Therapist
Questions & Answers - Special Needs & Medical Diagnoses
My granddaughter was a preemie; she had gastricschisiosis and was
taken a month early (in May 2009). She repeatedly rocks herself back and
forth while in an upright position... otherwise she exhibits normal
behavior and milestones. I'm wondering though, if the rocking back and
forth is a red flag?
I am not familiar with a condition with the exact spelling as you
mentioned, however, I wondered if she perhaps had "gastroschisis" which
is when the abdominal wall fails to close and the intestines protrude
through it?
This is typically surgically repaired and babies usually do very
well. I would not think the rocking would be related directly to
gastroschisis or to her being a preemie. In infancy, assuming your
granddaughter is between 6-7 months old, I wouldn't see rocking back and
forth necessarily as a red flag. At this age babies are learning
important motor milestones such as how to sit with balance, crawl and
eventually pull to stand. She may be simply experimenting with movement,
she may get into sitting and start rocking in an effort to find her
sitting balance or she may get on her on hands and knees and rock back
and forth in an effort to figure out how to crawl, or she may rock back
and forth when held in a standing position simply because it's fun. Some
babies and young children rock as a self-soothing or self-calming
measure when they are tired or upset.
If you can easily re-direct your granddaughter from rocking and
engage her in age appropriate play with you, I wouldn't be too
concerned at this age, especially since you mention that your
granddaughter is meeting all her other milestones at this time.
Repetitive rocking in toddlers and older children can be a red flag
for autism, but typically these older children are not meeting all
their social and communication milestones and cannot be easily
distracted from rocking by an adult. If you continue to be concerned
I would mention it to her pediatrician at her next well child visit
so he can observe the behavior and give you further advice.
Therapist
Questions & Answers - Special Needs & Medical Diagnoses
Return to Top