Help with My 13 Month Olds Mobility

I agree with Leslie about contacting the ECI (Early Childhood Intervention). They do a wonderful job. One of my twins was no developing mobility as fast as the other twin so my pediatrician got me in contact with ECI. I know in my area they were able to come to my house and access him. They started doing physical therapy and showing me tips at my own home to help my son. I know they also I have physical therapy and speech therapy office right inside my pediatricians office but being a stay at home during that time it helped that they could come to my house. I learned more because they could see his surrounding and make suggestions on how to help him in my own home. I know you can call ECI directly, your peditrician can contact them, and I believe most WIC offices know how to contact them too. Hope this help and everything will work out.

I would contact ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) and set up something with a physical therapist. My five month old is seeing a physical therapist through there, and she showed us some very easy to incorporate tricks that are making huge differences. It's a federal and state funded program for children 3 mths to 3 years. It's so easy to get it going and the benefits astounding. I wished I had known these tricks with my first child.

You can google ECI and get the number to your local people. I made the contact myself and then they got the okay from the doc to start physical therapy. It's very, very accessible. They meet me either at the day care or at home. They make it soooooo workable.

Hi J..

This may be something as simple as low muscle tone or it could be indicative of a bigger problem. It would be a good idea to have your child evaluated by a Physical Therapist and an Occupational Therapist. You'll need to get a prescription to have an evaluation. In Texas, we have a program called ECI (Early Childhood Intervention) that provides all the services (therapy) a child will need to develop properly. You did not mention a Pediatrician. Have you discussed your concerns with a Pedi? Your Pediatrician should be able to tell you more about ECI and make the appropriate referral. You are right to be concerned. Children devlop at different rates but I do think there is probable cause for concern.
HTH

If you are running to him and doing it for him every time he screams, he knows that is what you will do, so why do it himself. Give him time, let him scream for a while. Watch him, but don't let him know you are watching him. See if he eventually "tries" to start sitting up or pulling himself up. He should be able to do this on his own, but if someone is always doing it, why should he bother.

If after observing him for several days and he still does not exhibit an ability to at least try to right himself, then make an appointment for evaluation.

I would second an evaluation. My daughter was not walking at 19 months of age and so our pediatrician referred us to ECI (Early Childhood Intervention). They were so wonderful, they come to your house and evaluate your child...my daughter was 2 to 17 months delayed on certain mobility issues. Cognitive issues she tested typical for her age. Then the physical therapist came to our house to show me how to work with her to get her up on her feet and get her walking. You as the parent do most of the work but you have a physical therapist on call and who comes regularly to see you and check in. She finally got the hang of it and was walking by 21 1/2 months and now is doing very well. Oh and one of the best things is the first 6 months is free...and after that if your insurance pays anything at all, even a dollar the whole thing is covered. So, call ECI or have your pediatrician refer you, they are GREAT!!

I would contact your local Early Childhood Intervention and have them come out and evaluate. The evaluation is free. If it is determined their is a developmental delay, then they will start providing services in your home based on your ability to pay.

Crawling is so crucial to their development, it's not a stage that can just be skipped. Great idea to contact childhood development office in your area.

When my kids were going thru the stages of learning to crawl and sit I would help them to get into positions to get the right footing or how to start the process of doing it on their own. Kind of like physical therapy. I do know if you talk to your pediatrician they can refer you to a child phyisical therapist that will help with teaching him these basics. My son is going to speech therapy and at the same location they do physical therapy too.

Call ECI and have him evaluated for free and they will tell you if he is delayed. ###-###-####

Go ahead and talk to your pediatrician and contact ECI, but mainly because of the sitting issue, not because he isn't crawling. Crawling is NOT a developmental milestone. That's why it's not listed on pediatric charts. Many, many children never crawl. Some push themselves around on their bottoms, some scoot, others "army" crawl with their forearms. It has NO bearing on walking ability. Also, please note that the normal time for walking is up to 18 months.

He needs to see a therapist. ECI or occupational therapist to evaluate the issue and give you some tips.
Good Luck

Hi J.,

Definitely get him evaluated. If everything is okay, it gives you peace of mind. If not, your little guy gets the help he needs. My youngest was crawling at 10 mos. but he was approaching 12 mos and not pulling up. ECI came to work with him and it was very helpful. The therapists gave us strategies to help him and make it fun. He did not really walk until 16 mos. but now at 20 mos. he is almost running and keeping up eith 2 older siblings. He met all of his goals and is now released from ECI services. Good luck!

Get you pediatrician to evaluate this and get him tested for neurological and physical issues. Lots of things are easy to correct at an early age that get complex further on. Good luck.

From what you said, it appears that your child is might need to be evaluated. Early Childhood Intervention is a state funded program that provides evaluations and therapies at no cost to you until they are 3 years old. All you need to do is contact the local office and say you think your child might have some delays and wish to have an evaluation.

How does he get up to go anywhere? Do you run to him every time he screams? If so, do you pick him up and set him on his way? If this is the case, you just need to let him figure it out for himself. When I (and my boys) am learning something new or particularly hard, sometimes I have to have a "screaming out of frustration" moment. It is those moments that fuel ambition. If you are not running to him and he really cannot physically do it, then have him evaluated. CB