OK well i have a beautiful 10 month old baby girl who hasn't crawled or walked yet i thought nothing about it because some baby's don't crawl right? she can stand all by her self but wont take a step yet and then when shes sitting she will go to a crawling position and rock back and forth on her hands and knees but wont go further. and when i put a toy out of her reach she will try to get it but eventually will give up and start crying, and just looks miserable. her doctor is not happy and says that if she doesn't start crawling by the end of this month he is sending out someone to the house to evaluate her! so please does anyone have any ideas on how i can help her to crawl or walk?
If I were you, I would have someone come and evaluate her anyway. It's free and if she qualifies as having a delay she will get services for free. You can call 1-800-877-1152 and set up an evaluation.
If she is delayed, the earlier she starts getting services, the better off she will be. I have had 2 children get services because of a delay ... and they are doing great now!
she will walk when she is ready. you cannot force a baby to walk. some do not crawl at all is right. if you hold her 2 hands does she walk with you. i would say that can help but babies walk or crawl when they are good and ready. i wouldn't rush it becuase once she is off and running there is no stopping her. then you will wish she was still a siiter. lol. good luck and she will be walking before you realize it.
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I posted a similar question about my 9 month old son who wasn't crawling yet. He is now 10 months and still not crawling. At his check-up the doctor said it was not a big deal at all that he wasn't crawling yet and that he might never do it. He asked if our son was pulling himself up or showing interest in walking, and since he is then there is nothing to worry about. I've tried lots of tricks to get him to crawl, but he's just not interested at all! Since talking to his doctor about it, I'm no longer concerned and I figure he'll just start walking when he's ready. I don't think you should be too worried.
My 9 month old started crawling at 6.5 months, and when I think about his progress towards crawling I realize that compared to his older brother (who crawled around 8.5 months), he had MUCH more time on the floor (I was working when his brother was a baby, but now am a SAHM.) When I first started seeing him get into the crawling position, I'd sometimes place my hands behind his feet so that he could push against my hand and move his body. This seemed to help him get the hang of it, as he realized that if he applied pressure to his feet he could move. I also made sure that when he was on the floor I'd remove his socks so that his toes could be free to grip the ground.
I noticed a few posters suggest getting a walker, but the American Academy of Pediatrics does NOT recommend walkers, as they do nothing to aide in learning how to walk. They actually say not to buy them since the risk of falling down the stairs is high.
Like another poster said, I do not think your doc is trying to be a jerk. We pay them to tell us their professional opinions on our children's development.
Hi- I didn't read the other responses but maybe you should look for a new doctor. My first born was really slow to move around. She was about 11 months when she started crawling a bit. She got going pretty good crawling around the yard by about 12 months and then didn't walk until 14 months. She was just not really motivated to get places. She was perfectly happy to sit a look at books or play quietly. She was extremely verbal at a really young age. Her personality now at 11 years old is just the same. She LOVES to read and draw, gets good grades and is just a bit of a dreamer. I now see that it wasn't so much that she couldn't physically walk it was more that she just didn't care to try. As long as your daughter is happy and healthy just love her the way she is, the walking will come and then you'll think how easy life was when she stayed in one place!
Your docotor seems like a bit of a jerk! Some babies never crawl. My son is almost 11 months and he just started crawling. He did an army crawl for a few months and just a few weeks ago he started crawling. He can walk when he pushes his little push toy, but he is not even close to walking on his own. Crawling is not a milestone! Tell your doctor that.
I don't think you should encourage walking yet, but to encourage crawling you could crawl yourself to show her how it's done, and physically move her knees and hands to help her learn the movement. Keep encouraging her to "rock back and forth" because that will help her build the muscles needed. My son started "rocking" on his hands and knees at about 5 months and shortly after started crawling- so I think it probably wont be too long for your daughter as long as she keeps trying.
The reason I say don't push her too walk to soon is because my son started walking at 8 months....it was exciting for about 3 days...but as soon as they start walking, they start getting into EVERYTHING and things that are on tables, in drawers, etc. Looking back it would have been nice to have a baby that sat around for a little longer! because it is a whole new ball game when they are walking. And when they start walking, and running, everything flies by sooo fast because they are developing so much. Plus, the younger they walk, the more you have to worry about legs bowing and other issues. My son turned out fine [though he set a record for injury reports in the infant room at his daycare!], but I know someone who helped her baby walk early and her daughter's legs bowed and had to get braces and physical therapy and the works.
Just keep encouraging her and maybe set up a playdate, or go somewhere your daughter can "play" and watch other crawlers and she will be crawling soon I'm sure
Our daughter never really crawled, she scooted in a strange way, but did walk at 6 months. She had always been a leg pusher, even on the day she was born her legs would push down each time she was held.
Tummy time is great. Place toys just far enough that your child can touch. If she wants to stand, let her hold your fingers. Just help her develop at the stage she is at.
I cannot believe your doctor is threatening an evaluation this early! My son did not even pull up until he was 11 months old, and did not walk until 17 months. Some babies just take a little longer because they all develop at different paces. Since she can get in to a crawling position, it sounds like she has the physical ability, she may just be a little timid or afraid. I would be shopping for a new doctor.
Thats crazy with the doc--unless there are other things going on here many children never crawl and don't walk by their first bday. Its fun sometimes to coax them into taking their first steps with a toy, but when they are ready and having fun with it. She won't be a baby forever, so sit back and relax and enjoy this time--you'll be chasing her around soon enough! I have NEVER heard of a doctor sending someone to a home to examine a 10 month old that is not walking! Is there any other concerns developmentally? If not, get a new doc as fast as your feet can carry you and your daughter. She'll walk when she's ready--no need to push her yet.
If your pediatrician approached it the way you describe it, it sounds like he needs some improvements in his bedside manner.
It also sounds like you're doing the right things to encourage it based upon the advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics:
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddle...
In this link they also discuss babies that don't crawl. I'm sure he's concerned about her muscle tone and her ability to coordinate her desires with her movement. I don't think he's intentionally being a jerk, but he needs to explain his concerns to you so you don't panic.
As far as walking, I'd strongly encourage getting her a walker. Our son started using one before he was 10 months-old. He moved around with that thing like a champ. But, if we took it away, he froze. He had no confidence, and was a few days past his 1st birthday before that confidence was enough to walk on his own.
If your baby is standing by herslef she's FINE. Many babies don't crawl at all, and the average age for walking is 13 months. Stop worrying about it. FWIW, my two kids were very different: baby #1 did not ever crawl until he was 11 months old. He crawled for approximately 1 week and then started walking, never to crawl again. Baby #2 did not crawl until 11.5 months of age. She would not bear weight on her feet at all, and at 13 months she STILL wasn't bearing weight, which started to concern the doctor. I was certain that she was fine but agreed that if she showed no signs of weight-bearing or walking by 14 months that I'd have her checked. She started bearing weight around 2 days after that worrying appointment, and was walking at 15 months. Now she's a typical perfectly normal 20 month old.
Anyway, it sounds like your little girl is really close to crawling and to pulling up. Remember, 9 months is AVERAGE for crawling, so for every 6-month old that crawls, there is a 12-month old out there that just started too.
Don't worry about her. My son didn't crawl until 2 days after his 1st birthday and didn't walk until he was 16 months old. Now there is no slowing him down! He runs, jumps, climbs up and down stair unassisted, and very active. She will crawl when she's ready. I just want you to know that you aren't alone and not all kids crawl at the "normal" stage and they still turn out great! Tell your pedi not to send anyone to the home to evaluate her yet. She'll get it!
Ok....I am a pediatric physical therapist. First of all, despite what some of the pp said, your doctor is not "crazy",or a "jerk" You go to your pediatrician to make sure your child is healthy and developing on target. The typical range for crawling is 9-11 months. Your doctor is recommending that if by the 11 month mark your daughter isn't showing signs of being interested in being mobile he would like to have her evaluated. He isn't going to "send" someone out to your house. He is going to make a referral, or have you make a referral to Early Intervention. A physical therapist will come out and make sure that there isn't anything developmentally going on that is impacting your child's ability to crawl/walk. It is a state funded program and the evaluation is of no cost to you or your insurance. In all honesty you should be glad that your doctor is proactive. We get alot of referrals at 18-24 months where the doctor has blown off a delay in a child's motor skills and then they are really behind. If your child isn't eligible for EI(they need to show a 30% delay in their development or something atypical that is a cause for concern) the therapist will be able to show you some activities to help her along. Kids do develop at different rates but sometimes there is something holding them back that can be helped with intervention. And DO NOT PUT HER IN A JOHNNY JUMPER. They do not strengten the leg muscle that are used for walking and will NOT help her crawl or walk but in fact the opposite. The best place for her is the floor where she can attempt to move and explore.
