Sometype of Muscle Weakness

Sounds just like my daughter, who is now 22 months old. At her 1 year check up her dr also suggested pt for her. She was not pulling up, not crawling..she did the army crawl too. She couldn't get into a sitting position from laying, etc..pretty much everything you described. We did get her evaluated, she qualified for pt and ot. However, they took so long to get the ball rolling with it, that by the time they called us to set up any appointments, Ashlynn started pulling up, crawling, sitting etc. We just said forget it to the therapy since she seemed to be progressing on her own. She now is walking and seems perfectly fine. The only thing she still does is walk with a bit of a stomp, but I think she will grow out of that, when she runs it is more heel to toe. Anyway...I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone, and I know how worried I was when my daughters doctor suggested pt for her and said she had low muscle tone. Hang in there. Oh, i should also say that my daughter was almost 20 months before she started walking...and there is no stopping her now. At her 18 month check up, her doctor wasn't as worried becuase had started crawling with her belly off the floor, and pulling up and cruising. She said that if she wasn't walking by her 2 year check up that we should get her re-evaluated. I did do some "excercises" with her to help her strengthen her muscles (had her push against my hands, etc)...not sure if that helped at all. My daughter has always been one to do things in her "own time" when she wants to do something she'll do it, when she doesn't, there's no making her. When she realized that she wanted to keep up with her big brother, and to do that she needed to walk, i think she started trying more..if that makes sense?

Anyway, I hope that wasn't too long winded, just wanted to let you know that I know what your going through. Have you made an apt to get him evaluated yet? I would be interested to hear what they say.

S.

Hi M.,
I haven't experienced this myself, but I can tell you as someone who does research biomechanics that the early intervention PT programs are GREAT. They have really good success and chances are really good that your boy is completely fine, just a little slow with the gross motor skills. He's doing really well if he'll hold your hands and walk that way - a lot of what the PTs do with babies this age is put them on baby treadmills (yes, I'm not kidding) and get them to learn the stepping pattern - your little guy already has this down.

I know it's hard when you're not sure what's going on, but I would really embrace the opportunity to have someone work with your son and give him as much encouragement as you can. Kudos to your doc for identifying a potential problem - this is definitely a "better safe than sorry" thing at this point, it sounds like. Good luck to you both.

I agree with everyone else. My daughter also has problems with upper body strength. We didn't realize it was a problem until she was 4 1/2, and were having her evaluated by an OT (occupational therapy) for other issues. She had OT for about 9 months, and has improved greatly. When she was little, we didn't realize how much this problem would affect her ability to participate in sports that her peers take for granted-swimming, gymnastics, dance, etc. and how much her self-confidence would be affected as a result. I wish we had realized the effects on her earlier and gotten help sooner. The earlier your child gets help, the better!

I certainly don't know your son or your ped but my daughter just started crawling before her first birthday and it was really more of a scoot thing and she wasn't standing for another month after that. She started walking at 15 months and is just fine. Some kids just do things at their own pace and it's stressful on us but he might be just fine, just not ready. YOu can have the state come out and observe him for free. Good luck and I"m sure he'll be fine.

My doc had similar concerns at my daughter's nine month check and we went through the state program early intervention to have her check for possible services and then she started to crawl the day before the first specialist came. It is a good program and I was impressed by the therapists that came to the house. Now she isn't walking yet at almost a year but the visits gave us a good diagnosis (helped me sleep better) and some things to do with her. Would highly recommend that you try that program. Our doc gave us a referral for it, you call and that's it. Good luck.

My first son did not start crawling til he was 10 months old. He starting walking at 18 months. Seeing a physical therapist can't hurt, in my opinion.

Hello! You are the best mom that you can be. You are raising a healthy little boy! All kids develop at different rates and your son is moving at a different rate. You want to make sure that he continues to advance in his development. Your brain and nervous system control everything, including your muscle growth. If there is any interference to the nerves, the body just can not do what it is suppose to do. I would have a chiropractor would specializes in kids check him out. Go to www.ICPA4KIDS.org

I would NOT take your son to a chiropractor unless you get an OK from your pediatrician. They are not physical therapists nor doctors.
My daughter didn't crawl till she was 8 mos, and didnt' walk till she was 17 months. At my daughter's 12 month check up, the MD told us her muscles were weak as well. We got PT and OT to take a look at her through the Early Intervention Program, and she qualified for their services. They began it soon thereafter. The therapists were wonderful and the service coordinator was very responsible and helpful.
She improved with them and now runs and jumps like any toddler. So it would not hurt to see a PT, and get him evaluated. It's free, and provided from the state, so why not..Good luck, and he will be just fine.
Now she is getting speech therapy...again through early intervention but I know she will be ok..

Dear M.,

Your son probably just has low muscle tone. All by itself, this is really no big deal. My husband and I both had low muscle tone as children -- I was slow to crawl and I walked at 18 1/2 months. We don't know when my husband walked because he doesn't remember and his parents are deceased, but we've seen his pediatric medical records so we knew that he was so slow to hold his head up by himself that his doctor thought that he might have CP! Anyway, 30+ years ago, doctors didn't intervene about this much, and we are both fine, if not the most athletic or coordinated people. (We have other areas of strengths -- we are both highly educated and are both attorneys.) I tell you this as background because when I was pregnant with our first child, my husband and I used to joke that when she was born she would need a baby personal trainer.

Sure enough, she was slow to sit, crawl, etc. At 10 months, she was sitting up by herself, and rolling everywhere, but not crawling at all and didn't want to bear weight on her legs. Her pediatrician suggested waiting until she was 1 year old for a PT eval, but I wanted to move ahead because of our family history. We wound up getting PT, OT, and speech services for her through Early Intervention at Easter Seals from age 1 to 3. (She got the speech services because her muscle tone was so low that she didn't have good breath support in her diaphragm.) At age 3, she transitioned into a pre-school program offered by dist. 203 where those services were provided within the pre-school classroom setting. She is now 5 1/2 and preparing to start kindergarten in August. And -- wow! You would never know that there was a problem. She is so strong -- and fearless. The BEST thing by far about early intervention is that she never had a chance to be self-conscious or realize that other kids could do things that she couldn't. She was exposed to so many different exercises and activities that she wants to try everything and thinks she can do anything. It is wonderful to watch. I, on the other hand, grew up very aware that I was slower, weaker, etc. At an early age, I started to cringe at the mention of a game of tag, hate the thought of gym class, and pretty much just liked to sit around and read books. I am so happy for my daughter's chance to have more positive associations about exercise and physical activity and I love seeing her try and achieve new things. She is thrilled because this spring she mastered the monkey bars - something I have never done myself.

At the same time, we have a 2nd daughter, only 20 months younger than the first. Even before she was born, I knew that she was stronger than her older sister. But, she is on the weaker end of the spectrum. I did not pursue the PT with her and she walked on her own at 16 months. I have mixed feelings now that she is 4. On the one hand, she can participate happily in all physical activities, so she technically didn't "need" the PT. However, her older sister is much "sportier." All the extra physical activity and exposure to new things has made the older sister want to go, go, go, while the little one really doesn't initiate physical activity on her own.

So -- this is my really long personal advertisement for PT. Can't recommend it enough! I believe that it will have lifelong benefits from making it easier and more enjoyable to pursue a healthy and active lifestyle. Plus, it will make the school years much easier by potentially reducing exposure to classmate ridicule -- kids always pick on anyone who is different. But, also know that whatever happens, in the big picture, your child is healthy and will walk on his own and grow up to be just fine. I might not have walked until I was 18 months old, which did bother my mom when all her friends were asking her what was wrong with me, but 18 years later I went to Harvard and none of her friends' kids did. Good luck!

Hi M. -

My sister has a son who has muscle weakness/underdevelopment, and she recommended that you get an evaluation from either Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) or Marianjoy. She was bounced around from years to smaller local therapists and regrets now she didn't go to the big guns earlier. Good luck to you and your son!

C.

I would recommend the PT as well. My daughter was born a month early and had low musle tone. It was decided from the beginning that she would have PT through Early Intervention. It was great. The PT came to our home every week for many months, then every other week until we were satisfied that my daughter was reaching her physical milestones. My daughter is now almost 14 months and is not walking on her own but I am not concerned and neither is her pediatrician. You should look into it and have your child evaluated. If nothing else it will give you peace of mind. Good luck.

M.,
There are many great resources available, so it is actually good that your pediatrician is addressing this issue. I have experienced something similar with my son. My advice is to go to the best PT facility that you can-- a facility that regularly serves children. (We went to Loyola, which is near to us.) Anyway, get an evaluation. Then, if your child has more significant delays, he will qualify for the Early Intervention Program. This is a program of the State of Illinois. My son has received excellent help through this program. I highly recommend trying PT and any other therapies that might be recommended, regardless of whether your son might qualify to receive services provided by the State. Take every bit of help that is available to you!
Amy

I agree with the other posters. My son received PT through Early Intervention and it made a huge difference! I don't know where you are located but he went to Rainbow Center which was fantastic! It is in North Aurora just off of I-88 at the Farnsworth exit near the Outlet mall. You can find information about early intervention services through the state of illinois website. Good Luck!!