son not standing yet

[MUSA]

My son is 13month's old now and can't even stand yet, im so worryed. I think im gonna wait another month before i take him for a check up.

Every time i stand him up he will sit back down, im not sure if he is lazy, or just can't do it.

He is my first child, does anybody else have this problem, im very worryed.

[aloha]

Amazingly, he was 14 months - I have a picture of him pushing a toddle truck! He didn't walk much, or for long at that age. He is still very, very slow and clumsy, but he walked OK within the normal time frame - sooner, in fact than my friend's little girl (the 16th month girl) but she is now 2 to my son's three, and I think she will soon be outstripping him in physical skills. You can't always tell how they will turn out. But I do think bumshuffling is good. As I said, my ds was immobile until he walked, which was pretty handy in some ways (he was very patient) but I think an early sign of his motor planning difficulties.

[aloha]

I certainly don't want to worry you - ds may be a rubbish climber, pedaller, can't jump etc, but he's very bright, clever and happy (IMO!) and will be able to do all those things in time.

[motherinferior]

I apologise, KATG, I do fully see your point and in fact I wasn't trying to say 'he's definitely fine'. I think in retrospect I would have been much more worried about dd1 if (a) she hadn't been my first so I didn't have someone like DD2 to compare with (b) her childminder hadn't reassured me, in particular about her fine motor skills. I did ask about it at her 12-month checkup too.

[bakedpotato]

well, musa, you asked if anyone else's child was unable to stand at 13months. YES. dd didn't sit up til 9 months, didn't crawl til 13ms, and didn't walk till 15 ms. can't remember about the standing, but i'm sure she only got interested in it shortly, ie a few weeks, before starting to walk.

i think she was much more interested in speech than mobility. she talked early.

i don't think, looking around, that your son's situation is THAT unusual?

if you're really worried (i wasn't, for some reason), then trust your instinct and go to the gp. but if you just feel pressurised by seeing what his peers are up to, or by offhand comments, then for goodness' sake don't rush to panic.

[clary]

musa I think kate and the girls makes a good point. get it checked out if you are worried. FWIW my DS1 was a late-ish walker, 16.5mo, and at that stage couldn't pull up to standing unaided either.
He has very flexible joints and in fact is not and never has been the world's best at gross motor skills (not great at gym, late hopper, still can't skip). Not a serious problem but the point is these milestones have a purpose and it does sound to me that you might want to see your doc if only to set yr mind at rest.
That said, bum shufflers are often late walkers, as they can already see what's going on so why walk?
I know mn-ers want to be reassuring, but I'm with Kate; there are problems that do need to be addressed and the earlier they are picked up the better.

[Caroline5]

I agree - if you are at all worried, it is worth getting it checked out. Otherwise you could miss your ds's childhood worrying. As fio says, physio waiting lists can be long. That said, I've known several bum-shuffler children who have taken their time in standing/walking. I think there is a definite link.

We have quite a few physio exercises for my dd2 (who has special needs) to encourage standing. These include :

• sitting on parent's knee on floor and rocking to strengthen leg muscles and balance. Encourage your son to bend down and pick up toys from the floor in this position.
  
• low and high kneeling eg at toy box, low table
  
• sit your ds on your knees in front of the sofa and then lift yourself up to kneeling so he stands up (have a few toys on sofa), then let him sit back down again. This will strengthen muscles and build confidence.
  
  Sorry if this has turned into a physio lesson! It's just a few of the ideas we have been given by our physio for dd (who is 3 1/2...)

[MUSA]

Thank's caroline5 im gonna try those techniques

[nightowl]

my ds never crawled, i dont remember when he stood but he didnt walk until 18 months (and that was only when he started spending a lot of time with another baby who could walk). he was 7 weeks prem so that MAY have had something to do with it but i think still it was quite late. however hes fine now. obviously if youre worried then check it out.

[handbagaddiction]

Musa,

Do let us know what your GP says if you do get him checked out. For what it's worth, we already do lots of the exercises that Caroline has mentioned with our dd - especially the ones where we prop her up. She actually does enjoy them quite a bit.

HBA

[MUSA]

HandbadAddition i will let you know what the doctor say' thank's for making me feel better.

I love mumsnet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

[KateandtheGirls]

Motherinferior - apology received and accepted!

[deegward]

musa, I'm sure everyone has said the same, but ds2 didn't crawl, move or anything until he was 14 months, then he didn't walk until he was almost 18 months. He is now almost running everywhere, and dances alot to the music.

[KTP]

Musa, sorry I am kind of highjacking your thread, but my DD is slow at these milestones as well.
She is 13 1/2 months, not crawling (although has now started looking keen and is rocking) and likes to stand holding on to me (has bugger all balance so crashes every which way if left holding onto the sofa). I am a physio and laugh with my friends about what a crap physio I must be (although my specialist area is nothing to do with child development), but secretly it has been bothering me recently, especially as all her friends of the same age are walking!

[misdee]

dont want to pooh pooh your worries, but dd1 didnt wal till 16months. thin kshe stood shortly before that. my neice who is now 22months old only started standing and walkign over the summer. she definatly wasnt attmpting to stand at 13months, she was a bum shuffler too. neice was referred to be checked out at 17months, shortly after appt was amde, neice started to stand, and walked a few weeks after that. hurrah!!

its worth getting things checked out with HV/GP, even if it just puts your mind at rest.

[handbagaddiction]

Musa,

A quick update - having been very comfortable with DD's progress, a few of the posts on this thread turned me into 'paranoid' mummy!! So, I decided to follow up and took dd to the GP this morning to get her checked out. All in all, the gp doesn't think there is anything wrong with her - her hips and spine are fine and her language and fine motor skills above average for her age group. She also confirmed the view that bum sufflers do take longer to get walking than crawlers. BUT just to satisfy her now extremely 'paranoid' mother, she has offered to refer us to the paediatrician.

She also said that by the time we get an appointment, dd would probably be walking anyway and if that was the case, we should just cancel it.

So...I'm now back to where I was and feel much more comfortable about her progress. Do let me know how you get on with your ds though?

[moosh]

My mum said that I didn't walk till I was about 18 months. I was a sprinter for the school and the county from 10-15 years old. I am sure he is fine, but I am no health visitor or doc, so take him if you feel really concerned.

[Mirage]

DD's little friend who is 12 months doesn't stand either,she sits straight back down too, if held up.Her mum isn't worried & says that she is lazy.