Won't Stack or Throw a Ball

Updated on December 02, 2015
A.C. asks from Meridian, MS
14 answers

My daughter is almost 16 months and she won't stack blocks or throw a ball. She just drops the ball when we ask her to throw it or she goes to throw it overhead and it just goes backwards. She also doesn't like to play with toys at all, I mentioned this to her dr. But he didn't seem concerned. She will play with the one toy that is a phone/ doodle pad so she can scribble and er race. She will also stick shapes in the shape sorter for abut 30 seconds or less. Another thing she does is sticks everything and anything in her mouth. I don't remember my son doing any of this.

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D.D.

answers from Boston on

Little ones don't read the books that tell them what they should be doing and at which age it should happen. They only do what they are interested in doing.

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H.W.

answers from Portland on

Relax, your child is fine. Only a year and four months old-- think about it. Really little. I'll bet she's interested in doing something else right now and is working on that... just watch her. :)

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A.C.

answers from Tuscaloosa on

Thank you ladies, I am just a worrier lol. I had my first baby at 19 and didn't know anything at all about milestones. I wasn't even looking at any of those things until I had my daughter. They are almost 5 years apart my hubby is in the military and we are away from family. I had so much help with my son and he always had babies his age to play with but my daughter only has my hubby, my son and I so I have a lot of self doubt if anything. That's why I worry so much. Your answers helped out a lot thank you.

Updated

She also doesn't like playing with toys at all. She will do the shapr sorter for like 30 seconds if that. She mostly likes climbing on the Couches and getting things out of the cabinets ect. She is social though, she waves hi and bye and can say them. I don't know what it is but it just doesn't seem right.

Updated

She also doesn't like to play with toys at all, she will barely even touch them bUt she is very social, especially when her dad and brother come home but when its just us two it's like she doesn't want to learn or do anything. She will hand me books to read but she will walk away while I'm reading. I have a 6 year old son and I honestly didn't see any type of things to be concerned about with him.

Updated

She also doesn't like to play with toys very much at all. But she is very social so I don't know what's going on, I let her dr know about her not playing with toys but he did not seem concerned because she plays with household objects.

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P.K.

answers from New York on

You are expecting way too much. She is only 16 months.

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N.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Go to parentcenter.com and sign up to receive daily/weekly/monthly emails regarding what she should be doing and what should come next. It's a lot of fun and it's a good way to keep track of what she is supposed to be doing and what's not at her level yet.

IF she is behind in areas you could mention it to the doc the next visit but it's not anything that she won't get at some point.

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J.C.

answers from Philadelphia on

My daughter at 10 yo still threw the ski ball at the arcade backwards sometimes. I just figured she is not particularly athletic.😬😆😖

Don't worry. She will get it and I don't believe either of those skills are milestones that mark a child's development.

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

What issue?
This is stuff that comes later - anywhere between 18 months and 3 yrs old.
You need to read up on child development so you have a better idea when to expect certain milestones.

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D.B.

answers from Boston on

I don't think any child that age can throw a ball regularly. A few might get lucky now and then, but that's about it. Throwing is an extremely complex motion - lifting the arm with the ball, moving the arm backwards, then moving it forwards, and letting go of the ball during the forward motion. It absolutely takes way too much motor skill for a 15 month old. Whatever you read or heard that told you a little one this age should be throwing is severely uneducated. Besides, the less you have a toddler throwing things, the better off you are going to be!

Stacking? It's something some kids do, but many don't. My guess is, you are missing so much of what she IS doing by selecting a few things you think she's "delayed" in. Kids walk, talk, sort, hop on one foot, skip, feed themselves, potty train, write their letters, and a whole bunch of other things on radically different schedules. Your pediatrician will cover these things at regular appointments - and just because a doctor asks if she's doing something yet doesn't mean your child is delayed if she isn't there yet. The pedi is looking at the overall development, not at whether one skill or two are still emerging.

Relax. You'll feel better!

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S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

you need to educate yourself better on child development. for one thing, your daughter is on the young end for being able to do this sort of activity. but even if she weren't it wouldn't be a big red flag. developmental milestones are very, very general, and kids are fiercely unique. they leap forward at ridiculous rates in some things, dawdle in others, backslide frequently.

it's good to be paying attention and alert your pediatrician if you have a real concern about something, but your concerns should be grounded in common sense and reality.
khairete
S.

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D..

answers from Miami on

Please go to library and check out a book about child development. It will really help you.

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J.G.

answers from Chicago on

My kids didn't throw balls until much later, but they are early talkers.

What is your daughter doing? They can only put their energy into so many things. Each kid is different.

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S.H.

answers from Santa Barbara on

Sounds like you are doing a great job (I just read your post below). Is there a 'baby and me' group you can join in your area with other children close to her age? I recall doing this when my son was about 15 months old and it was really helpful talking to other moms going through the same things (or different issues, but being supportive).

Updated

Sounds like you are doing a great job (I just read your post below). Is there a 'baby and me' group you can join in your area with other children close to her age? I recall doing this when my son was about 15 months old and it was really helpful talking to other moms going through the same things (or different issues, but being supportive).

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N.P.

answers from Chicago on

according to a mean based standarized development test, the LAP-3, being able to throw a ball overhand is a skill that they should have no later then 41 months old, at that age the ball should be able to travel 5 feet, giving the child 3 tries to get that done, in order for it to be counted as a skill they have. Stacking blocks in a tower 3 to 4 blocks tall is a skill that should be able to be performed no later then 23 months old, again, giving 3 chances to get the blocks to stay in a tower in order to count the skill. She should, at the END of 17 months old, walk 3 steps, be able to put 1 cube in a cup at this age, beat 2 things together, make a mark with a pencil/crayon/marker, remove a lid box to find a hidden toy, say 2 words beside mama/dada, finger feed self for meal, pull off socks, and give toy to adult upon request.

A.J.

answers from Philadelphia on

My three kids were ENTIRELY different with the milestones stuff. My youngest was a ninja who could practically knit and do calligraphy while balancing on tightropes at 16 months while my middle child could barely stand up or hold stuff. My oldest spoke in complex sentences at 16 months and my middle one didn't say more than two words until he was almost three. Throwing? I can't remember, but my middle child was unable to do things like play piano and write letters until much older age than his sisters. They are all normal and coordinated and reading and writing now at 6, 7, and 9.

So don't look for details to worry about. Many toddlers under two are super uncoordinated. Keep a good watch like you are, but this would not worry me.

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