rawbanana Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Just looking for some reassurance =) This is baby #6 =) She turned 1 on Oct 4, but is STILL only army crawling, hasn't gotten up on hands and knees at ALL (we have wood floors EVERYWHERE could that have something to do with it? Too slippery?), she also cant really pull up (if I sit her RIGHT in front of something that is low enough, she will grab the 'lip' of it and push against it with her feet and pull up, but she is VERY lible to fall over so I don't leave her alone) She cant get to sitting from laying down (she can go from sitting to laying down though)...she cant 'cruise' on furniture. If I stand her up against the couch and she tries to go to the side, 95% of the time she falls like a tree so I ahve to be there to catch her =) She sits up pretty good on her own but still has a tendency to fall over if she's concentrating to hard on a toy. If she is standing and playing with a toy (leaning against the couch with her tummy) and she starts to lose her balance, she falls STRAIGHT back, doesn't try to sit down or anything) She LOVES to zoom around in her walker, can 'clap' if I ask her to, will look us in the eyes, she smiles, laughs etc... Anyone else have a baby who was SUPER late in all this?? My 2nd daughter didnt walk til 17 mo but she did pretty much everything else by this age... Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmseB Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 What does her ped say? All of those things would be concerning to me...low muscle tone or something. But, I don't know really, I'd definitely be asking the doc at the next well visit. ETA: I have had walkers who have all been on the late side (none of my kids have walked before 15 months), but the not bending at the waist thing and the not sitting up thing would be my flags. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I would be concerned. I think you need to make her an appointment with her doctor. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 How much time have you spent on building these skills independently? If this is #6, then your house is crazy (I remember those days!) Is it possible that she is having a little more time in the walker, bouncy seat, swing, etc. then your other kids did and hasn't had the ability to develop those skills as quickly as the others? I know my first son was a little more delayed because I had my hands very full with the twins going to various therapies and getting into everything possible. It was easier to keep him corralled. If you've made significant effort and she still isn't hitting these milestones then I would make an appointment with the pediatrician to see what he/she thinks. It could be normal, or it could be low tone (for various reasons), in which case it should be addressed. If your peds has any concern at all then I recommend seeing a Developmental Pediatrician. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I have a friend whose child had a similar problem and it was a pediatric pt who started the ball rolling when the pediatrician wasn't helpful. Another friend wound up going to a neurologist, I think, and I can't remember why she took that route. In the first case, the cause was a genetic disorder and in the second the child was just a little slow in developing but was otherwise fine. In my opinion, if there are things that they can check without any risk, why not check it out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjzimmer1 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Just looking for some reassurance =) This is baby #6 =) She turned 1 on Oct 4, but is STILL only army crawling, hasn't gotten up on hands and knees at ALL (we have wood floors EVERYWHERE could that have something to do with it? Too slippery?), she also cant really pull up (if I sit her RIGHT in front of something that is low enough, she will grab the 'lip' of it and push against it with her feet and pull up, but she is VERY lible to fall over so I don't leave her alone) She cant get to sitting from laying down (she can go from sitting to laying down though)...she cant 'cruise' on furniture. If I stand her up against the couch and she tries to go to the side, 95% of the time she falls like a tree so I ahve to be there to catch her =) She sits up pretty good on her own but still has a tendency to fall over if she's concentrating to hard on a toy. If she is standing and playing with a toy (leaning against the couch with her tummy) and she starts to lose her balance, she falls STRAIGHT back, doesn't try to sit down or anything) She LOVES to zoom around in her walker, can 'clap' if I ask her to, will look us in the eyes, she smiles, laughs etc... Anyone else have a baby who was SUPER late in all this?? My 2nd daughter didnt walk til 17 mo but she did pretty much everything else by this age... Thanks! Not pulling up, not cruising, the lack of switching from sitting to laying and back, none of those seem concerning to me. The things that give me pause are falling straight back and not being able to consistently hold herself in a sitting position are the things I would question. Have you done a 1 year well check-up? I stopped going to those things after about 3 or 4 kids but in a case like this I would schedule one just to assess the situation. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 Agreeing with others. This sounds like low tone and some PT (home or outside) would be desirable. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I would be concerned. I think you need to make her an appointment with her doctor. I agree^^^. I wouldn't panic, but it's worth having checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I would be concerned. Baby #5 (dd7) at our house was a "lazy" baby. She wouldn't roll over, wouldn't crawl. We just assumed that it was because everyone else came to her and brought her toys to play with. Also, she was "failure to thrive". We didn't connect the dots until a cardiologist found an abnormality and sent us to a geneticist. She has a genetic defect; I have it, too, but I didn't know it until my little one was diagnosed. Dc 1-4 were evaluated/tested. Even though I have a 50/50 chance of passing the defect, Baby #5 was the first to inherit it. Two years later, Baby #6 (dd5) also inherited the defect. With #6, we were on top of it right away. She didn't sit on her own until after her first birthday. She kind of lived in her Bumbo seats for a while. She just didn't have the muscle tone to sit on her own. Dd7 went through a year of speech therapy. Dd5 still has delayed speech, but we haven't done therapy with her yet. The evaluation is in Jan. Both girls have mild cardiac issues that need to be routinely evaluated. So, yes, I would have your little one evaluated. edited to match my children to my signature 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 It's fine that she's not walking yet, but the other stuff would have me concerned. I'd definitely talk to the ped. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okra Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I would not be overly concerned. I would work on these things for a few months before I started worrying. At 12 months, it seems not too concerning to me. Babies can develop in all kinds of different ways. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommaduck Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 You need to discuss this with her ped or your family doctor. This sounds like a bit more than being just "a little behind or a little late". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I would ask the Dr. They have benchmarks they look for at the appt's. My son walked at 14 mo. Talked late. Teeth came in later than normal. But the Dr was never concerned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Just looking for some reassurance =) This is baby #6 =) She turned 1 on Oct 4, but is STILL only army crawling, hasn't gotten up on hands and knees at ALL (we have wood floors EVERYWHERE could that have something to do with it? Too slippery?), This would not concern me in and of itself. Many babies don't do knee crawling. she also cant really pull up (if I sit her RIGHT in front of something that is low enough, she will grab the 'lip' of it and push against it with her feet and pull up, but she is VERY lible to fall over so I don't leave her alone) This is further from the norm. She cant get to sitting from laying down (she can go from sitting to laying down though)...she cant 'cruise' on furniture. Some children don't like to cruise. But this does sound like she's at the later end for this. If I stand her up against the couch and she tries to go to the side, 95% of the time she falls like a tree so I ahve to be there to catch her =) She sits up pretty good on her own but still has a tendency to fall over if she's concentrating to hard on a toy. If she is standing and playing with a toy (leaning against the couch with her tummy) and she starts to lose her balance, she falls STRAIGHT back, doesn't try to sit down or anything) She LOVES to zoom around in her walker, can 'clap' if I ask her to, will look us in the eyes, she smiles, laughs etc... Anyone else have a baby who was SUPER late in all this?? My 2nd daughter didnt walk til 17 mo but she did pretty much everything else by this age... Thanks! It sounds like she is going to be fine but I'd go ahead and see a specialist about the way she falls. I think she may within the normal range, certainly since she can stand up, but it might be something really simple having to do with her knees, or it could be something with balance (like she doesn't feel herself falling) due to ear issues, or any number of things. I would make a list of all the things that seem late according to "what to expect the first 12 months" or your Babycenter or state development tracker and ask him or her if they'd refer to a specialist or not. Be very clear about what she's not doing when you speak to the doctor. "She doesn't pull to stand." not "She only stands when we set her there." The fact that she is clapping, responding, and laughing is wonderful. That's the most important part! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lovinmyboys Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 My ds qualified for therapy because he wasn't pulling up or going from laying down to sitting position at 10 mos, so it does sound concerning to me. Having said that, ds is now 7 and is totally fine. I think he has a little bit of low tone and a weak core and is a little uncoordinated, but he can ride a bike, swim, play baseball, skate-all the things other kids his age can do. He got therapy for 3 years, but was never diagnosed with any thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 If you get her checked out, and she's fine, then you're reassured. If you get her checked out and she's NOT fine, well, then you at least know where to start. So get it checked out. It's win-win. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I agree with the others, I think it's time to get the ball rolling on evaluations. Evals and therapy (if she qualifies) through Early Intervention (also known as Part C) are free. Start at your pediatrician and go from there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 My son started PT through early intervention at 6 months because he wasn't able to roll. It turns out he has mild low muscle tone. The walking isn't late. But they do look at precursors to walking. You mention enough red flags that I would ask for an early intervention evaluation. It can't hurt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderchica Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Yes, you should contact Early Intervention in your area to schedule an evaluation. You don't need a referral from your doctor, you can contact them directly. I wouldn't be concerned about not walking, but it sounds like she is quite behind on her other gross motor milestones. I would do tummy time frequently (several times a day) until the evaluation. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6wildhorses Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I highly recommend the book "How to Teach your Baby to be Physically Superb." http://www.amazon.com/Physically-Superb-Gentle-Revolution-Series/dp/0757001920 I used it with my son who has Down Syndrome. I taught him how to crawl using tips from this book. Brain development is connected with gross motor skills. You don't have to wait around for gross motor skills to develop. There is a lot you can do to help your baby gain these skills. Also, like others said, you may be able to qualify for early intervention. This means free therapy, possibly in your own home. It's definitely worth looking into. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Is she continuously improving in all the skill areas? Or has she plateau'd or lost any skills she had been working on? This is another thing to tell your doctor when you have her checked out. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Just looking for some reassurance =) This is baby #6 =) She turned 1 on Oct 4, but is STILL only army crawling, hasn't gotten up on hands and knees at ALL (we have wood floors EVERYWHERE could that have something to do with it? Too slippery?), she also cant really pull up (if I sit her RIGHT in front of something that is low enough, she will grab the 'lip' of it and push against it with her feet and pull up, but she is VERY lible to fall over so I don't leave her alone) She cant get to sitting from laying down (she can go from sitting to laying down though)...she cant 'cruise' on furniture. If I stand her up against the couch and she tries to go to the side, 95% of the time she falls like a tree so I ahve to be there to catch her =) She sits up pretty good on her own but still has a tendency to fall over if she's concentrating to hard on a toy. If she is standing and playing with a toy (leaning against the couch with her tummy) and she starts to lose her balance, she falls STRAIGHT back, doesn't try to sit down or anything) She LOVES to zoom around in her walker, can 'clap' if I ask her to, will look us in the eyes, she smiles, laughs etc... Anyone else have a baby who was SUPER late in all this?? My 2nd daughter didnt walk til 17 mo but she did pretty much everything else by this age... Thanks! You might consider putting the walker away. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I would be concerned. I would not use the walker at all. It does not help the skills you are trying to build. I would call Early Intervention for an evaluation. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewingmama Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 You might consider putting the walker away. All three of my kids used a walker from 5 months of age...all three were walking independently by 8-9 months. It doesn't hinder regular development if used spareingly. To OP I would have her evaluated... the falling over is not right. I knew a 1 yo who was walking but would suddenly fall like that... straight on his face with knees locked....he was diagnosed with major issues. I once also knew a 4 yo who wasn't walking...it was odd ( in a sweet way) to see her crawling around at playgroup. LOL.. I only laugh because there was nothing actually wrong with her...she just lacked the confidence. She walked like a normal 4 yo holding peoples hands but if you let go she dropped to her knees and crawled. She had been evaluated of course...which gave her mother enough peace of mind to roll her eyes and smile as she crawled around with the babies lol. Evaluation is good idea whatever the outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 My third had low muscle tone, diagnosed right around her first birthday. Some signs of low muscle tone include W-sitting (with feet back by bottom, legs in a "W"), scooting (rather than crawling, she stayed seated and pulled herself around by scooting her legs in), when seated with legs in front, feet flop all the way out rather than remaining with toes pointed up, when picked up, loose shoulders, rather than "bracing" at the shoulder the way most children do when picked up. That's all I can remember... Anyway, we did a tiny bit of PT, and she was crawling within 3-4 weeks. Once she was crawling, I dropped all therapy, as crawling is very strengthening. She walked at 19 months, compared to 10, 11, and 14 for my other kids. Some things to consider- - Get rid of the walker, any bouncy chairs, and non-flat surfaces for sleeping or sitting. - Put her on her stomach to sleep, if she will accept that - support her in an all fours position and gently rock her back and forth, many times a day. You can show the big kids how to help with this. But yeah, definitely see the paediatrician to rule out anything more serious! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwik Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 You might consider putting the walker away. Throw it away. I guess with 5 others taking her swimming would be a bit tricky? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SproutMamaK Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I would also be concerned and seek an evaluation. There's no harm in getting it checked out, and some of those do sound quite significant and concerning. If there is a problem, it's more likely than not something as simple as low muscle tone that can be greatly improved (and quickly) with physical therapy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 The reason I mention the walker is that even long ago when my babies were little :-) it was well known that walkers can inhibit babies from developing crawling and walking skills, because they don't need them. The walkers make them mobile. I visited with a young friend (wait...we were both young...) whose baby was about a month older than mine, who was about a year old at the time. My dd was walking around the house; her baby was sitting on the floor. As we chatted, my friend picked up her baby and put her next to the sofa; the baby hung on for a minute, but then plopped down on the floor and cried. My friend came over and picked her up and put her in a walker, and she zoomed off. I also noticed a jolly-jumper hanging in a doorway. A week or so later, we were chatting on the phone, and she said she noticed that my dd was walking and hers wasn't. I said, well, you know, the average for beginning to walk is about a year old so her baby wasn't necessarily really behind, but my friend was still concerned, so I told her what I noticed: that when her baby plopped down on the floor, she picked her up instead of letting her do it herself. My friend said the baby couldn't do it herself, and I said, well, that's because you do it for her. I also commented about the walker and the jolly-jumper, and that there was some evidence that those things could delay crawling and walking. She said that the baby was almost always in the walker, in the jolly-jumper, or being carried--no opportunity to be on the floor and learning to crawl or walk. She called me a couple of weeks after that and said that she had put the walker and the jolly jumper away; within a week the baby was crawling, and shortly after was walking. So I'm just suggesting that before the OP goes and gets an evaluation, she might consider putting away the walker (and anything else similar) for a couple of weeks, just to see what would happen. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 There's a baby of a friend who is also one who sounds exactly like this. She's been diagnosed with low-muscle tone. Her parents knew to look for it because she was a preemie, but what you describe sounds exactly like her. She doesn't sit much because she can't get to sitting unless you put her like that. She can't pull up unless put in a position to specifically do so. She is scooting and moving a lot, but not properly crawling. She can get up on hands and knees, but then to move, she goes back down to the army crawl for the most part or even rolls around to get from place to place (it's actually super cute). She also clearly meets your eye, grabs things, etc. It really does sound like it's just low muscle tone. But definitely look for an evaluation. You probably would qualify for early intervention - they come to you, which I'm sure would be good with a houseful of other kids. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 To me it's the falling straight backwards without bending that would concern me. It seems to me it would be instinctive / reflexive to bend and land on one's butt, even at a much younger age. I do agree that walkers etc. can make a baby lazy and slow down development. However, slow is not a big deal IMO as long as they reach the milestones eventually. And as I tell my kids, comparing never produces positive thoughts. :) One of mine, as a tot, would fall on her face rather than put her arms out. She had other subtle issues as well. It wasn't enough to keep her out of the "normal range," but I do think she has something going on. I also think that the frequent falling on her face made her less willing to try new things. So that could be part of the picture too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Yes, you should contact Early Intervention in your area to schedule an evaluation. You don't need a referral from your doctor, you can contact them directly. I wouldn't be concerned about not walking, but it sounds like she is quite behind on her other gross motor milestones. I would do tummy time frequently (several times a day) until the evaluation. This exactly is what I was going to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I would take the walker away immediately. You want her to crawl first, so I think that could actually be hindering her. I don't know, though. Our PT told us that jumpers were strongly discouraged for babies with weak muscles so I took the jumper away from ours. Both walkers and jumpers can cause babies to be delayed in crawling and walking. It seems to be fine for some, but I didn't want to take that chance. Neither of those for my babies. Also no baby seats/car seats in the house. Babies were either held or on the floor. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 All three of my kids used a walker from 5 months of age...all three were walking independently by 8-9 months. It doesn't hinder regular development if used sparingly. It shouldn't, but in this case something does seem to be hindering development. Her kid may need a little boost, and taking away that walker should probably be part of it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawbanana Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Thank you ladies, I'll text my pediatrician and see what she says. I think the reason she falls from standing like she does is she thinks its a game. She usually has a big smile on her face when she does it (stinker). She actually can keep herself in sitting pretty well but if she leans too far to get a toy she falls or if she's trying to see behind her, somtimes she'll fall backwards (most times she just spins around). She's pretty strong actually (don't know if that has anything to do with muscle tone). My 4th and 5th kiddos also used walkers and had no problem learning to walk/crawl. She is carried an awful lot and has been all of her life (her older 4 sisters could hardly put her down the first 6-8mo of her life til I was like 'um, we need to put her down so she'll learn to roll and crawl!) =) I've been working with her today and when she's standing against something, I forcefully SIT her down if she tries to fall backwards. Not sure if that will help or not =) I'm trying to figure out how to show her HOW to get into sitting from laying down and how to crawl on her hands and knees (how do you TEACH a baby to do that?!) =) Thanks for all your tips and words of encouragement, hopefully she's just lazy (and spoiled) =) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 My youngest was also held a lot as a baby, and while the baby books don't like it, I feel that the benefits of all that loving offset the detriments. :) It's not the same as a kid being left in a seat in front of a TV for hours every day. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawbanana Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 We'll try to limit walker time, but that's the only way she can be in the kitchen with me (she doesn't like sitting in her booster seat for very long, she's not eating much in the way of solids, we keep having to stop as she keeps getting backed up!!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rawbanana Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 ^ Oh she enjoys eating, but we've still not gotten past stage 1 foods (And a few stage 2) as she seems to get backed up after only a couple days on solids! She's not doing any 'cereals' (as we thought that would worsen it) and no apples/bananas/squash. Its just prunes, pears, peaches, green beans and water (she will take about 3oz a day, she still nurses a few times at night and every 2-3 hours during the day) So I dont think I want to offer finger foods yet as I'm afraid she would choke on them as she's not dealt with any texture yet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 My kids didn't do well with finger foods at first either, even though they were on the older side to try them. They vomited those "puffs." I think we had the best luck with Cheerios actually. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
historically accurate Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 ^ Oh she enjoys eating, but we've still not gotten past stage 1 foods (And a few stage 2) as she seems to get backed up after only a couple days on solids! She's not doing any 'cereals' (as we thought that would worsen it) and no apples/bananas/squash. Its just prunes, pears, peaches, green beans and water (she will take about 3oz a day, she still nurses a few times at night and every 2-3 hours during the day) So I dont think I want to offer finger foods yet as I'm afraid she would choke on them as she's not dealt with any texture yet! My mildly low muscle tone child was continuously constipated. Her PT (through Early Intervention) said her core muscles were very weak and therefore she couldn't "push" properly. So that may be something you would want to bring up with the doctor/therapist. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I would be concerned and take the baby to the doctor. And I agree with those who said to remove the walker. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 ^ Oh she enjoys eating, but we've still not gotten past stage 1 foods (And a few stage 2) as she seems to get backed up after only a couple days on solids! She's not doing any 'cereals' (as we thought that would worsen it) and no apples/bananas/squash. Its just prunes, pears, peaches, green beans and water (she will take about 3oz a day, she still nurses a few times at night and every 2-3 hours during the day) So I dont think I want to offer finger foods yet as I'm afraid she would choke on them as she's not dealt with any texture yet! At her age, she should be feeding herself. Giving her very soft, mushy finger foods will help her develop fine motor skills and hand-to-eye coordination. I would put those on her high chair tray and let her have at 'em. Also be prepared for baths afterwards, and you might want to put a plastic mat under the high chair, just in case. :-) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 With the latest issues you mentioned (not eating solids, constipation), this is sounding more and more like a problem. My littlest dds had similar issues. In fact, dd7 (fifth child) didn't eat her first bite of solid food until 22 months. (Cheetos for the win!!) I would definitely take your daughter to be evaluated. And, as a pp mentioned, possibly a different pediatrician than the one you have been going to. If it is a birth defect or something, it is better (imo) to know than to not know. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Just adding to what Ellie said about those foods... you could put them in the baby mesh bags, so they only get small pieces and it's supposed to reduce or eliminate a choking hazard. I've thought about trying them with dd. If I give her chunks of banana she drops most of it lol. I am wondering did the ped. not ask or seem concerned about this at any of the wellness visits? I might just want a new ped. About babies feeding themselves: When my younger dd was about 10 mo, a young mother and her 1yo ds stayed with us for a few days. I took care of the 1yo for a couple of hours one day. I put my dd in her high chair, made her a sandwich, cut in in fourths, and gave it to her to eat. She scarfed it up; she also drank out of her sippy cup. I did the same thing for the 1yo, and he had trouble picking up the sandwiches and getting them to his mouth, and he had no idea what to do with the cup. When his mother came home, she gave him a bottle, which he had no problems drinking, and then she fed him, with a spoon (while my dd sat next to them and fed herself with a spoon. A properly held spoon, BTW.). So in my limited experience, it seems to me that it is developmentally better to let children feed themselves than to [literally] spoon-feed them. I have always figured that if the baby isn't able to feed herself, she isn't ready for solids yet. :-) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 1 year old and hasn't had anything but mushy baby food? No real food? And can't sit alone without falling over? And not crawling? That's a lot of red flags. As for the hard floors, go buy an area rug...that will give her some traction as she learns to crawl. It did make a difference for my daughter when it came to crawling. But, at this point that isn't the only issue. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Kids with low tone often have slower peristalsis and are prone to constipation. OP I would recommend an eval. by a developmental pediatrician even more based on your continued posts. Each one triggers another possible red flag. They could all be explained away as normal (you did mention that she's been "over babied" by siblings), or they could all add up to something that would benefit from intervention. You won't know until it's all evaluated as a whole. I don't mean this to scare you, just as a precaution, since none of us are sitting in your home and able to evaluate your child. Ymmv! DD (one of my twins) has low tone due to CP, and has struggled with slow peristalsis since she was very young. She had very early and consistent intervention (PT, OT, ST). We even paid for UEU to build muscle tone. (I think it's now covered by insurance, but wasn't back then.) We have hard wood floors also and we used area rugs and those interlocking squares to create areas for the kids to play. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 ^ Oh she enjoys eating, but we've still not gotten past stage 1 foods (And a few stage 2) as she seems to get backed up after only a couple days on solids! She's not doing any 'cereals' (as we thought that would worsen it) and no apples/bananas/squash. Its just prunes, pears, peaches, green beans and water (she will take about 3oz a day, she still nurses a few times at night and every 2-3 hours during the day) So I dont think I want to offer finger foods yet as I'm afraid she would choke on them as she's not dealt with any texture yet! Constipation is also a sign of low muscle tone. Lots of red flags here. I'm so glad you have contacted your ped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 yes, talk to someone. My son had similar issues, and also a speech delay. Is she vocalizing? making mamamama sounds? babababa sounds? At 1 year of age she should be just about chatting away. My son prob has dyspraxia. He is almost 11 and is doing very, very well. He can ride a bike, do TKD, is a ballet dancer, he plays the piano and drums. His speech is slightly unclear, but it might be only me who notices it these day. But, when he was a baby...he scared me to death that one did. He didn't speak, he didn't roll over, he DID walk very close to 1 year old, but he didn't walk much. He didn't crawl much. He had 'head lag' when I carried him. When I lowered him down to change a diaper I had to hold his head even when he was 18 months old because he would just flop over. He ended up with years of PT, OT and speech therapy. He started with Early intervention and continued on getting through the public schools until he was in fourth grade. He is now a 5th grader. He is a very, very bright child, totally typical in terms of social development. It just took him longer to learn how to do stuff like walk and talk and run. But, a good PT, one who listens to you, works with you, can make all the difference. In terms of the eating, my son had to be taught how to chew. He was just mushing things against the roof of his mouth. It took months of speech therapy for her to teach him how to chew. And we had years of him biting his tongue so hard...oh it was terrible. He still strongly prefers food that is easy to eat. He would live on cream cheese and jelly sandwiches and yogurt if I let him. He wants it all soft and sweet. But, I have been super patient and played the long game. He will never be a "I'll eat anything" type of person, but he has come a LONG way. But is she is also constipated..... yes, talk to someone. Are you in the US? You can call Early intervention yourself. You don't even need to go through your family doctor. You call your county health department and ask to speak with someone in Early Intervention. Their services are free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Some of our babies had lower muscle tone and needed therapy. One of ours didn't walk til she was almost 2, and she really never crawled. I'd have her evaluated by a physical therapist... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 Re: muscle tone: Our son's OT likes to remind us that low muscle tone =/= weak muscles. In diagnosing my son, I automatically ruled out anything that pointed to "low muscle tone" as a symptom/cause, because he is very strong. There's a rumor that big athletes like Michael Phelps have low muscle tone, but I can't find a reputable link. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 The feeding seems normal. My first is easily dehydrated and didn't eat solids much at all until around 13-14 months. She was breastfed. I'm with Ellie: self-feeding is ideal if the child can manage it and the parent can stomach it. Does your baby have any teeth at all? I know, I know, old wives tale, but whatever... it worked for me. Both my kids grabbed for and eagerly ate solids in the same month as getting their first teeth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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