6.5 mo getting v worried about development. Help!!

[goldie12]

Looking for some honest opinions!! My DS is 6.5 months and I am worried about several things that he's not doing.

• Doesn't roll either way. Has nearly gone back to tummy a few times but can't seem to move his arm from underneath to get all the way over.

• Doesn't reach out for toys v often

• slow in other things,eg, only started grabbing his feet at 6 months

• Often won't give me any eye contact when sitting in high chair

• Mostly happy to lie on back and kick or sit up and look around

• Not upset if I take a toy away and can't pass things hand to hand (only does it by accident)

I think it's the not rolling and lack of motivation to move in any style that worries me most. Would appreciate any views. I kinda think he has weak arms, wrists.

On the plus side, he has been bearing weight on his legs since 3.5 months and loves to stand. He sits unaided (since 6 months) and has a wicked laugh!

Anyway, I won't waffle on any more. Do you think I should be worried

Ruty- Oh, the blood thing is very scarey isn't it. I bet you are so relieved. DS has been Ok since going onto Nutramigen- I also did 4 weeks of the dairy free diet and expressed for him. I'll definitely contact Paul Shattock, it will be good to see what he has to say.

Glad to hear your DS has mastered crawling. I don't think 10 months or so is late at all- I bet my DS won't crawl at all. I never did and was cack at all physical things. Everyone tells me he will go straight to walking as he loves standing so much.

My thoughts are all over the place atm! Don't think DS is behaving particularly strangely (not rocking or scared of noises or anything) but just seems behind on everything and not interested in moving. I now think the pursing lips thing means he's hungry as he stops after having his bottle. He does it all the time whilst in high chair- must be hungry but won't open mouth. Just scares me that DS fits into all the possible indicators of autism in some Canadian research I read- breech position, low birth weight, milk allergy, non roller, slow development etc. DH will be taking away the laptop soon I think

i'm starting to think you can find anything on the net that will fit some fear you have in your mind! Mumsnet has been brilliant for helping us and jimjams' expertise especially. The thing is, whatever it is [if anything] things can be done and its best to start being proactive as early as possible. From what you say your ds sounds fine, but i do now how worrying it is - i haven't stopped myself.

I've never been convinced by the rolling research goldie. I suspect it may pick up some children with autism, but I think it wouldn't distinguish between autism and say dyspraxia. And whilst dyspraxia is a PITA, it's not quite in the same league of PITAness as autism iykwim.

I think the slow development is linked to the children being more likely to be knocked off course - rather than them being slow because they are autistic. A least I've heard that said. The breech would probably only be relevant if there was oxygen starvation or something.

I can have days when I can 'make' ds3 fit an autism picture, and other days when I can make him normal. I think I'm pretty good a spotting autism young, but I think its very hard to be certain before about 12 - 15 months. Don't make yourself ill with worry- try the fatalistic approach- it keeps you saner.

Just wondering Jimjams- what is PITA? Also I see NT all over MN- what is that?!!!

PITA= pain in the arse!

NT= neurotypical ie "normal", here

love the website jimjams - never seen it before!

ruty and goldie - you may find this interesting. It's presentations from the autismone conference including one by Andy Wakefield. It's a bit tricky to tell from slides (may have to get the recordings) but it looks as if they think gut inflammation comes first, so atypical food substances pass into blood stream. neurological responses occur----> autism.

Lots on thimerosal as well- I'm just going through it all...

thanks jimjams - i read the wakefield one - fascinating how the japanese research is actually skewed. Still not sure about two things tho - by eradicating gluten and casein from my ds's diet can i prevent the potential brain damage from the molecules passing thru his leaky gut.
Also, could getting measles naturally have the same effect [trigger] on vulnerable children as having the measles vaccine? Haven't been able to find this answered anywhere.

yes I think removing gluten and casein does help prevent damage (I want to get the tapes though).

I think the point with the MMR is that mumps and? (was it measles or rubella- can't remember the paper now) in the same year naturally causes gut inflammation. Sooooo I think the tirgger in this case was the 2 too close together- you get the gut inflammation then the brain damage. Explains why Wakefield is still syaing you need them a year apart as well.

i still wonder if even a single measles vaccine would be a good idea for my ds...

did you dtp?

sorry can't remember!ds1 had single measles and stopped talking a month later. TBH I don't think it was the trigger for him, although time again I wouldn't give it to him.

nope. we've had nothing. Were thinking about a single hib before we go abroad, but don't think i can do it. Would like to have a single tetanus, but decided against anything with diptheria in it for now. Very worried about leaving him unprotected but i feel he is too vulnerable to experiment.

Thanks Jimjams, I will have a good look through all that. BTW, Are you sure 7 months is too early to start regressing? DS continues to refuse all solids and is still just making 'aaaaaaaaaaa' noises, no consonants. He used to use consonants. He seems happy in himself and is only chewing his hand a little more than normal. I have handed DS over to DH this weekend as I don't want DS picking up on my stress.

meant to say he's only chewing his hand a little more than normal so can't believe it's all down to teething.

goldie my ds stopped using consonants for a while but has now gone back to using them - mostly da, tho at the moment, but he does say ma and ga and the. i would avoid gluten as well as dairy if i were you.

lots of baby go thru hating food i think, it may be a phase.

Ruty, I will definitely avoid gluten for the time being.

DS doesn't seem to hate food...if I can sneak a mouthful into his mouth he doesn't protest at all but seems to show no emotion either way really. He used to be quite excitable in his highchair and then fuss and cry when he's had enough (what I consider normal behaviour). I wish he would just scream in his high chair if he didn't want any food. His lacklustre state is really hard to watch.

oh no I think children can regress at any time. I just meant that losing sounds at 6 months is normal I think as the way babbling is produced switches at that age- I think babies start tuning in more to local language- so in other words I didn't think that was necessarily a sign of a regression.

You probably just have a very happy little man. All 3 of mine have been pretty laid back, but only one is autistic. (I hope!)

Have you thought about doing baby yoga. I bought a book this week- ds3 loves it- and it's got lots of good exercises for if there was a problem iyswim. Also how about Baby Sign? The sing and sign dvd is good if you don't want to go to classes. Also the makaton dave video. Useful either way. I'm just starting to sign with ds3. I think the makaton vocabulary development project are releasing a sign with baby course soon.

You're not anywhere near me are you? we could meet up and be paranoid together

Goldie, you really sound a bit overwrought to me. I have two children. My son who is now nearly four is dyspraxic - which is a bit of a shame and does bother me a bit, but to be honest, I'm pretty sure I'm dyspraxic too (totally uncoordinated, couldn't ever hit a ball back in tennis, not even once, cant catch, messy, always late, can't read a map, no sense of direction etc) ) He was totally inert at six months - never reached, rolled, crawled, bum shuffled or anything, but started walking at about 14months. He's still a painfully slow walker, crap at anything like jumping, pedalling etc, and slightly socially immature, but bright as anything, can do maths, read a bit, can count to 100 in French (or practically ) all sorts of things. He is fantastic and lovely. DD is quite different. At nearly six months she is rolling, into all sorts, can roll to get places - reaches out, grabs things that I thought were out of her reach etc. But both of my children are fine in the great scheme of things. Could be a lot, lot worse.
I just don't see that your son is behind at all. If he has sat unaided since six months, that's pretty advanced IMO. Dd (whom I consider a wonder child in terms of physical development) is a week off six months and only found her feet a couple of weeks ago and can't sit unaided yet - in fact she doesn't really sit even propped (still think she is ultra-strong wonder child though). Ds never played with his feet as a baby and was still v wobbly at sitting at seven months and wasn't any good at it really until at least 8. DD loves her baby gym (yes, still - but then I see two year olds who love them and ds sometimes gets under it too to be sociable!). She's not very upset if I take a toy away (as far as I know, object constancy is still pretty weak at this age - ie if they can't see it, it doesn't exist). There's nothing at all wrong with a baby wanting to lie on their back and look around.
I think six months is still quite early for a lot of this sort of thing. My ds was a long way behind your baby at the same age (certainly didn't bear weight on his legs, for example) and yes, he's dyspraxic, and it is a PIA sometimes, but it's not the end of the world, and certainly not worth worrying his delicious babyhood away for.

I had kind of dismissed baby yoga as I know someone that used to go and she didn't rate it much. What's the book...might be worth me doing it at home. Signing- I would like to do and there are local classes. I like to go to lots of classes etc but have not done much lately as am paranoid people are judging DS as he doesn't roll etc etc and just seems out of it at the moment with pursed lips etc- I'm aware what a sad state that is to be in as DS loves being out at things, though hates his pushchair.

Yes would be good to get paranoid together...was saying that to DH the other day!! You're probably down the road all this time!!

do you honestly think anyone is looking at your tiny, lovely baby sitting in his pushchair and thinking 'ooh look that baby can't roll over"!!

aloha, i totally see what you're saying and am really questioning my sanity this week too. My DS seems to be struggling in all areas though not just physically and his speech and eating have gone right back. I am overwraught you're right but you have no idea how much happier I would be if he improved slightly in just one of those areas. I know what you're thinking...he could roll, say dada and feed himself finger foods next week. However, I normally just lurk a bit on boards like this. My worry has built up slowly and it says a lot that I have turned to mn to ask for this support. Glad I have though . Also had a lot of worry before DS born as he didn't grow well in my 3rd trimester and was born under 5lb, he's now 17lb so maybe his energies have gne into catching up brilliantly? Also had probs with not getting the hang of bf, fickle bottle feeding and later lots of spit up and proj. vomitting. Rightly or wrongly I feel a bit overwhelmed by it all...i am normally v strong but am just so ready for some more goood times

No of course not! I just find it quite hard when all of DS's peers are doing something new all the time. It's just worrying me at the moment...everyone is different aloha