Dr. Robert Needlman
Specialist in pediatric behavior and development.
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 Ask Dr. Needlman
Different Ways to Get to Walking | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Needlman,
My son is 9-1/2 months old and does what you call "creeping." He has a very strong desire to "walk" and would much rather you hold his hands and let him walk around the room. However, he cannot sit himself up from his stomach or pull up to things. I think he should be able to sit himself up before he learns to walk. Should I be concerned? Also, if a child does not crawl, does that make them less coordinated than children that do crawl? I've always heard that.— Leanne | | | ANSWER |
June 12, 2001 | | | Dear Leanne,
Although the usual pattern is sit-crawl-walk, there is a lot of variation in how children progress in their development. There's a bit of confusion as to what is meant by "creeping" and "crawling." Usually, children move along on hands and knees, then on hands and feet, and then on feet alone, first with support and then independently.
I am a bit concerned, though, that your son is not yet sitting himself up independently. Among healthy children who are developing in the expected way, nearly all master the process of getting into a sitting position by eight to nine months. Without seeing your son, I can't guess about what might be holding him up, and it may not be anything serious at all. That said, I still think it's a good idea to have him checked either by a pediatrician or family practitioner, who is skilled at infant assessment, or by a child development specialist.
Your son's strong desire to be up and about is a good thing. It ought to help him persist in his efforts and eventually master independent sitting and walking.
For more information, see our motor development section.— by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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