Does anyone here have a baby that got physical therapy?

WhatFor

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 1:30 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Im going to try to push for PT again and hope for the best. Thanks to those who are supportive and not yelling at me for things that are not in my control.

telehealth appointments might be an option. even if virtual may be better than nothing. I will look into that.

I wish someone would have given even one idea, just one thing I can do with her. I know that tummy time is super important even though she hates it. How do I strengthen her arms and legs though? How do you teach a child to push themselves up to a sitting position if shes simply not strong enough?
I looked up all the conditions people here listed and she doesnt have any of those. Her neck is not tilted, her back is straight. She knows how to wave at people.
Ive been searching youtube for therapists that work on babies who cannot crawl but cant find anything.

It's great that you're going to pursue seeing a PT for your baby's health and development. Can I ask what you mean that you're going to "push" for it and things are not in your control? Is there something else in the way that we can help you with?

I think it would be risky for anyone on imamother to advise you to do anything with your baby because the baby does not seem to be developing typically. What's good for a typical baby may not be good for a baby that's developing atypically.

amother

Powderblue

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 1:37 pm

As an OT and a mother who gives tons of tummy time from birth, I can explain more of what many people told you already. Weightbearing on the hands will promote more strength and with time, your child will learn to crawl. This helps brain development and your child will be smarter because of this. I tell everyone that putting your baby on their stomach at 2 months is too late. You need to start at birth. Why is this info helpful to the OP? For you to realize by not doing that you are responsible for your child's delays. Like everyone said unless there is a real reason which it doesn't sound like any diagnosis or low tone. My baby is 6 months, flips both ways and moves around plenty with his hands, can roll off bed if not supervised, is developing fine motor skills by picking up small objects from the floor, picks up his head high and getting ready to crawl. He rolls over in the bathtub and splashes both ways and kicks his feet. He is learning to sit independently by me providing support on different surfaces grass, bed and floor with a toy or object to play with. Please reach out for services or an experienced friend who can guide you! Wouldn't you want the best for your child? You can do it!

amother

Cerise

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 1:52 pm

I’m a pediatric PT and as everyone said, those are significant delays. Please get your baby evaluated as soon as possible. An evaluation can be done via telehealth, even if it can’t be as thorough as a live evaluation. Your child’s future depends on it.

amother

Gray

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 1:54 pm

I don't want to hijack this thread, but since there are so many knowledgeable OT's and PT's posting just wanted to ask-
What can I do with my 8 month old who isn't crawling but won't stay on his tummy long enough to try? He easily rolls both ways so the minute I put him on his tummy he rolls to his back. He will stay on his tummy long enough to grab a toy but then roll to his back to play with it.
I keep flipping him back to his tummy but he doesn't stay there more than a minute. I try to engage him and play with him but it's really difficult to keep him there.
He doesn't know how to go from sitting to tummy or vice versa. He just loves sitting or playing on his back.

amother

Hotpink

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 1:54 pm

Do you have Instagram? Check out getyourbabymoving it’s a frum pt (and a fantastic one too)who had many tips. He also does virtual consults and can prob show you different general exercises to promote supporting development.

amother

Hotpink

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 1:56 pm

amother [ Gray ] wrote:

Build up every day starting with one min on the timer. The second day do two min, third three min. Get on floor and talk to him, make faces, shake toys, just engage him for the time on the timer. It really works when you build up slowly! Got this idea from my child’s pt.

amother

Violet

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 2:15 pm

Your husband won’t allow your children to get services?
Asking gently, what would happen if you did get them services? Would he hit you, punch you, leave you, what?
Does he (you) have any idea how damaging physically and emotionally this will be years down the line?
You are your children’s only advocate and you are mechiyuv by every single standard to provide them with everything they need.
You say your older children have caught up but you should know that that is 100% luck over anything else.

amother

Olive

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 2:33 pm

Yes often they will always lag. I had to fight for pt for my daughter they kept saying she does enough and doesn't qualify. She is 6 and is lagging behind her peers and it affects her socially. I would get an evaluation and try to get services if possible.

sequoia

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 3:49 pm

I’m assuming you are in an abusive marriage and your husband won’t let your kids get the help they need.

Or is it your in-laws?

Just don’t get why someone in such a vulnerable, reliant position keeps having kids. Go on BC, secretly if necessary.

FranticFrummie

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 4:14 pm

OP, there are always things that are in your control.

Do your arms and legs work? Pick up your baby and walk out the door!

If you are physically prevented from leaving the house (locked in, guards posted, other kids held hostage) then you need to get off Imamother and call the police ASAP.

There are things you can do!

No mother should ever have to watch her kids struggle and suffer, and no kid should ever suffer if there is a way to prevent it or treat it. Crying

amother

Dodgerblue

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 4:35 pm

Im sorry for some of the responses youve been getting.

I did not have therapy and:
I didnt start crawling till 14 months
I didnt stand until 18 months
I didnt walk until 21 months

Every baby goes at their own pace.

Does your baby plant his feet when you stand him up or does he buckle? My baby buckled and I practiced with him every day by holding his feet and yes he screamed the first few days. BH he stands holding on now but hes 18 months and still not cruising or crawling on all fours. My intuition is that he will catch up but Im impatient to wait so I had him evaluated and they sent me a list of exercises to do with him. I can post them here if youd like.

amother

Dodgerblue

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 4:37 pm

amother [ Gray ] wrote:

Mine did the same exactly. He started army crawling at 9 months. eventually they just stay on their stomach more often. I didnt do any exercises with him.

amother

Cerise

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 9:14 pm

amother [ Gray ] wrote:

Try lying down on your back and put him on you belly to belly and sing to him. Or, put him on your knees so he’s flying above you.

Tries2BGoodMom

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 10:40 pm

amother [ Gray ] wrote:

I have a very similar situation with my 8 month old baby. She always flips over from her stomach to her back right when I put her down. She doesn’t roll over from her back to her stomach and doesn’t even turn sideways even when I put interesting things next to her. I called EI and have an evaluation next week for her. This is a very interesting thread for me to read! Does anyone have any ideas of how to get her to roll sideways? Thanks!

Just One

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 11:34 pm

For people on here doubting the helpfulness of teletherapy:
My eight month old son was born prematurely with a serious CHD, had cardiac surgery and spent a long time in the hospital. He was evaluated and approved for pt and feeding therapy at three months but just as we were about to start Covid hit full force. I decided not to go ahead with teletherapy and just "wait it out" for the few weeks it would take (I tend towards the unrealistically positive sometimes). By the time he was six months old he wasn't doing much more than your average newborn and I realized I needed to do something. We started physical teletherapy (bh the feeding issues fully resolved on their own) and the progress we've made in the past two months is amazing. He went from just flailing helplessly during tummy time to turning over, sitting on his own, rocking on hands and knees and he just started some very preliminary crawling! In his case weak trunk muscles were the culprit and since we've been working on that the rest of the things came automatically.
In a way I've found teletherapy to be even more effective than in person therapy since it has forced me to effectively become my son's therapy and I can do his exercises with him much more regularly than a therapist would be able to

amother

Magenta

Thu, Aug 06 2020, 11:49 pm

My neighbor did not take her child to any therapy, even though he was floppY. His mind is totally there.

Unfortunately he never caught up, and by the time it was in her face that this kid needs help yesteryear he was over two.

He got therapy late in the game, now 9 years later, and tons of traditional and exotic (horseback riding) intervention he still struggles with holding himself up and getting around.

His sister born three year later, exhibited similar issues and you can bet your bottom dollar the baby had therapy the second she needed it. BH she reached her milestones Though a little delayed. Today she is up to par.

May Hashem give you clarity

amother

Copper

Fri, Aug 07 2020, 12:35 am

I'm not a therapist but my kids have had therapy. I can tell you that when children are delayed, I wouldn't take a chance and "wait it out" for "it to correct itself.(you said your other children "caught up" without therapy, but everyone is different. )

When children are delayed and dont get the help they need, it does affect their future (usually), so I wouldn't take a chance. And, many times, children who are delayed have a greater chance of improving and "catching up" if they get therapy early. The later the child starts therapy, the child will have more delays. I hope you can get your baby the therapy the baby needs after getting an evaluation...etc. hatzlacha.

notshanarishona

Fri, Aug 07 2020, 12:43 am

My son was a premie and diagnosed as developmentally delayed in many ways. We started doing therapy 5 x a week at the beginning and eventually cut down to once a week. At 10 months he was still not sitting up or rolling over, by 11 months he started sitting up , rolling , crawling, and pulling to stand. When his body was ready he just started developing. But I don’t think it would have happened so fast if not for all the strengthening exercises we had been working on for months.
He still has delays but I am a big believer in early intervention before problems become too big to manage.

#BestBubby

Fri, Aug 07 2020, 12:49 am

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