Gross motor difficulties?

[Paribus]

Wanted to ask you all for an advice really- my DS (8 months) is not pulling up to sit and is not crawling. He is sitting very well when sat, he rolls over, he is very engaged, etc- but he doesn't do the above.
My DD (3 years old) has verbal dyspraxia so I am watching my son like a hawk, and I am getting very, very concerned that he seems to be behind with these important developmental stages. My DD doesn't have motor problems, she sat/crawled/walked quite early, so it's all new to me.
DS was seen by paed, neurologist and physio- they say he is very heavy (over 11 kilos now), so it will take longer for him to do these things. However, I really don't want to lose time tbh. What would you personally do- get another opinion? Who do you think shall we go to for an assessment (London)? Or is it best to wait and see???
TA

Bump

I personally HATE the wait and see option, BUT...8 months is still early to say if there is a developmental issue in these areas...maybe let your HV know your concerns and ask for an appointment every month to discuss this and check on progress??

personally my DS (1st child) didnt roll over till he was 9 months, Sit till he was 10 months, pull up till 11 months, try and walk aided till 14 months and eventually tried walking at 15 months......and NOBODY said this was "of concern".

yes it was "late" but its was not late enough for anyone to be concerned at the time.

He now has borderline dyspraxia, but he also was DX with Nystagmus, a visual imparement, and also had glue ear from a very young age.....all of which could and would have contributed to the delay.

My DD (2nd child) however did everything BANG on time. she was walking for her first birthday, confidently, and is a very energetic 5YO who does gymnastics, cheerleading, dance etc...lol

So basically, dont panic, but dont ignore your gut instincts. Dont be disheartned if people dont listen to you at first, but dont be put off, and make sure your concerns are known.

Hope you understand what i meen....

xxxxxx

Thank you, Angel. He was seen by paed, physio and neurologist (yep, crazy mum) and they all say it's because he's so heavy, but I am still very concerned. No one listened when I self- diagnosed my DD (verbal dyspraxia), so my faith in "doctors know best" has somewhat lessened ;((.

From what I have read, sitting up from lying is by 11 months and some babies start to walk before they can crawl so I really don't think your ds is showing delays at this stage. He is sitting well and can roll - two things my dd certainly couldn't do by 8 months and problems with these milestones can be a red flag for any gross motor difficulty.

You sound really concerned and I can understand if your concerns about dd weren't listened to at the start. However, lots of babies don't crawl and his weight could well mean that it will take him a little longer to become mobile. Please try not to worry but if he is not making progress I would of course follow it up and push for another physio/paed referral.

My DD has motor problems but can walk fine and run, after a fashion, now she is 5. At 8 months she couldn't do anything, if put in sitting position she fell straight over and her head still lagged when pulled up.

She was only said to have 'mild motor delay'. She crawled at 13 months and walked at 2.

Your DS sounds far ahead of her so I wouldn't worry.

Too early.

I know you want a crystal ball, but it's really too early for anyone to make any meaningful guesses. You'd probably find someone to take your money, but you really would be just paying them to guess. No guarantees whether they would be right or wrong.

Drink lots of tea and get out and about, and try not to think about it for another few months at least.

All three of mine were very different, and IMO it's got feck all to do with size. Ds1 was a total heffalump and did everything v early. He'd just heft his lard around with him. Skinny dd1 was a wait and see baby. On the latter side of normal.

Dd2 was seriously delayed across the board.

8 months isn't really late for pulling to sit and crawling. I'm not sure why you have had so many specialists checking him out, but if that is the only marker you are concerned about, then wait another couple of months and reassess.

I do know it's hard. But there's no way to speed up time.

If you want to do something anything and are desperate to splash cash, just pay for a private physio. It won't do ds any harm at all, and tbh even if there did turn out to be a gross motor delay, that's all you'd get offered anyway, so you'd be ahead of the game.

Thank you, survivingwinter. I was reading that sitting from lying should be within 6-9 months range. Are you sure it's 11 months? That would lift a weight off my shoulders a little bit ;).
Thank you, Fanjofirtgemammaries. I am so sorry about your DD- how is she now?
Thank you, madwomanintheattic. I don't think about it all the time, but I won't deny that I am very worried. He had 2 sessions of physio, we are doing exercises with him at home. It's just it never happened to my DD, despite her dyspraxia, so I am very new to it. You said your DD2 was seriously delayed across the board- can I ask in what way? And how is she now?

She has cerebral palsy, originally dx spastic quad just before she was 2, re-dx athetoid cp at 4. Before that she was just 'developmentally delayed'.

She's 8 now and walks, runs, goes to ballet, brownies, swimming lessons, and skis. This summer she wants to learn to rock climb.

She got her first standing frame at 12mos and her walking frame before she was 2. She used her walker until the end of yr r.

Honestly? Just keep up with the physio and keep yourself busy. Whatever will be will be, and worrying about it will make you crazy. I know.

Yes, they use nuffield with DD. Thank you, MW- can't help worrying though :). So glad your DD is doing so well, you must be really proud of her!!!

Bump

Paribus, none of my 3 DS's could sit without being placed in a sitting position, and then unsteady at 8 months. They all walked at 12 or 13 months. All DS2 and 3 did was a sort of press-up thing when on their tummies. Everything happened quite quickly between 9 and 12 months. And they were on the early side of normal to walk. I do think weight has an effect, in my group of friends the lighter children got mobile earlier than the heavier ones.

I have never seen sitting from lying at 6-9 months honestly - it's way too young.

I have an 8, nearly 9, month old & he is exactly (I got the red books out to check!) on par with my other three kids. He's babbling, rolling, sitting, starting to crawl (commando), mouthing objects, banging them together & transferring from one hand to another. None of mine have been able to sit themselves up from lying down until they were crawling properly - at 10 months - they have all walked at 12 months.

EllenJane, thank you. Your DC did not have any motor problems, did they?

Architeuhis, thank you. My DD started to sit up from lying when she was 6 and a half months. She crawled when she was about 8 and a half months iirc. Your youngest- you say he is sitting- do you mean when you place him in the sitting position or does he sit up by himself?

no he can't sit himself up yet - if I sit him up then he can stay there until he get's interested in something & then he'll try to roll/wriggle towards it. He can correct himself if he starts to wobble over (sideways or forwards/backwards) & will try to do 'sit ups' if he's flat on his back but he can't sit up from lying down.

my ds2 has ASD & dyspraxia but there were no differences at all between his early (pre 2yo) motor development & that of his nt siblings. I do know the worry of being on the looking out for early signs of developmental disorders :(

Architeurhis, the worry is horrible, isn't it? How do you manage to deal with it? I am always looking, always comparing, always worrying :((.

DS2 has ASD, but apart from poor fine motor and extreme clumsiness he's no mobility problems. DS3 was very closely monitored (by me) but is merely quirky, not dxable. I do know the worry... I really think it's too early to tell, though, but keep monitoring, mums' instincts should never be ignored.

I'm on my second time with the worrying now - it was much worse with dd2 who was born only a few weeks before ds1's diagnosis. What helps me is having a plan.

• I have a mental list of developmental red flags that are really important to me (e.g. triadic gaze, pointing, imitation, responding to name, babbling). Beyond those I try not to obsess.

• I have (already - I know it makes me sound neurotic but it actually reduces my anxiety) a VB-MAPP (which is a skills assessment used in ASD) going for ds2, I am aware of what he's doing & where he's progressing. He's only got a few skills but just having it helps get worried out of my head & onto paper.

• I stated some early intervention stuff with ds2 this week, I did the same with dd2 - I have no reason to suppose he 'needs' it but he'll benefit regardless.

• ds2 has a developmental review with ds1's paediatrician booked for when he is 18 months old.

• he will have the M-CHAT screening.

If I have concerns (or the paed does) then I will bring in ds1's ABA consultant. By some weird twisted logic it helps to know that all of ds1's progress has been because of us - we have had no effective statutory input & we manage. ds2 is my last baby; most of dd2's first 18 months passed in a daze of panic & misery, I can't even remember most of it. I want to enjoy ds2's babyhood, whatever the future brings :)

I wouldnt start worrying about ASD...it took forever to diagnose DD with ASD because she had motor problems which we were told are rare with ASD.

Sorry, Paribus, I wasn't trying to suggest your DS may have ASD, just that once one child has a DX of something, you do worry about the next.

Architeuthis, may I ask what early intervention are you doing with ds2? I am doing a bit of physio with him, but that's all.
EllenJane, you do worry, don't you? It's just you suddenly realize that good health is not something granted but rather something given....

Hi Paribus,

I know it's really hard not to worry, but 8 mths is still relatively early; my DN was also quite big & didn't crawl until she was 1 or walk until she was 2, she is now 7 with no further development delays.

If it helps, my DD has Down's, so has significant gross motor skill development delays, some of the exercises we've found to help build muscle tone included:

1. swimming - it's the best all round muscle builder
2. plenty of tummy time, as it helps build upper body strength & helps the forearms, both important for sitting.
3. I got a great book out of the library whilst we waited for the physio, it was by Gymboree and had over 100 fun play activities for babies & toddlers, all of which were split into different skill set e.g. Gross or fine motor etc.

HTH & good luck.

for us the main worry is ASD. I'm not doing anything complicated - a bit of ABA motor imitation, Hanen type stuff for attention, just making sure he has a few times a day of proper one to one type & play rather than getting lost in the melee of the other children.

Proudmum, thank you. Will have a look at amazon re the book.
Archieteuthis, thank you. I am trying to find time for DS, but it is not easy :(. I am thinking more along dyspraxia lines obviously due to DD.