Concerned about baby's development

shortdog

Always_Alone wrote: »

Other mums really can be the worst can't they?

I echo what others have said - he'll move when he's good and ready, and not a minute before. And, after a week or two, you'll be longing for the days when he sat still!

Ignore the other mums - they will never change, and, when their kids are at school, will be comparing reading age, race times from sports day, number of pictures painted in a year, and all sorts of other ridiculous things. However, when you applied for your uni place, or your last job, were you asked at what age you walked? Or potty trained? Or said your first word? It's not a race, and really makes no difference in the end up.

There was a mum in my antenatal group who was a nightmare. During one conversation, she managed to make me feel like my daughter was backwards and slow as she wasn't yet crawling (at about 8-9 months), and tell another mum that her son would end up bandy-legged as he was cruising already. Some people are never happy unless their kids are the best at everything, first to achieve it all, and just wonderful in every way. Console yourself with the thought that these kids will probably go on to be first in their school year to become pregnant, first to be expelled, etc etc. Might not be true, but makes you feel so much better!
PS, Above mentioned mum has a son who is now 10, has been removed from school on a number of occasions, and has managed to achieve himself quite a reputation with the local police. I'm sure he was the first (and only one) out of the group to achieve it all as well!:rotfl:

barbiedoll

Much as we hate to admit it, those of us who had kids who walked and/or talked "early" will know that this has absolutely no bearing on their future intelligence or even their "laziness"!

My son walked quite early, he was a good talker and he could read several words, knew all of his shapes and colours and could count really well by the time he started nursery. He was well ahead of his peers at that age but now he is 14 he is doggedly average in practically everything
He was always awake, very lively and curious and a real little character. Now, I have to kick him out of bed and I barely get a grunt out of him before he disappears upstairs after school to get on his X-box.

Enjoy your little one now, they soon grow up....and don't stress about things like crawling and so on. If HV is happy then it sounds as though all is well. Don't worry, you'll soon be tearing your hair out when you're chasing him down the street! :eek:

VikkiiKawaii

Hi,
I looked on the Emma's diary site and it says at nine months (which considering the five weeks prem he should be able to

• combine syllables into word-like sounds
• stand while holding onto someone or something
• work to get a toy that's out of reach
• look for a dropped toy
• play peekaboo

but as said above, all babies are different and some seem to focus on different things. I know my younger sister didn't crawl/walk till fairly late (she was more or less on time) but instead said her first words quicker and my little one took a while to start rolling but is now really good at picking things up and vocalising.

squirrelchops

HI

I use this book to aid my assessment of children :
http://www.amazon.co.uk/From-Birth-Five-Years-Developmental/dp/0415423651/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1351635633&sr=8-1

Aboslutely fab book - I'm not a health vistor but work in a related field but know that this fits in with the SOGS or schedule of growing skills that health visitors use to assess children.

I would certainly advise this book as a good guide for overall developmental 'norms'.

Always_Alone

lainey29 wrote: »

Hi, I work for a Children's Centre (do you have a Sure Start near you?) and we are always advising on child development. I agree with the other answers that 10 months is still quite young and you needn't worry. There are things you can do to help with your baby's development. Have you heard of 'tummy time'?QUOTE]

Thanks for this Lainey, i go to our local sure start a few times a week and have been doing tummy time since he was very little. Intially he'd jusy fall asleep but more recently he's been shuffling around on his tum but makes no effort to get on all fours and gets very frustrated as he much prefers sitting

VikkiiKawaii wrote: »

Hi,
I looked on the Emma's diary site and it says at nine months (which considering the five weeks prem he should be able to

• combine syllables into word-like sounds
• stand while holding onto someone or something
• work to get a toy that's out of reach
• look for a dropped toy
• play peekaboo

but as said above, all babies are different and some seem to focus on different things. I know my younger sister didn't crawl/walk till fairly late (she was more or less on time) but instead said her first words quicker and my little one took a while to start rolling but is now really good at picking things up and vocalising.

Thanks for this, he is able to do all of the above relatively easily but everything i have read has advised that babies should be crawling between 6-10 mths

Even more down hearted today as i went to view a nursery and all the babies in the 'baby room' (i.e. under 1's) were all moving around freely and my little man just sat They get moved to the nxt room when they turn 2 or are mobile enough to join in with the activities but i was advised my little man would need to stay in the baby room for a fair while yet due to his lack of mobilty.

I know all babies develop at thier own rate (christ, i've said it enough times to other mums myself) but it is so difficult when its your own and their peers seem so far advanced

Thank you all for taking the time to respond, it really is appreciated

keelykat

Hello, I don't have anything new to add but wanted to reply. Your little man will soon be mobile, and you will wonder why you worried so much. but right now I understand that you will worry.

I have friends with children of different ages, and they all seem to vary so much. I admit there is one friend, who's baby (and older two children) have done things early and I try my best not to compare mine to hers. My youngest is only a few weeks younger then hers and so it could be very easy to compare and worry!

My youngest is similar age to yours (10 months) and is doing things differently to my older boy. They all have their own personality and rate of development.

keely.

fsdss

Always_Alone wrote: »

He is currently 10 and a half months old (although 5 weeks prem) and no where near crawling, walking, cruising on furniture, moving etc I am getting concerned about whether he is developing as he should.

He is quite happy to sit for any length of time and reaches for toys but makes no attempt at any further movement. I have tried various ways of tempting him (toys, showing him etc) but to no avail.

I know i shouldn't compare but other babies his age seem to be very mobile or at least attempting it and i am beginning to get a little concerned. I have spoken to the HV and they aren't worried at all but i can't help it

On the upside he is a very happy little man, just not mobile

Please reassure me that he will do something at some stage

i work for both Sure Start and HV teams in a child development role,(i have done thousands of developmental reviews of around this age) and i can ASSURE you that your little one is EXACTLY where he should be at his stage of development.

just keep encouraging him to get on his feet (put some books on the sofa stand him against the sofa, and read them WITH him whilst sitting behind ensuring he doesnt fall).

my delighful little 11yr old never did crawl....Some babies just dont

fawd1

Always_Alone wrote: »

Even more down hearted today as i went to view a nursery and all the babies in the 'baby room' (i.e. under 1's) were all moving around freely and my little man just sat They get moved to the nxt room when they turn 2 or are mobile enough to join in with the activities but i was advised my little man would need to stay in the baby room for a fair while yet due to his lack of mobilty.

I know all babies develop at thier own rate (christ, i've said it enough times to other mums myself) but it is so difficult when its your own and their peers seem so far advanced

Thank you all for taking the time to respond, it really is appreciated

REALLY don't worry. I was worried like you wouldn't believe with my first because he couldn't sit up at all for ages. He was crawling at about 6 months, but for love nor money could not sit up. I was envisioning back problems, weak spine, etc etc. He only managed to sit up straight at about 10 months old, when he was almost walking. In other words, in no way did he follow the "order" of development they tell you in books is normal. My second did the same. Both are apparently slow at learning to speak, but goodness me, you can't shut the eldest one up now, even though he couldn't say more than one or two intelligible words until 3 and a half. They really do all learn at different stages, and if there is a problem, then there's plenty of help out there. As someone else said, no one will care once he's older. Whether you learn to walk at 1, 2 or 3 will make no difference.

meritaten

Sounds ok to me - prem so only 9 months in 'real' terms - I would say no need to worry yet!
Babies develop in their own way at their own speed! and can 'stick' at one stage for a while and then suddenly appear to master the next stage by the next day! Your baby may be quietly mastering another skill which will amaze you!

Pisces

Our little guy didn't crawl until he was about one, and walked at 15 months. I remember stressing about it, but I wish I'd had the guts to just laugh at people when they commented as I would now. Being a new Mum is hard, but don't worry - he will get there.