Making it to Crawling and Walking
Parents and caregivers are often the first to notice developmental differences. Bringing those questions to a professional as early as possible is a crucial step in getting the right answers and help.
We spoke with Tori how she found answers for her son, Christian. She had concerns about him meeting typical gross-motor milestones and voiced her thoughts to his pediatrician at a well visit. This conversation kicked off a journey with physical therapy that she and her family are still on—and one that has brought them lots of reassurance.
Tori shared how she felt during that first conversation with the doctor, what physical therapy interventions were helpful to Christian, and the progress he has made since he started working with a therapist.
Hi, Tori! Thanks so much for sharing your journey with Christian. How old is Christian now?
I’m glad to talk! Christian is two years and nine months old now.
How old was he when this physical therapy journey started?
We started down this path when he was twelve months old.
What were you seeing in Christian that made you consider seeking an evaluation with a physical therapist?
At his one-year well visit, I pointed out to the pediatrician that his only gross-motor capabilities were rolling and sitting up when placed in a seated position. He could not hold a four-point stance, army crawl, pull up to standing, or transition from lying to sitting. I also noticed that his joints seemed hypermobile.
What helped you feel confident in your feelings about Christian’s needs?
Having been around many babies in a similar age group and with Christian being my second child, I was aware of the gross-motor milestones he should have been meeting to be on track.
Between 14 and 16 months, Christian began to improve his four-point stance, his ability to push up, and his sitting skills.
How did that first conversation with the pediatrician go?
My pediatrician agreed with my observations, but he also led us down a scary path of potential reasons why it could be happening. No one wants to hear that your child could have an underlying condition that could follow them for life! He said the physical therapist assessment would be able to give more information, so we moved forward in scheduling a visit.
What happened during that initial consultation with a physical therapist?
We initially got Christian evaluated by a pediatric physical therapist, based on the pediatrician’s recommendation. Thankfully, the PT did not believe an underlying or genetic condition was causing his weakness. They told us he has hypermobile joints, which did not allow his muscles to strengthen as quickly, as well as pretty severely pronated feet.
What did you do after you got that information?
We worked with a PT in a clinical setting twice a week for several months. I also engaged with Early On, an early intervention organization in Michigan, for an in-home physical therapist to work with our nanny who cared for him while we were at work. That physical therapist would eventually work with Christian at daycare when we transitioned him to that setting.
How did Christian’s progress go with that program?
We stuck with the clinical setting for six months until they “graduated” him. By that time, it was time for his 18-month well visit at the pediatrician, and he was also pleased with the progress Christian made. He deemed him “on track” for his gross motor milestones. Christian was able to crawl, pull up, transition, and stand. He even started to walk independently.
That’s excellent!
At nearly 18 months old, Christian took his first assisted steps.
Yes! Within six months of beginning both programs, Christian was “caught up.” He worked very hard in his sessions, and I believe it helped strengthen his muscles and get him moving more!
Do you still have sessions with the physical therapist or meet with any other professionals?
Christian is still in Early On, and we meet with the PT monthly via Zoom since Covid-19 started.
Do you feel like Christian’s journey with physical therapy is over?
Christian is MILES from where he started. He still does not have the full gross-motor ability as other kids his age when it comes to certain movements or balance, so we’re still working with a physical therapist at Early On. Now, we see that gap closing more and more as time passes, and we’re setting specific goals for us and him to work on, like going up and down stairs independently. His therapists and pediatrician are overall happy with where he is at, which reassures us!
