Special Needs Behavior and Development

Therapist Questions & Answers - Special Needs & Medical Diagnoses

My son is 6 months old. I had him through a "C" section because he wasn't moving well; the umbilical cord was wound round his body. I also did not lactate and don't know why, but I did for my first daughter who is now 2 years old. My uterus was filled with pus 3weeks/3months after the "C" section. A series of test showed no growth and no infection; my doctor prescribed gentamicin injections and ciprotab. Recently, I noticed his lower spine bulging. He can't sit upright, he doesn't roll from side to side, and he just started stretching his legs out when held in an upright position. He moves his hands and legs and babbles normally. He turns his neck normally, too, but is not as active as a 6month old baby; he smiles and is very cheerful. What should I do?

It is hard for me as a therapist to give you any specific advice; however, if you notice your son's spine bulging, this sounds more like a medical concern and I would definitely visit your doctor for advice about that. Most babies sit between 6-8 months, so if he is not yet sitting by himself, this is not of great concern yet. He should be able to sit with support from you and have good head/neck control at this age. I am glad to hear he seems to be moving his arms and legs actively, as well as babbling and turning his head/neck freely from side to side. Since you mention that he is not rolling yet, make sure you give him a lot of play time on the floor so he can work on these skills. Encourage him to play on his stomach rather than his back as much as possible, since stomach time is how he will develop and strengthen the muscles he needs for rolling, sitting, crawling and later walking. You can read about typical gross motor skill development in the 6-9 month period at our link.

This article provides many tips and photos about how to encourage stomach or " tummy time".

Do consult your child's doctor if you feel his spine is bulging or looks abnormal to rule out any medical/physical problems. If you continue to have concerns about his motor skill development in the next 1-2 months and he is not making progress with rolling or sitting, you can consult a pediatric physiotherapist/ physical therapist if it is available in your area. 

Therapist Questions & Answers - Special Needs & Medical Diagnoses