'Intervention' after 9 month development check?

[Hooblet]

LO had his 9 month development check last week, and I was told by some friends who live in different areas it would be measuring him, weighing him, and then an in-depth chat about what he does now, safety etc. None of them had ever had a pass or fail test, so to speak.

LO hates the health visitors anyway, and always gets upset when we go (I think he associates the place with injections and nakedness!).We sat in the HV's office and she held out some blocks in the palms of her hands, and he picked one up and tried to put it in his mouth. She said he wasn't to do that as he might swallow it (it was massive!) and wrestled it off him, so he started to cry.

On the basis of this she says we have to have a 6 week nursery nurse 'intervention' where someone comes to my home once a week to show me how to teach him to do things properly. She said she was 'concerned' as she would expect every 9 month old to pick up one block in each hand, bang them together and then transfer one from one hand to another. He can do all those things, he just didn't at the particular time. I'm surprised so many 9 month olds do exactly these things exactly when they're required to, to be honest. I didn't realise they were going to test him on the spot. I can't understand why they don't do the check here at home if they want to observe how he plays with things.

He rolls over, sit ups, crawls and pulls himself up. He picks up individual cheerios and eats them. He waves hi and goodbye and understands 'kiss' and 'what's this?'. He pushes all the buttons on his toys to make them make noise. I'm not sure what else he's supposed to be doing??

I wondered if anyone else has had a similar experience, or if anyone else has had one of these nursery nurse interventions? I'm not clear what will happen and I'm feeling quite upset about everything really

 

[cmarie33]

Think your hv was a bit ott! Did you tell her what he can do? I'd be really offended if that happened to me. Hope you're ok xx

 

[MrsButterfly]

That sounds utterly ridiculous to me and has made me quite cross reading it! How can they decide you need someone to come to your home to "teach" your lo on the basis of one thing he did?! Particularly when, as you say, he can do everything she wanted if he chooses.

If this was me I'd be talking to them again before having someone come and show me what I should be doing with my son. Grrrr. Normally am quite positive about HVs but this has riled me for some reason!

ETA - from my experiences with others older babies sounds like yours is doing brilliantly!

 

[xSin]

Id be pissed, they're babies not freakin trained monkeys!!!

 

[re10]

That sounds ridiculous, my nearly one year old's first reaction would be to put a new thing in her mouth too, that's just how they explore the world! No experience I'm afraid as we don't have development checks until over a year here. Can you speak to a different hv or GP and say how unhappy you were with the outcome of that visit?

 

[readytotry]

Can you speak to another member of the hv team about your concerns. Maybe ask for a different hv to come out and redo assessment at home if they think it is so important.

The only thing my Lo was actually "tested" on was whether she followed something with her eyes. For everything else the hv just asked me if I had seen her do it.

 

[pinklightbulb]

The HV sounds like an idiot. I'd be inclined to ignore her. If you're happy with his development, then sod her

 

[Blizzard]

I'd object, that's ridiculous! Fin puts everything (including daddy's socks (shudder)) in his mouth to explore. That's just what baby's do. Really I'd complain and ask them to repeat the assessment at home. X

 

[maidelyn]

You don't have to let them into your home. You can troll them you're happy with his development and do not need or want home visits. Explain why if you want but unless they have concerns about your child's safety then they have no right of access to your home.

 

[BigAl]

That is exactly what my 9 month old lo would do! There is no way he would ever bang the blocks together, and he can't wave. Sounds like would get a massive fail.

Hope you can tell them to feck off because your lo sounds fabulous.

 

[Nat0619]

My god, that's ridiculous! I'm waiting for Ciara's check-up appointment and was only saying to my mum the other day that Ciara won't do things on demand. She also puts lots of things to her mouth, even though she can bang things together etc.

How on earth can they base his whole development on one little thing?! X

 

[annanouska]

My Hv said babies put everything in their mouths until about 18 months for development?!? Perhaps babies in your area are meant to be different?! The HIV just stresses me out so I ignore them now x

 

[erikab922]

That is CRAZY. I am sure if my baby did the same our HVs would be like 'oh sweetie that's great, good coordination' - what is your HV playing at? That's not normal and I would try to find out who is in charge of the HVs in your area and say you think intervention is totally inappropriate. What area are you in? I'm half-tempted to tell our HVs who I'm sure would go ape-shit if they knew another HV was doing that.

 

[Noelle610]

What?! Your baby sounds perfectly normal, unless I'm missing something. A baby put something in his mouth? How terrifying!

If I were you, I would report this.

 

[C_baby]

I would actually complain, I'm usually quite supportive of HV (I am a nurse after all) but that one is clearly smoking crack. I'd she for real? Of course a baby is going to put things in their mouth, they don't know what they're 'supposed' to do, it's completely natural for everything to go mouth first. My step granddaughter is 1 and by this standard would fail even though she can bang stuff together. I'm actually mad for you.

I would find the idea of a nursery worker coming to my house quite frankly insulting. They're trying to send someone to your home to play with your child 'the right' way implying you are doing something wrong.

I would most definately refuse an invervention and request another HV. Your LO is a baby not a performing monkey, they won't do everything on cue! What you can tell them about your child is so important and apparently your HV missed the memo. If this is indicative of her practice I wouldn't trust her at all.

 

[tinytabby]

Jeez. I'd complain, that's so out of order.

In this area they don't even do development checks because they're pointless.

 

[StaceyKor]

Yeah i was gonna say that they dont do development checks here. My LO is so shy around strangers that i am pretty certain she would fail even though she can do loads at home etc. I would complain, theres no need for intervention, it seems pointless to me x

 

[Aidan's Mummy]

That's awful! We had our check but the HV came to us and if he didn't do something then she asked if he could do it. She said as long as he can sit unaided for at least 20 seconds, drink from a cup, feed him self, transfer toys, smiles, garbles and lay on his tummy and go into the prone position then he is fine x

 

[Tacey]

I think I'd be in touch with the children's centre. That's bonkers! All Alice did at her 9 month check was cry . It would be a complete waste of someone's time to come and visit a baby who is perfectly fine developmentally. I'd get my complaining hat on if I were you!

 

[Bumblebee117]

Our HVs are all useless and forgot about my twins. No check ups since they were 7/8 weeks old... I am sure she must have had a bad day, don't take it too seriously I am sure your lo is perfectly fine. Xx