15 Nov Have you noticed that your child is not yet pulling to stand while everyone in his playgroup is 

Is you child refusing to put weight on their feet when you support them to try to stand 
Is your 18 month old child still preferring to crawl or bottom shuffle instead of walking

Did you know that baby should be walking independently by 18 months old otherwise they would be considered to be delayed in their gross motor skills development There are many reasons why a child may not be attempting to pull to stand or put weight on their feet such as Developmental Hip Dysplasia, Low muscle tone, Developmental Delay or Cerebral Palsy. So it’s really important to have your child properly assessed by an Expert Paediatric Physiotherapist to ensure that the correct cause for your child not wanting to walk is determined.

One of the causes for that needs to be ruled out urgently is Developmental Hip Dysplasia. Developmental Hip Dyplasia refers to the immature development of the hip joint and can vary from having a shallow hip socket to a completely dislocated hip joint. All babies in Australia should have been checked for Developmental Hip Displays at birth, however, there are often times when for various reasons babies are misdiagnosed or are not checked properly until it is noticed that the child is not moving one leg as actively at 10 months or when an uneven skin fold is noticed in the back of their leg at 6 months old. 

So if you are concerned that your child is not wanting to weight bear on their feet or is not yet walking, it is important to check their hip joints. To do a hip check, request your family doctor for a hip ultrasound if your child is under 6 months old or a hip Xray if your child is over 6 months old. The treatment for Developmental Hip Dysplasia will depend on the age of your child and the condition of the hip joint.

For more information about Developmental Hip Dysplasia or if you are concerned about your child’s gross motor skills development, ring My Favourite Physio on (02) 9790 4233 to speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists today!