My 7 Month Old Has Developmental Isusse

Have you learned infant massage? WellSpan offers classes, as do many doulas and massage therapists. Another good resource for physical therapy is Yoga for the Special Child. The author's daughter had Down's Syndrome and the yoga really helped her both physically and mentally. Also, babywearing with a sling or other carrier is wonderful for baby's development. I have a hotsling pouch which my baby just loves.

Best of luck to you and yours!
V.

Good luck, Jayda. My daughter is in early intervention---it's free in most counties, but you may really need to advocate, esp if there's a delay in getting an evaluation--it's worth it, the physical and occupational therapists are wonderful. Not all the pediatricians "get" this. In addition to Early Intervention, you need to make an appt to see a developmental pediatrician: CHOP/Children's Hospital, in Phila, is the best, and it has a long waiting list, you might call the developmental clinic right away for an appt. There's also dev clinics at St Christopher's in Phila, and other good children's hospitals have them too. Another option is Shriners Hospital in North Philadelphia, which has a very good reputation (and is a free service, too). These appts are important: EI doesn't get at the medical issues, they just fix what they see. My daughter has hypotonia (low tone), and we've been learning about these different avenues. EI has been wonderful, but we needed to get a diagnosis, and that's where the developmental pediatricians helped.

And go with your instincts in getting help. It can be bureaucratic to deal with these systems, but they do incredible work. Hugs to you, and the baby.

My daughter, Ashleigh, started Early Intervention when she was 20 months old. She did not walk. She had PT once a week along with development & later speech was added. This was all done in our home. Birth to 3 is normally done in the home. I am in Butler Co.

I would definately look into EI. It was so worth it. Ash walked at 25 months old & that we credit her wonderful physical therapist. Ash had to learn how to do everything like climbing on chairs, climbing onto the couch, etc.

Ashleigh did not sit up on her own. She barely spoke. She had problems with her left side. Her left side is the weaker side.

Ashleigh is now 6 & her speech is normal. Her ability to walk, jump, run is still delayed. Any questions, please ask.

Hi Jayda,

If I were you, I would get a second opinion or have him evaluated. Mother's seem to know best! If there is a developmental delay it is best to intervene early. Early Intervention programs always say "the earlier the better." There are a lot of resources out there for developmental delays. My daughter is small too. When I was pregnant, I had to go for an ultrasound almost everyweek because she was measuring weeks behind where she should have been. My quad screen was positive for Downs but she came out fine. She is only in the 3rd percentile for weight. At 2 months she was 6 pounds. We are about to go to her 3 month check up today. I hope everything goes well! He may just need more time to reach his milestones and he may just catch up because infant development is so varied. Is he rolling over yet?? Good Luck!

Hi Jayda,
I currently provide childcare to a set of 1yo twins. They are about 3mo. behind developmentally. The mom has a physical therapist coming to her house and working with them and they are catching up.

I would suggest you contact your pediatrician about your concerns and ask for the phone number of the agency in your area that handles evaluations. I would have your child evaluated for physical therapy, occupational therapy. It is possible that all he needs is some one on one with a therapist in order to catch up.
I just noticed you have someone coming out to evaluate him. They will work on having him hold his head up, laying on his stomach, sitting up and so on.

2 of my children have developmental delays. Both experienced poor growth. They see a developmental pediatricion, she is more educated in those matters than a regular doctor. Dr. Seneft of Good Shepard in Allentown is where my children go. I give my children a protein based formula which helps with growth. They had a protein defeciency which turned up in a blood test. Get another opinion!!! Don't waste any time!!!

Hi Jayda,

I had a similar situation with my daughter as well. She was born at 32 weeks at 4.2 pounds and was in the neonatal unit for almost three weeks. When she came home she had a heart monitor since she was having episodes of apnea. She too was developmentally delayed except for speech. My pediatrician finally at 9 months old had recommended me to Theraplay, which is a service that may evaluate your son's gross motor skills, fine motor skills and speech. After exhausting my insurance benefits there, I had learned about Early Intervention Services, which are offered by each County. At that time, it was Bucks County Early Intervention Services for me. They will come to your home and evaluate whether your son qualifies for services i.e. he has to be a certain percentage delayed according to their standards in order to qualify for services. My daugher qualified for both gross and fine motor skills services. The gross motor therapist was simply wonderful and came to my home frequently for roughly 1 1/2 years and the fine motor specialist came to my home for 3 months. By the time my daughter was roughly three years old, she no longer qualified for these services since there were no longer needed. My daughter is now 6 1/2 years old and you would never know that she was ever developmentally delayed. She is right up there with the others in everything that she does. I'm so proud of her. I will tell you though that to obtain these type of services there is alot of paperwork, phone calls, referrals, and constant "hounding" on your part to make this happen. The overall result though is so worth it. Good luck to you. Your son will shine.

I would call up your local early intervention unit. I had them out for my son because he was very delayed in several areas. They will set up an appt. and come out and evaluate your son. If he is really delayed they'll start some probably physical or occupational therapy with him til he gets caught up. They had my son from about 27 months til 3 and he really was almost caught up by 3. If you need help finding the number just send me a message and I'll help you out. Good Luck!

If your concerned and your pedi. isnt showing concerns. You could always call Early Intervention to do an evaluation. It doesnt cost you anything! Here is the site, since you are located in Berks County http://www.co.berks.pa.us/berks/cwp/view.asp?a=1159&q...

My son was born two months early at three pounds. By age one he barely did anything. Then he had help thru a program called, Tiny Tots-Early intervention. They work with preemies who have at least a 25 percent delay in motor skills, etc, and developmental delays, till they turn three. It made a world of difference for my preemie. He is now a perfectly normal four year old. He is still underweight though. The doctors said he is only in the 9th percentile for his age, but he is tall though. Tiny tots has an inbase program where an instuctor/therapist comes to your home to work with your child with your help. They are a really great company but I'm not sure what areas they go to. I'm sure I live in a different county than you.

HI Jayda
First of all, you made a wise choice to get your child help. At this tender age, kids respond better to therepy.
I have a child who was in early intervention and gets extra therepy 3x per wk for speech and occupational therepy.
I have seen a great sucess for my child after just one year.
I wish you the best of luck. I am sure your child will be fine.

N.

get a new dr, asap, i dont know where you take him now, but the physcians office center in morgantown has great baby drs, my 4 year old was born 3 months early and had severe reflux and sezeures and she still doubled her birth weight by 6 weeks, she weighed 5lbs, because i was on a steriod inhaler. he is malnourished, but not from anything you are doing, there could be something wrong inside where everything he takes in, the body is just sending it all out as waste, and not as something he needs. do you ever see those info mercacials withthose poor starving kids in afcria? thats how those poor babys are, 10 months old acting like newborns because they are malnourished, get a new dr and be seen today,

Every child is entitled by law to a free developmental evaluation by Early Intervention and they will provide whatever therapies the child needs for free in your home. You don't need your doctor to ok it. In Pennsylvania, call 800-692-7288 to do an intake.
Good luck!

call early intervention...i listened to the doctors with my second and from a month old i said something wasn't right and finally now at three and half i finally got the doctors to listen to me and she is autistic...i am not saying something is definetly wrong but if there is the early the better for your child....

Bacuse of the fact that he was "premature" was alot to handle and now this. Just sit back take a deep breath and breath out. It's gonna be okay. Try for 10 minutes a day to work with him. Hold him upright and while you do that move his arms and legs. If you have a "Boppy" sit it along side the coroner of the couch upright. place you're son there and he sould be sitting up. do this a coulpe of times a day. It will help gain his muscles in the back, without you having to hold him.

I know the doctors are making you fustrated and sometimes you feel like it's you're fault and that you're not doing what you should, BUT IT'S NOT SO DON'T THINK IT. you're gonna cry. You're gonna think that everything is falling apart. YOU AS A MOTHER ARE DOING THE BAEST YOU ARE FOR YOU'RE CHILD.

You might want to ask the doctor for a list of physical child develpoment classes. HE CAN'T SAY NO.

Do not feel bad my son is 2 and looks like he is one, but walks and talks like a little man. Trust me I had many of those nights where I felt like I was doing something wrong.

HANG IN THERE!!!!!!
IT does get better

M.