PLEASE HELP - Thinking of seeing a private physio to see if 10 month old DD has a degree of hypermobility - good idea or not?

[CurryMaid]

I've posted before about my DD and the fact that I think she may possibly have some degree of hypermobility.

Brief background - she is 10.5 months and although she can bear weight on her legs she can't for long and doesn't seem to like to do this at all.

She can't crawl, won't lie on her front or move at all including bum shuffling. I know babies all develop at different rates but I see her being bendy in ways that her similar aged contemporaries really aren't! When she sits she her legs can basically be at 180 degree angles from each other; she can also twirl her wrists and angles through 360 degrees.

I haven't approached my Dr's surgery about this but don't hold out much hope that they would be interested in referring her for a physio assessment - the HV is not concerned as she can weight bear to some extent.

I'm thinking of paying for one session of private physio for them to assess her - DH saw a physio at £35 a session and I can find £35 to pay for an assessment. I'm hoping it will give me an answer one way or another as to whether DD could do with some extra help or not.

Is this a good idea or not?

Thanks!

Well we only have 2 choices at our practice. I made an apt for one of them, don't think it matters as it's just the paed referral you want and anyone of them can do that.
I basically said that i was concerned re dd's mobility capabilities and that after observing her and doing some research i was concerned she has some hypermobility in her joints. At this point he/she may well start giving you the mantra... which consists of "she will go when she's ready" etc etc.
Just say, you are pleased that he/she thinks that but with all due respect are not prepared to leave the surgery until a referral to a paediatrician has been made. be strong, and determined. And most of all, come back and tell us if you succeeded!

PS... I would get a referral to a paediatrician and not a physio first. That's the way i did it and it was very speedy.
Also, don't tell the receptionist anything, tis nothing to do with them. I accept it's not an emergency so you probably won't see the gp tom but when they ask just say it's a "developmental concern", maybe cry a bit too

Our paediatrician referred us to physio although not until ds started walking. Before then he would just monitor ds when he saw him 6 weekly for other health problems.

We never had a problem getting ds to do the physio as the physio made the exercises seem like playing.

I got completely fed up with everyone else in our NCT group sitting up, crawling and walking months despite ds being 3 months older than some of them!

Ok thank you so much everybody, I am going to phone the GP tomorrow and ask for a referral to a peadiatrician.

I guess I have already taken the first step as it were as I asked the HV to come and see me re: dd's development the other week so I guess I can't be fobbed off in that way (she was v nice but basically said no concerns as she had the ability to weight bear).

Whoever it was who asked about finding time for swimming (sorry, can't find who said it!) that will be no problem. I am on M/L til end of August then going back 3 days a week but finishing at 3PM on days I work so no problem there.

I will call them in the morning and update the thread.

Thank you all, you have been lovely tonight.

DD sees a pead every 3mths (for other health problems) but he does keep an eye on her hypermobility too.

MollieO - I feel the same as you

Went to toddler group with DD today for the first time in a few wks (she had been ill) and I got lots of "Is she still not walking yet??"

Grrr...

Good luck curry and keep in touch.

my dd was just like yours. she is 7 now. I wasn't really too concerned abuot her development, but did notice she was much later than most with sitting up, standing, walking.

Then you get all that 'oh but she's just late' stuff by gp's hv's and other mums.

I did notice she was walking on the inside of her fet, that her arches wasnon existent. Again. 'oh it's normal for toddlers to do this'. Yet when she got to about 3/4 I took her to the gp who got a refferal to a paediatritian who inturn reffered her to orthotics.

Then we got 'yes she's hypermobiel' and we'll give her someinsoles for her shoes. As By this stage one of her feet was turning inward.

The shoes were a nightmare, that is, trying to find shoes to fit with the insole put in, or trying to find shoes where you could take the insole out and insert your. Also, finding sandals was hard. No doodles in this house as her feet were too flappy and penguin like with out them. She wore Clarks trainers that had ankle support most of the time.

This year I got her reffered again, and mentioned the hypermobility. The consultant was very flip, said oh most kids are to a degree. The he tested her and had to admit yes she was very lax in the joints.

I did feel a bit like, hey noone has picked up on this much, but still had her walkingbeen really bad and she's been tripping over herslef I'd have been more insistent early on iyswim?

Now she has some shoes to help straighten her wonky foot. BUT it being summer she's now in her timberland sandals. The consulatnat even said to to me, that having the special shoes was 'my call'

great.

i have hypermobility too. I fear for my dd, cos i had spd in pregnancy and beyond.

oh and my dd has a clicky hip at bitth, the same side as the foot that turns in now.

Thanks everyone, I've mad a GP appt for tomorrow but it is sounding as though the GP to peadiatrician to physio process could take months.

Have spoken to a local kids physio and she is going to come round tomorrow and do an assessment for an hour. Will take it from there.

Thanks again for all your advice.

My son had his first assessment with a community paediatrian and a child physio at our local child development centre. My son had orthopedic problems and his feet were stuck in a tiptoe position. I am not sure what exactly caused my son's problems. It wasn't hypermobility. My suspicisions is that my son's feet got into an awkward position in the womb.

We had to do a lot of stretches which he hated. He also had orthorics which he seemed to outgrow faster than the orthorist could make them.

If you have found a local kids physio then paying for a private assessment is a good idea.

Curry, don't know if it's an area thing, or maybe because dd was already 21 months when she was seen... but, my paed appointment was 2 weeks after i saw the GP and then physio a week after that.

Waiting lists vary considerally round the country. It also depends on the nature of the problem.

For example if you have a newborn with tallipes then starting physio early is essential to avoid a nasty operation.

Five years ago my son had to wait 4 weeks for the community paediatrian and 4 months for physio. I believe that some parts of the country have worst waits.

with my dd, it was the walking in or 'pronating' that alerted me to a possible problem. I essentially asked for her to be seen about that, but had to wait til she was about 3, as they kept saying it may right itself. I guess this is becuase so many babie's and todlers walk similarly, and you have to wait till their little feet have developed. i 'knew' she wasn't right tho, but nothing cuold have been done earlier to prevent this.

Thanks everyone, I know the wait for physio is humungous as when DH saw the GP he was told he would have to wait months if he wanted to see a physio on the NHS.

I'm going to see what she says tomorrow, then maybe approach the GP as well.

Paedratric physio is a seperate waitin list to adult physio. You could post on the special needs board to get an idea what the wait is like for a paediatric physio in your area.

Thanks reallytired, I still don't hold out much hope as my friend's DS waited for 7 months in all to see an NHS physio.

I will speak to the GP, and ask for a referral but I would prefer to also be working on exercises that the private physio said they could give us in the interim.