Parents , your little one will experience rapid development in the first year of his life. He can start to move, hold, crawl and walk without help. However, parents may start to worry when an 11-month-old baby cannot stand alone. Is this normal?
Quoted from Patient, a baby will start lifting his body to start standing at the age of 10 months. Then, he will stand without help and start walking at the age of 12 months. This is certainly different for each child because they have their own time in mastering new things.
However, you can still be on guard by learning the causes and how to deal with it if your child still can’t stand at this age.
Reasons Why 11 Month Old Babies Can’t Stand Alone Yet
If your baby who can’t stand at this age is still in the normal category. However, there are also several things that can be the cause of this condition. Here are some of the causes.
Delayed Motor Maturation
One possibility that occurs in your child who cannot stand is a delay in motor maturation in walking, while normal in other respects. The quality of his motor skills is normal, but slightly delayed. It could be related to mild hypotonia, which is some limbs that are difficult to move and feel weak.
Severe Learning Disabilities
This condition shows delays in all areas although gross motor development is often less affected than fine motor skills , such as language and social skills. However, there may be some associated dysmorphic features.
Abnormalities in Muscle Form and Strength
Increased muscle tone due to lesions in the brain or brain stem could be the cause of your baby not being able to walk, or what is commonly calledhypertonia. One of the familiar ones is cerebral palsy. Delays can be the first symptom in milder cases (hemiplegia, spastic diplegia).
In addition to hypertonia, another possible abnormality is muscular dystrophy. This is commonly found in a history of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). DMD is the most common hereditary neuromuscular disease and is progressive. Male infants are often normal at birth and delayed walking can be identified gradually, with symptoms truly appearing between the ages of 4 and 6 years.
This condition can also occur due to hypotonia caused by anything, including Down’s syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome , Tay-Sachs disease, Williams’ syndrome.
Environmental Factors
The environment is one of the factors that can affect brain development or cause delayed walking. The first is the possibility of infection or toxins during pregnancy. This can affect the development of the child at birth.
The second is the presence of infections such as meningitis, encephalitis,cytomegalovirus. Furthermore, head injuries due to impact or falls. In addition, malnutrition due to consumption of food that does not provide the nutrition needed by the baby can also cause impaired development.
It is also worth noting that obesity and developmental dysplasia in the hip have not been proven to cause delayed walking. The issue that has also developed around baby walkers can affect the delay in children being able to walk is not entirely clear. However, research suggests that it has a small effect.
How to Get Your Baby to Start Standing
Quoted from what to expect , there are several ways you can do to train an 11-month-old baby who cannot stand alone. Here are some of them:
Practice Through Games
At this age, your child will start to actively use his gross motor skills. For that, you can invite your child to practice standing alone with games, because this moment can be a fun bonding time between you and your child.
For example, you can put some toys on the sofa. Then position your child so that he can hold the sofa cushions and pull himself up. The many toys can be a motivation for your child to try harder, besides he will feel victorious when he succeeds. Sofas are better to use than chairs, because sofas are sturdier and are unlikely to collapse and harm your baby.
This game can appreciate the baby who has tried his best to try to stand. It also trains him to pull, reach, and grasp at the same time.
Use Toys That Require Children to Stand
You can try investing in toys that can support your child’s desire to learn to stand. For example, a selling game that has a tool in the form of a trading table. The colorful toys can attract children’s attention to find out what is on the table.
Naturally,PParents should also make sure that the object is sturdy enough to support the child’s weight so that it will not fall over when he or she pulls on it.
Create a Safe Path
Once your baby gets used to pulling himself up, your next task is to make sure he stays safe. You can secure various furniture so that it is not easily tipped over when weighed down by your child’s pull. Also, use corner and sharp edge barriers for bookshelves or cabinets.
When your child starts walking, make sure there are no slippery objects that could cause him to fall. Objects such as paper and magazines should not be left lying on the floor where your child plays. Also, if there is any liquid spilled, clean it up immediately so that it does not potentially cause your child to slip.
No Need to Put Shoes on Children
When your child is still at the stage of learning to stand or balance his body to walk, it is not yet time for you to wear footwear such as sandals or shoes. This can make it difficult to keep himself balanced.
Just let your child walk barefoot or simply wear non-slip socks so that your child’s feet remain protected but also safe.
Holding Children’s Hands
Parents, there is nothing wrong with helping your child walk by holding his hand. This can help him balance his steps little by little. This process also makes your baby feel safe in this learning process.
You can start to ease up on holding his hand when he starts to show significant progress in standing on his own.
Make Your Lap a Safe Place to Fall
If your baby needs a safe and comfortable place to fall, you can be ready to be behind him with your lap ready to land. For example, if he is practicing pulling himself up on the couch, you can sit right behind him. This can help him feel safe enough to try practicing on his own after a few days.
When is the Right Time to Take an 11 Month Old Baby Who Can’t Stand Alone to the Doctor?
While you don’t need to panic if your baby is late in standing and walking, it doesn’t hurt to consult your pediatrician if your baby still can’t walk by the age of 1.5 years. You can also take him to the doctor earlier than that, if you suspect there is a problem with your child’s development.
A delay in standing to walking may be due to foot or leg problems such as developmental hip dysplasia, rickets (softening or weakening of the bones), or conditions that affect muscle tone such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. See a doctor right away if your baby’s legs seem weak or uneven.
But remember, Parents, that no two children are exactly the same, so don’t compare your baby’s progress with other children. You also don’t need to worry too much if your baby still can’t stand entering his eleventh month. The process for each child to be able to stand and walk is certainly different. Some children are slow learners, but they are not too far behind.
Those are some important things that parents need to know when an 11-month-old baby cannot stand alone. If parents are worried about their child’s development, of course they need to see a doctor to get an accurate diagnosis. Hopefully this article is useful, parents.
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Republished with permission from theAsianParent Indonesia
