Sitting up perfectly and now refuses to do it

[JD178103]

Hi,

Wondering if you can help and hopefully reassure us. We have an 11 months old little boy who let's just say has really taken his time to sit (I think he takes from his daddy's laziness!). About 6 weeks ago he finally managed to sit without support and has been so happy. Unfortunately a few days ago he fell backwards and hit his head on wooden floor. As soon as it happened we picked him up and he stopped crying within 5 minutes. No visible bruise, no vomit, no behavioral change but one thing does worry us now. Since that incident he just refuses to sit. Everytime we sit him down he cries and just tries to throw himself backwards. The only way we can get him to sit now is by putting lots of pillows behind him to support him. It's such a shame considering how far he's come.

Has anyone else experiences this and if so how do you get your child to sit properly again? Or is it just a case of him being scared and giving him some time?

Thanks for your help!
Julie

How's the rest of his motor skills? Does he stand up? Crawl? I'm wondering if sitting up actually takes a lot of effort from him?

I think there is nothing you can or should do but just build his confidence. You can't force him.

Thank you. He has never crawled but stands up fine (once you stand him up). He loves walking when you hold his hands and spends a lot of time in his walker going around the house.

It's just that he sat so well before and now since he hit his head he just refuses to sit hence why we are worried.

should you take him to health visitor?, to explain - he is obviously doing things differently, perhaps if you keep on with the pillows he will gain confidence,
i know my hv was concerned when mine wasnt sitting/crawling at 7 months which she started soon after my hv raised the concern.
doesnt he get frustrated not being able to move?

if he lays on his tummy does he commando crawl?

he hates tummy time and just screams. He is now 11 months and has never crawled. But he does stand on his own and if he holds both your hands he can walk. We just dont understand as he sat perfectly on his own before and since he hit his head falling backwards he just refuses to sit now.

is this helpful?
www.earlyinterventionsupport.com/qa-11-month-old-crawling-pulling-standing/

it suggests limited walkers

Can he roll over? If you were to leave him lying on the floor would he stay in the same place or move around the room somehow - by rolling or 'caterpillaring'? If you gently lift him from lying by his arms what does his head do? If he's lying on his front can he push himself up?

I would limit his time in the walker as that encourages tiptoe walking. Did he have an 8 month check with a HV? I would contact yours and see if they'll come out and see him to check him over.

Hi, watching with interest as my ds is 9 mo and similar. He has recently started throwimg himself backwards but mostly does that if I am sitting behind him (therefore does it to see me!)..he is strong on his legs but hates tummy time, always has. He is a big boy and I think his upper body strength can't match his lower body..bless him. I have noticed him trying to move more in the last few weeks and suspect I may have a bum shuffler on my hands.

It could be that he equates sitting with hurting his head - I remember DS1 taking his first steps and then falling and twisting his ankle. It was months before he tried walking again. From your description he seems to be actively not sitting rather than being unable to.

I don't think the actual bump is physically causing him not to sit though, which seems to be one of your worries.

Will he sit with something to hold onto? My baby can't sit unaided yet but he happily sits by himself with one hand holding onto a low basket or my finger, maybe doing that would increase his confidence again.

Thank you all. Yes he still sits perfectly fine when he knows there is support behind him i.e. his highchair. He sat in there this morning for breakfast and kept leaning forwards to eat as well as playing with his "tray toy" so i am definitely of the mind that he is just scared to sit by himself now. We've also messaged his pediatrician and seems to think it's now a psychological issue rather than physical since the fall. Just such a shame as it took us a long time to get him to sit unaided in the first place. In terms of crawling, he has never shown any signs of even wanting to. There is no bum shuffling or rocking. If you lie him down on his front, he just cries and makes zero attempt to move. But when holding him and walking between our legs, he really enjoys that and goes step by step with flat feet - We don't have to worry about walking on tip-toes with him. He also sees an osteopath once a month as had a very flat head for a while due to lying on his back the whole time but luckily that has now almost disappeared with spending more time sitting and trying to get him on his front. So from birth he has hated being on his front which has caused us issues all along. Basically he just seems to do what he wants and when he wants!!

so what does your paediatrician advise?
sit with cushions?

awwww, that strong will, will take him far eventually.

I'd just humour him. Let him stand instead, or put him in a walker that he knows is supportive. He'll get his nerve back soon enough.

I might be inclined to get him checked out. In case you need a bit of advice from physio to bring on motor skills in general.

Can you do something like play "row row row your boat" which involves sitting whilst holding hands? You could hold him less and less - or have him hold onto your fingers so he is in control of the support. He might forget about the fear of falling.

has your paediatrician seen him lately? i would physically go for a check up just to make sure all is ok.