04 Aug 😬Concerned that your child is delayed in their gross motor skills? 🤔Wondering how can you tell if your child is delayed or not?

Typically developing babies 👶🏻should be walking independently by 18 months old otherwise they will be considered delayed in their gross motor skills. From birth to 18 months old there are different gross motor skill milestones which will allow us to track a baby’s development over time to ensure that baby is developing appropriately.

As with all normal growth and development, there is always an age range where each milestone is expected to be achieved:
Rolling is expected between 3-6 months old,
Sitting independently is expected between 5-8 months old,
Crawling is expected between 6-10months old,
Pulling to stand on furniture is expected between 9-12 months old,
Cruising is expected between 11-14 months old and
Walking independently is expected between 12-18 months old.

Although gross motor skills milestones make for great markers to indicate a baby’s development, there are some maladaptive movement patterns that can sound the alarm⏰ for developmental delay earlier than gross motor skill milestones.

3 Maladaptive movement patterns to look out for are:
😬1. Slouched sitting with arms to prop
This is where you notice that your baby is unable to sit by themselves without the use of their hands to prop themselves upright, and they tend to slouch forward so much their spine is 45 degrees or less to the ground.

😬2 “Caterpillar Crawling”
If you notice that your baby is moving around the room on their back by pushing their legs into the ground, so they crawl like a caterpillar on their back.

😬3. Not taking weight through their feet in supported standing
If your baby does not put weight through their feet to push through and stand when you hold them in standing.

These 3 movement patterns indication that baby is likely to have low muscle tone. If you notice your baby performing any of the above movement patterns, ring My Favourite Physio on📱 (02) 9790 4233 to speak to one of our Expert Paediatric Physiotherapists. 🤓

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