

When my dd was not walking at 19 months, it did turn out (much later) that there was a genuine problem: she is now in a wheelchair . It is a lasting sadness to me to think that her early life would have been a lot easier and her body probably in better shape by now if she had been diagnosed earlier.

Of course, it's most likely that he is just doing it in his own good time. But if there is an underlying problem, then you need to know so he can get help.

If I had my life again, I would be less laidback.

bear in mind that whatever the average is, half of all babies will be later than average....

few words ....not necessarily anything to worry about..mine has only recently been coming out with discernible words @22mths

my sister didn't speak until 2.5 years..and then came out with a full sentence Whilst watching the Eurovision Song Contest "i want to go to bed noW"

walking...speak to HV or GP (whichever you get on with best) - if only to reassure yourself.

sleeves - my nephew did not walk til he was two. just bottom shuffled or sat in front of the tv. he is perfectly normal (six now), runs about everywhere , never stops talking etc.

i heard that babies (partic boys develop EITHER language or movement then once they have mastered it they go to the other as it is dealt with in different parts of the brain. Its more pronounced in boys than girls because boys tend to use one part of brain at a time, whereas girls can use many so normally develop both skills simultaneously.

FWIW my 17 month old ds is extremely active , running etc BUT cannot say ANY words except DADA.

I know another 19 month old baby who is not walking but says loads of words.

I am a special needs teacher btw. I don't think there is anything to worry about if this is the only milestone, and also he is still very much in the normal range. I did an MA in developmental movement and its perfectly normal, plus walking is not a measure of intelligence but language is.

my ds took about 4 months from walking with a babywalker to independant walking btw

DS didn't walk until 23 months, all his milestones were late - despite low apgars/scbu stay etc that warranted more investigation Paeds/Neuro initially wrote it off as late due to family trait. My DH didn't walk until he was 2 (spent most of his time in a baby pen and has Aspergers/dyspraxic issues) but I walked by 10 months, DD by 11 mths.

I was told subsequently that 18 mths was considered the end of the 'normal' range.

My DS has SN including mobility, muscle tone, posture etc problems - if he'd had physio/splints etc when he was younger he would have developed far more in line with his peers physically.

I tried my hardest to make them listen, even seeking a second opinion from a different Paeds Neurologist but it was an uphill struggle.

(Don't beat yourself up Cory, I was far from laid back and still took me years to get anywhere.)

He sounds within the normal range to me but there's absolutely no harm in going to chat to your HV to make you feel sure. They all do things at different rates and many children don't walk until two. You can still pick up mobility problems before this, though.

Hi all, DS had an appt with the GP today about his flaky scalp so I ran all this past him. Unfortunately it was a trainee GP who had to find another GP to ask him all the questons (!!!) but he did say he didn't think anything was wrong. He advised me to make an appt with the HV though as there would be no harm in it and to see her on a monthly basis while we monitor how he is doing. So DS has the HV next week and we will see what she says! Thanks for all your replies x