I think my baby may have learning difficulties. . .?

Question

I know it sounds like a horrible thing to say or think but my 7 month old daughter is giving us cause for concern.She was learning things really quickly up til about January when she was 4/5 mths, but she hasnt advanced the way i was expecting. She now struggles to sit up, and flops forward, back or sideways.She has been trying to crawl since January and hasn't come on any more, she goes to nursery but doesnt appear to be learning anyhting there, she likes it but seems to have the capabilities of a 4 or 5 month child.I took her to the doctor and she said that "babies develop at their own rate but she is probably teething".
One of her pupils is red but the other isnt, i mentioned this to the doc, and she gave me eye drops for conjuctivitis (which she hasnt got).
When she was born i had a gut instinct telling me that something was wrong, but my family just told me i was mad!

Did anyone elses children appear to stop learning things, and is it a sign of something more sinister?

Answer 1

My children have special needs, my 3 year old couldn't sit unaided until she was 15 months , she didn't walk until she was 2 years old. Your daughter sounds normal to me.

My daughter is still a little bit behind but runs and jumps like any other 3 year old. Try not to worry, if things don't improve go back to your doctor. If you have no joy just keep going back until you are referred else where. It can't really say for sure as I'm not a doctor and wish I could help more than I am.

With regards to post '2' this doesn't sound like autism to me, my son has Asperger's Syndrome which is a mild form of autism. Autism is mainly behavioural rather than developmental.

Answer 2

Hi, I would say try not to worry although I know this is easier said than done but your baby is still very young and its far too soon to say if there are any real problems, my little girl didnt sit up until she was just 10 months, she will be one in two weeks and still cant crawl, pull up or move about in any way but she is doing just fine and I'm sure that in a few more weeks she will be doing it all. If you are concerned go back but seriously 7 months is really young to be worrying about crawling and as for sitting up another few weeks and she'll have probably got the hang of it much better

Answer 3

If you are worried your first stop is your GP and ask him to refer you to a peditrician.. Mine have all got different degrees of learning disability but to be honest I did not realise this as babies. The only one of mine that had real problems was my olderst son he could not even sit up at a year but the reason was I was being over protective and not giving him a chance to try to learn. I had had a still birth in his brother 10 months older.

I am sure time will sort these difficulties and I wish you all the best for the future and even if you child has got a learning disability I an sure it will be fine. Especailly with a mum like you who is obverously very caring.

Answer 4

I'm sure that your baby is fine all babies and toddlers go through phases where they suddenly stop moving on and all other babies around you seem to be moving forward faster than your own. I was fortunate that my son was walking at 11 mths but his cousin started walking at 16mts both which were perfectly normal. However my sons speech is a year behind other kids his age but he is capable of things other kids can not do.
Could you be pushy and ask your health visitor or doctor to refer her to a eye specialist just to check she has clear vision for her age as this could be something small that is holding her back if she is struggling to see or has a pain in her eye. However stressful babies can be when they are in their first year suddenly everything seems to fall in to place. I would ask a friend or a family member who has had experience of kids for their reassurance that everything is fine.

Answer 5

A mother's instinct is always best. If you feel there is something wrong persist. If you are worried take her to another doctor for a second opinion. However, my personal view is that 7 months is too early too determine whether she has longterm learning difficulties. In most cases, this can be established from the ages of 2 or 3 years.

Answer 6

Go with your maternal instincts and have your doctor immediately advise you what medical specialty you should take your baby to, if you suspect learning difficulties. The red pupil could be a sign of a brain irregularity putting pressure somewhere.

There are articles all the time in the Reader's Digest, about concerned parents overriding the doctor's caution or inexperience with something, in time to save their child. Check the internet for the possible causes and other symptoms of what you suspect. The internet may not be accurate, or the best, but at least it gives you information.

Best wishes.

Answer 7

My children have huge spurts of development and then plateau for ages. Your daughter is probably just working on some of the skills she needs to crawl but maybe they're skills you can't see like muscle growth and balance. Maybe she's not trying to sit up she's trying to get up.

If it's any consolation my son didn't crawl or get around at all until 9 months when he got up off the floor and walked.

My daughter was sitting and crawling early and cruising by 6 months then appeared to make no progress until around 13 months when she walked.

Answer 8

She sounds pretty normal to me,most babies wouldn't be sitting up on their own or crawling at 7 months.

Babies seem to come on in spurts,also nurseries don't give much one-to-one learning so babies who go aren't getting that.

Tell your doctor the drops haven't helped her eye and ask him what else it could be.

Above all stop worrying so much she will be due her 8 month check soon,anything untoward will be picked up then,but all babies progress at different rates,good luck x

Answer 9

I know from my own experience that there is a temptation to constantly compare the progress of your child to what it tells you in books and how friends' babies are progressing. I remember having similar panics about my own daughter when she didn't seem to be responding to visual signals when she ought to have been (according to books) or not responsing to smiles etc. But she's fine now. I wish I'd been a bit more chilled out about things and enjoyed each stage a bit more!
Nevertheless, I wouldn't let experts/medical professionals patronise you. I would speak to a health visitor about your concerns and ask for constructive advice, but I think they are likely to say that 7 months is way to early to be getting serious concerns.

Answer 10

She's your first baby, right? Your hormones are a b!#__. She is FINE. The key to knowing if something is off is in her eyes. Does she LOOK you in the eye? Does she like affection? If so she is fine. She's so little. Just give her lots of love and listen to the doctor and other mothers who have the same instincts as you but combined with wisdom and experience.