Gross motor skills developmental delay

[Mouseface]

I have posted this in Behaviour & Development too but wondered if any of you have experienced this?

DS 1yr, has been diagnosed with gross motor skills developmental delay.

I'm not at all surprised or worried tbh as he's had to fight a very tough battle in his first year with numerous hospital stays and has come close to losing said battles on more than one occasion.

Can anyone tell me what to expect when his community paediatrician is introduced?

Thank you in advance.

Hi Mouseface . Who has diagnosed your DS' delay?

I would expect a community paed to take a thorough history of your DS to date.

He may also carry out a general assessment to work out if he is just delayed with gross motor skills, or if his delay is more general (speech and language, fine motor, behaviour, etc).

He will likely refer to a physiotherapist, and possibly an OT. If your DS has any other delays, you may get a Portage referral, and Speech and Language therapy.

What is your instinct? Do you think it is only a gross motor delay, or are you concerned in other areas?

Hi Lou

Sorry for the delay, DS had a v bad reflux day yesterday.

I want to say DS is just delayed due to all he's been through but I'm not sure. I can't really call this. His Consultant Paed has given this diagonsis. I think he may just be ticking the boxes now DS has reached 1?

He has a SALT already and is NG fed. Always has been. DS has Oral Food Sensory Disorder, with a cleft palate too.

I did wonder if Physio would get involved.... build up his core strength. He sits unaided but sometimes falls back and has only just, we're talking days, started to roll over.

He doesn't crawl, sit from lying down or cruise. He doesn't shuffle on his bottom either so I think that's why CP wants to make sure it's nothing more........

I've had a call today to say comm paed will take weeks as she has a waiting list.

Mousie
Get in touch with DS paed to see if they can initiate other services such as physio and OT rather than waiting for the comm. paed. Early intervention is vital and your LO is an ideal candidate for help in his motor skills development, as he has some of the basics in place. Physio is your main saviour, so I would rattle a few cages to get your LO these services. Oh and Portage too!

beammeupscotty - thanks.

The more I think about it, the more I think I need to be a bit more shouty mummy and get it all in place sooner, rather than in God knows how many weeks once the comm paed sees him.

I have called his CCN who is brilliant and left a message. She'll know where to start in terms of names and places DS can go.