Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Eight-Month-Old Used to Sit But Won't Now | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
My soon-to-be eight months old daughter is able to sit up but refuses to. Lately, when I try to put her in a sitting position, she tenses, becomes very stiff, and refuses to sit. She doesn't act as if she is in pain, but I wonder if there could be a problem. Just a few weeks ago she had no problem sitting up for short periods of time. Should I worry?— Kelly in North Ireland | | | ANSWER |
April 10, 2001 | | | Dear Kelly,
I think you should ask your child's doctor or nurse practitioner to examine her. With motor milestones such as rolling, crawling, and sitting up, children normally do whatever they can do. That is, they don't just decide not to practice a new skill. Having the skill is just too exciting at first. So, what you are describing does sound like there might be a problem.
Young children do not always show pain in the same ways that older children and adults do. In some cases, they simply refuse to do the activity that is painful to them. In your daughter's case, there might be no problem at all; or it could be an infection that needs antibiotic treatment, or any one of several other possibilities. A careful examination by an experienced pediatrician or family doctor should answer your question. I think it is important to have that done promptly.— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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