Should I be concerned that my 7mo isn't managing to pick up things with her hands?

[katykuns]

My DD is 7mo... I only ask if it is normal, as have read things about 4mo's being ready for BLW when they can pick things up and put them in their mouths.

She can grab things that are put in her hands, but her hands very quickly release what she is holding on to. She can't move them to her mouth, even with encouragement.

Should I be worried? Is there anything I can do to improve her hand-eye coordination?

no, it's fine.

4mos are usually not picking things up and putting them to their mouths.

is she meeting most of the other milestones?
if so, it's just about practice - keep putting things in front of her and she'll get the hang of it.
she won't starve, just keep making sure she has plenty of her usual milk feeds.

Actually, I disagree, if at 7 months she isn't picking things up by herself, isn't holding onto anything she is given and couldn't put something in her mouth, I would definitely go and see my GP and ask for a referral.

We are doing mostly milk feeds with one or two solid feeds by spoon at the moment.

Her general development seems normal to me. She hasn't quite got rolling over yet, but is now sitting up. Also, babbling like an old woman ;)

When in her activity chair, she will touch things with her hands, but when it comes to holding something, she will only grab when placed in her hand, and pretty much instantly lets go, splaying out her fingers...

I agree with chipping. Not grasping or mouthing at 7 months should be checked out.

Chipping - that was why I asked if she had met her other milestones.
You're right, it's a good idea to check, though.

i don't know. I take it back.

when you say she drops them, does she just drop them when you hand them to her, or does she drop them when she tries to move them to her mouth? there's a big difference in that - if she's not gripping at all, then definitely refer, but if it's gripping then dropping them when she moves them around, it's different.

For example, if I give her her teething keys, I place them in her hand... she moves her hand round to her side, and drops them. If I try to move something whilst in her hand to her mouth, she automatically lets go...

It has a slight air of 'urgh! I don't want this... take it away!' hehe

I think it might be worth checking out - could be entirely within the normal range of development or could be an issue worth pursuing. My (now 10.5 mo) DD at 7 months was starting to pincer grip, and was feeding herself finger foods.

I'm sure she will progress though! In the meantime it may be worth offering finger foods as per BLW to get her used to handling fiddly items?

Does she reach out and grab your clothes/hair/glasses?

if you put a stick of carrot into her hand, what exactly does she do?

when she's playing around by herself, does she pick anything up?

If I am carrying her, she will grip to my clothes. She doesn't go out of her way to reach and grab out at things within her reach particularly...

there is a normal developmental trait where a child will drop something on purpose to make you pick it up (it's around when they get object permanence), but normally they are holding it themselves first.

So the general consensus is see the GP/health visitor?

I do think you should see your GP. Of course all babies develop differently, but I you're now probably outside the standard spread of ages for grasping and mouthing.

I think you should get it checked too. Is she not trying to pick up anything & everything to give it a good chew? What does she do with a rattle? DS is 7mo on Xmas Day and seems pretty average in our NCT group and has a spoon at meal times which he waves around, a tommee tippee cup which he lifts and chews and, occasionally by luck rather than skill, drinks from, will wave a rattle, bang on a drum and is always trying to grab things to chew on.

I agre with chipping and others, I'd see about a referral if I was you.

Ds2 is just 7mo and he's only in the last week or so got the hang of finger food but he's been reaching out and grabbing things since he was about 4mo and now is quite accurate in his grabs (eg can pick up a lift out puzzle piece by its' peg). personally I wouldn't be worried by the not eating finger food but if not grabbing/gripping/mouthing etc then might be worth seeing your gp/HV just to check all is ok.

Has she never been able to grab things or is it something that she's got worse with?