# *updated, got a few answers* What is wrong with my son??



## Phantom

No one can give me any answers so I thought I would see if anyone here has been through something similar with their child. My son seems to have weak muscles, He can't walk yet at 18 months. He crawls, cruises, but won't walk. He has a few words but not many. He is extremely clingy and anxious. But he is social, fascinated with faces, etc.

I just want to know what could be wrong. People ask me and I don't know what to say and I refuse to tell them he's "behind".


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## RachA

Hi.

As he is cruising and crawling i wouldn't worry about the walking too much - My youngest started walking at 18 months. Prior to that she was hardly cruising at all. Anything up to around 2 years is within normal range.
Again with the talking 18months is young to be talking a lot. Yes you get some children who are saying words prior to 18 months but it's not 'normal' for them to be talking properly at 18months. By 2 they say around about 50 words so if your lo is saying some words already then he is on his way there. Is he trying to say words in his own way? Does his babble to himself? Can he follow simple instructions?
Clingy and anxious is normal for some children at this age - i say some because my two have always been quite happy to go to other people etc and have never really shown any separation anxiety.


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## Phantom

Thank you. I guess why I am concerned is because his doctor is. She wants him to get genetic testing done to see why his muscles are weak. Even his bowel is weak. He does a lot of repetitive play by moving things back and forth, spinning them, etc. He also puts everything in his mouth and tends to stuff his mouth with food so much he can't chew it. I had a early intervention worker visit us this week and the look she gave him while he played... I could see she was concerned. He was shaking his head back and forth like he always does when his one toy plays music. He is the most amazing little boy and I hate to think people are already judging him. :cry:


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## RachA

Prior to his doctor saying anything were you worried at all? That can be a good indication. I knew that things were right with my DD but at the time i didn't show any signs of knowing because i was having a hard time with my eldest. Had i acknowledged to my OH etc that i knew something was wrong i would of been an emotional wreck. She was having intervention so it wasn't that i was leaving her - i was being positive!


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## Phantom

RachA said:


> Prior to his doctor saying anything were you worried at all? That can be a good indication. I knew that things were right with my DD but at the time i didn't show any signs of knowing because i was having a hard time with my eldest. Had i acknowledged to my OH etc that i knew something was wrong i would of been an emotional wreck. She was having intervention so it wasn't that i was leaving her - i was being positive!

Yes, I was worried. I asked to sees a pediatrician about why he wasn't crawling at 12 months. He's been more difficult in so many aspects than the average baby I just had a feeling he was different. I used to work at a daycare so I know what is "normal" and my son is very different from any baby/toddler I've worked with.


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## sun

My son has hypermobility and hypotonia (low muscle tone) so his gross motor skills took a long time to develop. He wasn't rolling or crawling (or getting himself into sitting) until 13mo and it took a long time for him to walk well. He also didn't talk for a long time. Did they mention any of these possibilities? My son also had genetic testing of the main possibilities, which came up fine. I refused to have more indepth testing done because I didn't think it was worth my son going through more testing. My son is now 3 and can runa, walk, and jump pretty well! xx


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## annie00

Hi. My nephew is 3 years Old and he does that with his toys back n forth for hours and shakes his head as well.. The interviewer came over and said he has mild Autuism... 

But he has grown out of it he is a little slower than his twin but it doesn't affect him.. Good luck


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## Phantom

Well, I thought I would update a little. No definite answers yet but we saw a team of people and they sent us a report about their findings. They said Quinton has mildly low muscle tone, his right foot curves inwards, and they noticed possible sensory issues (oral, he puts everything in his mouth, more-so than the average toddler, shirts, tables, you name it). It's a start. I am a bit relieved really. Now that I know there is a reason he isn't walking yet etc, and I'm not just a bad mom.


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## sun

Great that you found some answers - wow he sounds alot like my son. My guy was over 2 before he wasn't shaky on uneven surfaces and could run pretty well - jumping was a skill he picked up a little after that. I found that gymnastics was great for him once he was about 2.5 - we went to a drop-in once a week where he could run, jump and balance on things. At this point (3yo) the differences are more subtle - he is more likely to fall while running or doing something, and because his trunk and neck muscles aren't as strong he is more likely to hurt himself. His head will still flop back rather than him holding it off the ground in a fall.


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## mandimoo

I hope things turn out ok for you both. Is that his picture on your avatar? If so, he is absolutely adorable.


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