Should I consult a HV about my non-walking lazy little sausage?

[rolledhedgehog]

My DS2 who is 19 months is not walking. He has gone from bum shuffling to crawling. A couple of weeks ago he took a few steps and a few more the next day but since then nothing....it is mighty frustrating! He is third born so he does have two slaves to go and get him things which does not help motivate him.

He walks with a walker and holding hands but he is wobbly and seems to think it is much better to crawl and falls to the ground.

All his other development is normal but the constant queries about whether he is walking yet are getting to me.

So tell me, should I talk to the HV about him. I am getting concerned that I will have to do so in a few months and then they will think I am really slack!

I would. My dd was the same and in her case it turned out there was a physical cause (she is hypermobile).

Ok. Do you mind me asking what the implications of that are?

My DD 19mths has also recently been diagnosed as hyper mobile.

She is now walking and has been for about 6 wks but is very shaky.

Your HV or GP can check out your LOs hips/knees/ankles to see if there is a problem.

If you are hypermobile, it means the joints can bend too far/or bend the wrong way. So it naturally makes it harder to keep your body balanced. It is often combined with hyoptonia (floppiness). Physio can help with developing muscle strength.

Some people become less hypermobile as they grow older. For others, being hypermobile can actually be an advantage- think ballet dancers or pianists.

For a very small percentage, hypermobility goes on to cause problems with mobility and pain (hypermobility syndrome). My dcs are in this category. But most people probably don't notice it much at all.

My DD just finds ir hard to walk as its like her hips don't lock in place iyswim which then causes her to fall over so much.

Physio is helping and we have sessions every 10wks and various exercises to strengthen the muscles in her legs to help her walk better.

Ds2 (also 3rd born) was just like your son at 21 months got out of pushchair walked across playground and climbed to the top of the slide. He hasn't stopped since.

Thanks everyone. Well, a few hours after I posted that he did walk across the dining room and has done lots more since but he is very wobbly and falls over much more than I recall the others doing. The falling is putting him off and he returns to the crawling. Watching him walking has also made me realise just how short his legs are (takes after me sadly).

It is odd as he climbs up slides and manages the stairs etc. I think I will give it a couple of weeks to see if he improves and if no progress I will take him to the GP.