Baby cannot even crawl at 12 months old

[Mind_your_head]

I was in my local Albertson's earlier this evening. I am friendly with a particular worker in the deli section (even though I don't buy any deli meats anymore...)

I asked how her grandbaby was doing? (expecting to hear some proud 'grandparent story'). She told me that her 18 lb.~ just a few weeks short of a year old grand-daughter wasn't even CRAWLING, much less learning to WALK yet.

I asked what the child's doctor had to say about it. There was a brief note of, "Doctor? What Doctor?"....and then she carried on with blah, blah, blah.......

[virgogal]

1. One of my grandchildren never crawled,she"skootched",as her

pediatrician called it. She got around but never crawled on her knees. She used her arms and sometimes her butt.

She walked at about 13 months and is now a teenager.

[elleng]

3. Fergit what we called that; do have a photo of daughter doing it.

[AngryAmish]

61. Same with lil AA

She figured it was faster than crawling.

[elleng]

2. Didn't know she SHOULD see doctor as a matter of course, or what?

24 yr old daughter just began MS in Occupational Therapy, thinking of NICU specialty. May be interested in your experience.

[donheld]

94. Maybe she knew she couldn't afford a Doctor as a matter of anything.

[frazzled]

4. Some babies never crawl

And many don't walk by a year.

So no biggie.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dalaigh lllama]

7. Actually, my son never crawled, either

He rolled to wherever he was going. He finally got sick of that and started walking at 10 mos.

[Mind_your_head]

9. walking at 10 months is PRETTY SPECTACULAR

Those first 12 months of life are just HUGE learning gains, aren't they?

A baby who isn't exhibiting crawling or walking behavior at 12 months should be examined and evaluated. Hopefully, nothing is 'wrong', but these people obviously can't afford to see a doctor. So, they don't know what can be done to 'help', if/as necessary.

[nini]

18. you're confusing people saying not all babies crawl with no need to go to the doctor

I doubt anyone saying they know people who did not crawl thinks regular doctor visits aren't a good thing for a child.

Also, my niece walked at 9 1/2 months and it was bizarre - but she did. She also rolled over at about 2 weeks - a very strong back I guess.

[havocmom]

24. Maybe not as bizarre as one might think. I walked at 9 months

My daughter at 10 months. :shrug:

[nini]

36. I meant 'bizarre' as in it was funny to see such a little person walking

she was so tiny and just walking around like no big deal.

;-)

[hamsterjill]

74. Not bizarre at all

I walked at nine months and my daughter did, as well.

[Arugula Latte]

85. My kids were 9 mos. / 10 mos. respectively, and I wasn't ready for it!

I was like, NO! You can't let go of the coffee table and balance like that! Get back down on the floor! :rofl:

[Shell Beau]

90. I am there now. That is when it gets hard. You think it is kinda hard

before, but ohhhhh no! Once they can move about freely, it is ON!!!

:7 I am having to learn how to be FAST!

Mine is almost 13 months. She started crawling at 5 1/2 months and walking at 10.

[emmadoggy]

93. You are soooo right.

I have twins (who are 7 now) and let me tell you, once they were crawling and walking..... holy crap. Some people teased me about my childproofing in my house, but when one goes for trouble in one direction and the other in the opposite...... well, you have to be PREPARED! lol. Not to mention the damage they could do to each other with drawers and doors and such.

It's a wondrous age, but completely exhausting!

[Control-Z]

83. My son walked, actually ran, at 8 months.

Slammed into the wall. Cried for a few minutes. Got up and ran again. He had no balance, really, but running allowed him to go further before falling over. It took about 48 hours for him to gain control. But he wasn't much of a talker. My girls, otoh, didn't walk until 12 - 13 months, but were chattering up a storm way ahead of schedule.

Every kid is different. The child referred in the OP is getting around somehow, I hope.

[Kalyke]

60. I walked at 10 months and so did my daughter.

My son, however, didn't walk until 14 months.

[EOTE]

80. My daughter took her first steps at 9 months.

She was at a party, so there were lots of people around who applauded, so that kind of freaked her out and it was a little while until she took more steps. She went back and forth between crawling and cruising the next month or so, but was pretty much only walking before 11 months. My SO and I took a vacation for a few days on her 11th month while my parents babysat. When we came back, she went from walking to running.

Here she is at 11 months:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUS0D2nSJiI
&
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JzLP1V30UM&feature=related

And her first attempt at basketball at 1 year old:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhCymqvexH8&NR=1

She turned 3 in July and is doing gymnastics now and absolutely loves it.

[vadawg]

11. yeah my son just rolled, never crawled, then he was upright holding onto stuff

I think its more common than people think especially when kids nowadays have walkers etc etc

[SidDithers]

10. Crawling isn't an important developmental stage in kids.

Rolling over, sitting without support, cruising (walking along furniture), and walking independently are important developmental milestones. Crawling isn't.

Crawling isn't even mentioned in my favorite pediatric development textbook!

This seems strange since, of any of these behaviors, crawling is most associated with babies. The truth is many babies never crawl! They do need to find some way to move across the floor. Each will do so at unpredictable times and in distinctive ways. Your grandson may be a scooter, one who likes to stay upright and scoot across the floor on his bottom. Many babies prefer creeping, or wriggling forward on the stomach. Many children will crab-crawl, moving backwards. And, of course, many children will get up on all fours and crawl forward in the traditional way. Each child is unique.

http://www.drgreene.com/21_354.html

Now, don't you think you reacted a little inappropriately to poster frazzled?


Sid

[nini]

13. my sister never crawled either and walked late

but did not have anything 'wrong' with her.

[liberalhistorian]

15. Umm...excuse me, but I never crawled before I walked

and I didn't start walking until I was thirteen months old (talking was a different story, though, I started talking at 10 and a half months and have never stopped since, lol). And there was nothing wrong with me. And I've seen a few other similar cases. Why don't you try LISTENING instead of just conveniently accusing people of "making shit up." It really is NOT all that unusual for some babies to not crawl before they walk and not all babies will be walking by twelve months, so I don't see where there's an automatic need for concern and a rush for a doctor.

[Brickbat]

21. Wow, this is a totally out-of-line reaction.

And I have certainly made "strange eyes" at people when they make suggestions about things they don't know anything about regarding my kids.

[Pab Sungenis]

22. Well, you don't need to crawl before you can walk

but you do need to be mobile. A baby who scoots or skootches, pulling themselves along with their arms on their tummies, will still develop the motor skills they will need when they start trying to walk.

[Maru Kitteh]

23. My own daughter never crawled but walked at 11 mos.

She was born at the dawn of awareness that it might be a good idea to have babies always sleep on their backs to avoid SIDS and I was religious about it.

This may have been a factor in her early gross motor development, but she went straight from pulling herself up and bobbing in place to using furniture as railing, to walking.

[Shell Beau]

91. My baby slept on her back because of that very reason too. And this

was less than a year ago. Most moms I know do put their babies on their backs because of SIDS.

[EmilyAnne]

29. My twin brothers never crawled. They did a sort of marine crawl on their elbows. If that 12 month

old is capable of moving forward in some way, then maybe there is no cause for concern.
Maybe the grandmother was talking about crawling in the traditional, on all fours, sense?
I remember one of my grandmothers was very upset about the way my brothers were not crawling.
She was convinced that they had some kind of major developmental problems. She never said it to my parents faces, but spent hours on end fretting to other family members about it.

[jbnow]

My son crawled that way too, if I get what you mean

Scooted around with elbows/forearms dragging their body? I had some relatives who thought that was something wrong too but he got around so well and quickly I figured he didn't have reason to learn something else. I don't think I ever brought it up to his doctor as a concern.

I still remember the day he learned to do it. He was 5 months old and laying on the carpet playing. A toy rolled out of reach and he did his first scoot forward...and made a noise of such delight. He forgot about the toy and just practiced his new skill, going from one place to another and cooing happily each time he reached his goal. That included his dad and I and he was happy to let us pick him up for a hug but just for a second...he had to be on his way with so many places to go and a new way to get there.

He's all grown up now but it's a strong memory for me because he was just so happy and I feel lucky I was there to see him make that discovery. That is a great part of having a kid...watching them discover the world and stretch their limits. Amazing.

[jbnow]

53. My son crawled that way too, if I get what you mean

Scooted around with elbows/forearms dragging their body? I had some relatives who thought that was something wrong too but he got around so well and quickly I figured he didn't have reason to learn something else. I don't think I ever brought it up to his doctor as a concern.

I still remember the day he learned to do it. He was 5 months old and laying on the carpet playing. A toy rolled out of reach and he did his first scoot forward...and made a noise of such delight. He forgot about the toy and just practiced his new skill, going from one place to another and cooing happily each time he reached his goal. That included his dad and I and he was happy to let us pick him up for a hug but just for a second...he had to be on his way with so many places to go and a new way to get there.

He's all grown up now but it's a strong memory for me because he was just so happy and I feel lucky I was there to see him make that discovery. That is a great part of having a kid...watching them discover the world and stretch their limits. Amazing.

[jbnow]

78. My son crawled that way too, if I get what you mean

Scooted around with elbows/forearms dragging their body? I had some relatives who thought that was something wrong too but he got around so well and quickly I figured he didn't have reason to learn something else. I don't think I ever brought it up to his doctor as a concern.

I still remember the day he learned to do it. He was 5 months old and laying on the carpet playing. A toy rolled out of reach and he did his first scoot forward...and made a noise of such delight. He forgot about the toy and just practiced his new skill, going from one place to another and cooing happily each time he reached his goal. That included his dad and I and he was happy to let us pick him up for a hug but just for a second...he had to be on his way with so many places to go and a new way to get there.

He's all grown up now but it's a strong memory for me because he was just so happy and I feel lucky I was there to see him make that discovery. That is a great part of having a kid...watching them discover the world and stretch their limits. Amazing.

[Luminous Animal]

35. My daughter never crawled.

She started walking from my lap and up my body at age 3 months while holding my fingers and never stopped walking. By 9 months, she exhausted the knees of me, her father, and our friends while we knelt and walked her around and around in figure eights and circles around us. From 9 months to her 1st birthday (she was never anything but prompt - she was born on her due date) she killed our backs by insisting on walking everywhere while holding our fingers. She would not walk on her own and she would not crawl.

Children DO fall on both sides of the spectrum of normal.

[madokie]

51. Our grand daughter never crawled

[cynatnite]

5. Well, my oldest rolled and never really got into crawling. Walked at about 14 months...

but she damn sure had a doctor to reassure me that she was fine.

[Common Sense Party]

8. Good thing that deli worker has you to look out for her child's developmental

progress.

[Mind_your_head]

12. I suppose you're being sarcastic, but at least I *care*

That's probably why she confided in me.....

B/C I think of her as a mom/a human being who needs some support help/friendship. There's something very *correct* about that.

Perhaps YOU should try it some time???? Caring about people.

[Common Sense Party]

16. You don't know one thing about me. Grow up.

FYI-Not crawling by that age MIGHT be an indication of a developmental disability, which might be one more burden she has to bear, and might not feel like facing it or discussing it with a customer while at work.

[Mind_your_head]

26. I don't care one whit about YOU....my concern is for this baby.

GROW UP yourself!

[Common Sense Party]

28. Yeah, your concern, caring and compassion are OVERWHELMING.

[Mind_your_head]

31. It's waaay better than your 'caring and compassion'

So, which insurance company do you shill for?

[Common Sense Party]

81. .

Two things:

1)

and

2)
Something you definitely need to read, based on your behavior in this thread.

[midnight]

19. Thank you for caring. Mom's always need support.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

14. My sister in laws 3rd kid didn't crawl he did this weird monkey type movement.

Like with one arm and the opposite leg then sling his other leg and butt underneath. He really did look like a monkey but it was much faster than crawling, he did it even after he started walking if he wanted to go somewhere fast. He's 8 now and a really bright kid. Not a real good athlete (average I guess) but really smart.

[Mind_your_head]

17. .

[Brickbat]

20. Many babies skip the crawling.

Or it's possible there have been several doctor visits and she didn't want to talk about it.

I'm kind of curious as to what reaction you were looking for by posting this.

[Mind_your_head]

25. That this baby should be evaluated by a doctor as to whether this child is developing normally or no

(which these parents ~ or grandparents ~ can't afford)....yet the grandparents are "worried".

[Brickbat]

27. You wanted agreement and affirmation from us that a doctor should see the baby?

As I said, maybe it's been to the doctor. Or maybe the parents called the doctor and the doctor said, you know, I'll take a look at it when it comes in for its next round of shots. Or maybe the local ECFE nurse did a quick eval and didn't see a problem.

[Mind_your_head]

30. *It's* been to the doctor?

"I'll take a look at IT"?

That's *cold* brickbat....really, really cold.

[cynatnite]

32. You didn't specify if the baby was a boy or girl...

A lot of people will use "its" when "he" or "she" isn't specified.

[Mind_your_head]

33. It's in the OP.....

"year old grand-daughter"

That's pretty clear.

:eyes:

[cynatnite]

34. My mistake and I apoligize for that...

It still doesn't make saying "its" cold, though. Plenty of people say it and mean nothing by it.

[Mind_your_head]

37. It sure was cold.

he/she or s/he would have been better than 'ITs'

Again, I ask....what insurance company (or other) do you shill for?

Who do you work for, cynatnite?

[cynatnite]

41. It was not cold. It's just a statement that people use all the time...

:eyes: geez, paranoid much?

I'm a mom, a grandmother, and a student...if you think it's any of your business.

Besides, what the hell does what I do for a living have to do with anything? :shrug:

[Mind_your_head]

38. Are you, cynatnite, and brickbat 'one and the same'?

You apologized for something that brickbat said.

*BUSTED*

[nini]

40. no.. cynatnite apologized for his/her comments

good try though.

If you reacted to that woman in the store like you have with some people here I can see why she went into 'blah blah blah' mode. You are over reacting to what people are saying here and being snarky for no reason.

Oh.. before you ask - I don't work for a health insurance company :eyes:

[cynatnite]

42. What are you talking about? n/t

[Brickbat]

57. You're talking all out your head. Are you George W. Bush?

Seriously, put the keyboard down.

[Brickbat]

58. And I'm not cynatnite, nor is cynatnite me.

[Brickbat]

56. Yowza.

Here's a blanket to warm up, then.

[SidDithers]

39. This thread is a train wreck...

you jump down the throat of one poster for pointing out that many kids skip crawling altogether. You ignore the 10 other posters who confirm how spectacularly wrong you were in post #6. And then, when posters continue to disagree with you, you accuse them of being shills for the insurance companies.

It's amusing to see someone so completely unaware of their ignorance, and so absolutely sure they're right.

Sid

[cynatnite]

43. It's the wackiest train wreck I've ever seen...

I was just accused of being someone else in addition to working for an insurance company, too. :shrug:

[SidDithers]

44. Yeah, I saw that...

"wacky" my not go far enough to describe the strange reaction of the OP to the posts in this thread.

Sid

[Brickbat]

55. Sorry you got slammed with that -- clearly, that was MY helping of wack and it went to you instead.

This thread is classic, IMO.

[Javaman]

66. This thread plus some of the many comments remind me of the...

now infamous, "I will not be silenced!", thread.

It has that feel to it.

[Mind_your_head]

46. It's not normal for a kid not to even crawl at 12 months.

sure there are EXCEPTIONS.

From the looks of this thread, ALL of the *big talkers* on DU couldn't walk by 12 months, but MAN....could they TALK! (the B.S)

[ProdigalJunkMail]

50. yep...everyone is full of BS but you...

i'll keep that in mind for further reading...

sP

[dionysus]

67. have you heard of this wonder drug called thorazine? you might want to look into it.

[pipi_k]

69. I think it's more accurate to say that it's not USUAL

for a baby to not be crawling by 12 months.


As you get older you find that "normal" is pretty meaningless.

[chrisa]

70. You just said it yourself.

There are exceptions.

[Obamanaut]

45. Is the child eligible to be seen through SCHIP? nt

[Mind_your_head]

47. Probably. I will ask/encourage that., if possible. Thank you. eom

[BlueMTexpat]

48. Just adding my two bits' worth after reading through all of the comments here.

It is unclear to me too what you are trying to accomplish here. All here agreed that having a doctor see small children is a good idea and, despite the grandmother's comment(?), it is not clear that the child is not seeing one. Many posters here described their own child-rearing or personal experience, to show that not "crawling" per se is not, in and of itself, a big deal, but you seem to be less interested in hearing about that than in accusing them of disruptive or nefarious behavior.
As the oldest of five children, I can confirm that we all crawled in various fashions and walked at different stages and timelines. We all turned out just fine, although I do like to refer to us as "charmingly eccentric" (others might not agree with the "charmingly" but most would agree with the "eccentric"). My brother (the middle child) is no longer with us, but that is due more to his military experience in southeast Asia than to when he crawled and walked. Speaking as the mother of two, my oldest was slightly ahead of the norm. He crawled in the "normal" fashion from about 8 months on and was walking by himself by 12 months; the younger one crawled by 12 months but didn't walk, primarily because his older brother would fetch everything that he wanted. He was like a little pasha. But I wasn't worried because he reacted "normally" in all other ways and crawling is also supposed to be good for motor skills generally. When he was 15 months, we attended a large party at which many children his age were running about, having a great time while he stayed mostly sitting in his stroller where he felt comfortable. The next day, he got up and walked by himself and never looked back.
Children develop differently and do different things at different times. That is a fact. One of my younger cousins, a middle child, didn't say a word until he was 3 years old. Then he began speaking in complete sentences and, as his mother often ruefully commented, never again shut up. He now works in the broadcasting media.
My older son now has a son, who did a sort of commando crawl from 9-10 months, then a three-point crawl (two arms and one knee with the other leg stuck straight out behind) at 10-11 months when he moved to the more common type, started walking around furniture, or pushing furniture to where he wanted to go. He began taking steps by himself at 11 months, but only if his attention was on something else. When he realized that he was walking by himself, he would slowly sink down and crawl over to an item where he could pull himself up or else reach out to grab a hand or a piece of furniture. He had worked up to 18 solo steps by his first birthday. Then, about a week later, he deliberately launched himself and now is driving his parents crazy because he is fully mobile.
The younger son's child, a girl, never began with a "commando" crawl (perhaps it's a male thing!), but did a three-point crawl version from 8 months on and seemed to prefer that to the usual. She pulled herself around on the furniture from 8-9 months on and also walked solo from about a week after her first birthday.
I walked at 9 months, the earliest of all my siblings.
This baby could be doing something less than the "usual" crawl and be just fine. Yes, she should be seeing a pediatrician regularly to confirm that, but perhaps the family does not have health insurance. As someone mentioned, if that's the case, there may be programs available that would cover such, depending on the state and community resources. This is exactly why we need meaningful health care reform, the very least of which must contain the public option.
But rather than acting "shocked" or berating posters here, if you are sincerely concerned about this particular child's welfare ... and I am not suggesting otherwise, I suggest that you try to learn and understand the full set of circumstances and, if the daughter does not have health insurance to cover the child and there are local resources that can help, that you tactfully try to point them in those directions.

[Hawkeye-X]

49. Fortunately my son gets the help he needs

and he is an extremely healthy and very happy kid. He's working out his first tooth now! He's been pretty grumpy about it. He is 7 months old, and he's also trying to learn how to crawl. He's rocking back and forth, and knows how to scoot backwards!

His pediatrician is a family friend, so everything works out - even my son has his own insurance that we're paying 89/month on. We take him to ALL of his well-baby exams, and also will get a flu shot this Friday. Eek.

Hawkeye-X

[Shell Beau]

92. Awesome! My baby is almost 13 months so, I just went through

all of that!! It is amazing how fast they grow. I was so anxious for my girl to walk. She walked at 10 months, but now after being so anxious, I almost wish I could take it back. Good luck! It is a fun crazy journey so far!

[Grey]

52. I am #4 of 8 kids and

none of us crawled. We all did a sort of "Scruched" pulling our selves forward with out legs. I can still remember my sister leaving a damp trail from a wet diaper on the hardwood floors. None of us walked before we were 18 months old. Each of us never tested lower than 120 on any of the many IQ tests we were given. The Doctors said we were just busy learning "other stuff". So, just relax, it's probably just normal, what ever that is.

[bridgit]

54. Well I think it's the "blah, blah, blah" making it not so easy to say but to suggest...

How important wholesome parental or nurturing interaction really is; family dynamic/environ/what's going on there/nutrition stuff like that. My son had a bouncy seat that rocked and he figured that thing out lickety split and used to bounce himself to sleep, but seems like soon as his feet hit the floor he took off like Sonic the Hedgehog after walking him round by the hand, baby squats, exercises and push-ups and stuff.

I've called the nurse's station in local hospitals here for friends (and myself), and nurse practitioners; just asking for some direction where to go, which way to turn, and they've been very helpful. She could get similar tips from the Albertson's pharmacist

[recoveringrepublican]

59. My son started scooting on his arse at about 10 months. He didn't crawl until 12 months

and now, at 14 months is walking, running (well like he is drunk! lol) and climbing up on the furniture. Like someone said above, I've known babies to never crawl, they just started walking.

My daughter was crawling at 6 months and walking at 9. My older son was crawling at 8 and walking at 10. It's not really concerning, though maybe something they need to keep an eye on.

[Jennicut]

62. My kids never crawled, they went straight to walking after pulling themselves up on furniture

Sometimes kids can be delayed, the kid should be looked at by a Dr. but sometimes Grandparents don't know everything that is going on with the kid's life.

[JerseygirlCT]

63. Some kids really don't crawl at all.

They just start with walking. And there's still time for that, well within normal.

My oldest (who was walking before 12 mos.) was one who never really crawled. He just watched. He wasn't going to attempt walking until he was sure he got it and could do it. Then he walked.

It happens!

[undeterred]

64. Maybe its a baby monkey.

Does it swing from furniture?

[Javaman]

65. ...

:spray:

[pipi_k]

68. I didn't crawl until I was 15 months old

when I did it only took a week, then I started walking.


As told to me by my mom...



Edited to add:

OTOH, my younger brother was trying to stand and walk at the age of 8 months.


You just can never tell what a kid is going to do.

[and-justice-for-all]

71. I had always thought crawling was part of the process...nt

[LeftishBrit]

75. Not always

A significant number of babies push themselves around on their bottoms, instead of crawling.

[and-justice-for-all]

76. But it does have something to do with motor skills development?

either crawling or some thing to that effect?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

72. People develop at different rates.

And I think this thread is a perfect example.

[Common Sense Party]

79. .

:thumbsup:

[mainer]

73. The fact the grandmother mentioned it means it's bothering her

Otherwise why would she have even said it? I think the grandmother was troubled by her granddaughter not walking or crawling, and was seeking advice, if only subconsciously. And the OP responded with a reasonable suggestion.

[TwilightGardener]

77. Possible that the kid has a developmental delay, but my son didn't

crawl in the classic sense, and started walking at 13 months, and is normal. You should have maybe read up on infant development and educated yourself before posting.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

82. Just Think.........

If the kid can't speak by the time he's 35 years old, he may just be in line to run for President as a Republican!

[moc]

84. A bigger concern is whether or not the child has pulled to stand yet.

The crawling is not that big of a deal as long as the child is trying to get from place to place by whatever means possible.

However, you mentioned this is a girl. I wonder if she's been screened for hip dysplasia? Hip dysplasia is more common in girls (and more common among the Irish for some reason), and it's more of an issue with babies sleeping on their backs. (Tummy sleeping is associatred with hip flexion which can help force the hip into the joint.)

Screening for hip dysplasia is a routine part of well-baby care. This is when they rotate the baby's hip joint to feel for a "popping" which indicates possible dysplasia. If found early, it can be corrected relatively easily with braces. However, if it goes too long, surgery is required.

I'd probably ask a few more questions. If child is moving from place to place by some means, that is good. If the child is not pulling up yet, a visit to a pediatrician or pediatric orthopod would be a very good idea.

[dugaresa]

86. I remember those tests with my kids, the pediatrician would move their legs

around and then bend the legs and push. never knew what that was. didn't hurt the babes, just seemed weird but i figured our pediatrician knew what he was doing.

[Shell Beau]

87. Babies move at their own pace. While this could be an issue, it could

also be that the baby isn't ready yet.

I surely hope that this baby has been seeing a doctor though. They check for all of those things, and a doctor could tell her if the baby is moving at its own pace or maybe slow. And a lot of things can be helped or corrected if caught early.

[madeline_con]

88. The child may be developmentally disabled. n/t

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

89. How about the local health department? They will happily look at the baby.