- When a child's motor skill development is delayed,
it often leads to meltdowns,
and that's because when these skills are delayed,
children can't interact with the world around them
as they'd like to.
And this can be extremely frustrating,
and unfortunately, that frustration is expressed
through screaming and crying.
In addition to this,
motor delays can cause long-term impacts
if they aren't identified and addressed early in life.
Identifying motor delays early helps
to reduce the amount of treatment that is needed,
as well as the intensity of that treatment.
So the earlier you can identify a delay,
the better the outcomes for your child.
And because you spend more time
with your child than anyone else,
you're in the best position to notice these red flags
early on.
In this video, you're going to learn
some of the key red flags we look for
as health professionals to identify potential motor delays
at 12 months of age.
Remember, there's no need to panic
if you do notice any of these red flags,
as they simply indicate a possibility of a motor delay.
And the next step should be to take your little one
for further assessment by a health professional
to determine whether or not a delay does exist
and what action is needed.
Let's start with sitting.
At 12 months of age,
babies should be able to sit unsupported
without needing to use their hands for balance.
They should be able to sit with their back straight
and their hands free to play with toys
and explore their surroundings.
When they sit, their weight should be evenly distributed
across their body, and they should not be leaning
to one side.
If your baby is unable to sit unsupported
or if they need to use their hands
to maintain their balance,
it could be a sign of a gross motor delay.
While we're on the topic of sitting,
you should also see your child adopting a variety
of sitting positions.
For example, they may sit with their legs out in front,
then they may change to sitting with their legs to one side,
and then they may again change
to adopt a W sitting position, which is where they sit
on their bottom and they position their legs
in such a way that it forms a W shape.
Changing sitting position is completely normal.
However, if your baby predominantly W sits,
it's considered a red flag for motor delays
because it can indicate weakness in the hip
and trunk muscles, as well as reduced mobility
and stability in the lower extremities.
This position can also put excessive stress on the hip
and knees, causing abnormal development of the hip joint.
Finally, your 12 month old should be able to get into
and out of the sitting position independently,
and they could do this in one of two ways.
If they're not yet crawling, they may go
from lying on their back or their tummy,
rolling onto their side
and then pushing themselves up into sitting.
Or if they are crawling,
they may go from that four point position into sitting.
If your child is unable to get into
and out of the sitting position,
it may indicate a delay in gross motor development.
Another potential red flag to watch for at 12 months of age
is pulling themselves up to stand
by pulling only through their arms.
If you notice your baby doesn't pull themselves
up into standing by pushing through their legs
as well as pulling through their arms,
it could be a sign of a gross motor delay.
And when your baby is standing,
they should be able to stand flatfooted
with their weight evenly distributed across both feet.
Occasionally, you may see your little one stand up
on their toes, but it should not be their primary
or only way of standing.
So if you notice your child is standing on their toes
for more than 50% of the time,
it may indicate a delay in gross motor development.
Before we cover what the next red flag is,
another area of concern parents often have
is their little one's communication skills.
So if you want to know what to be expecting
in regards to your little one's communication
at 12 months of age all the way up to four years of age,
then make sure you click on the link
in the description box below
to get the free communication milestone chart.
Another red flag to look for
is your child's ability to use both sides
of their body equally.
At 12 months, they should be able to reach out
with both hands to grab and play with toys,
and they should have equal movement in both legs.
Their muscles shouldn't feel tight, stiff, or floppy,
nor should they have a dominant hand or leg preference.
If there are any differences in strength, movement,
or tone between the right and left hand sides
of your baby's body, it is another red flag.
While we are on the topic of hands, you should also notice
that your baby's hands are open, not fisted
and they should be able to pick up small objects,
like finger food or blocks, with their fingers
instead of using their whole hand.
In addition to using only their fingers
to pick up small items,
they should also have the ability to drop an object
like a block into a large container.
If your baby is reaching for and picking up small items
like blocks, using that raking motion or that whole hand,
or they're unable to drop an object into a large container,
it may indicate a delay in fine motor development.
Toy selection is something that actually has a huge impact
on a child's fine motor development.
The right toys encourage healthy fine motor development,
while selecting toys that aren't age appropriate
can hold back your child's fine motor development.
So to learn which toys I recommend at 12 months of age
for healthy fine motor development,
make sure you watch this video next,
where I share with you my favorite toys
that are great for your child's development
and won't cost you a fortune.