“My child isn't hitting their milestones properly. Is this okay?”
My baby is 9 months old and hasn't crawled or turned over, which I read is supposed to happen very early. Instead, she is now sitting upright and is able to stand. Is this alright?
5 Answers
Children don't usually read the developmental milestones so they may achieve later milestones before earlier ones. Some infants do not like to crawl, but if they are sitting upright with a straight back and standing then it is likely their gross motor milestones are fine.
Sitting upright and bearing weight on her legs is close to a 6 month development - what has your pediatrician said about her development? Children don't all do everything in the correct order - if she is progressing and there is nothing physically that would point to an issue, give it a bit more time. If she has other neurologic signs or not progressing, this is a problem and she should be seen by a neurologist.
Most babies crawl between the age of 6 to 10 months age. But some may skip the crawling phase altogether and go straight to pulling up, cruising, and walking. You can help baby get ready for their crawling debut by giving him/her lots of supervised time on the belly. So, not crawling at 9 months is not a concern. And it is good that she is sitting upright and able to stand. Next, expect her to walk. Crawling requires a baby to use muscles in the neck, back, shoulders, and arms. And core muscles must be strong to support her weight and help maintain balance. Vision also plays a roll. They use binocular vision using both eyes. But her not turning over at age 9 months is of concern as most babies turn over between age of 4 to 7 months. Babies turn over from tummy to back at 4 months and back to front by 6 months. She may have skipped the phase of turning over and is getting ready to walk as she is standing now. I would not worry, but at the next visit with your baby’s pediatrician, discuss your concern, I recommend.
He should be rolling over by 4-5 months of age. By 7 months, he should be sitting well without propping. He needs further evaluation on his overall development and muscle strength.
You should be going for regular pediatric visits. This is an issue that should be addressed during the developmental visits with your pediatrician.
