When Do You Notice Something is Odd About Your Child?

Everything is normal, everything is fine, you think. This is your first child. Checkups at the doctor are fine. Maybe he doesn't start to crawl until almost 9 months, and maybe it is funny that he does a 3 legged crawl while dragging the left leg. And then maybe he doesn't walk until almost 16 months, but so what. And then maybe he doesn't talk until 21 months old, but no big deal, because it goes from first words to full sentences in less than a month. This really isn't anything. There are slight struggles with eating, and he seems to have a problem with certain things touching him, but I guess that's just him.

One day he is 3 years old and you sign him up for gymnastics. As he runs around with the other kids the other parents and teachers begin to shout out "Hey! Look at that kid! Look how he runs around on the tips of his toes! Wow! He must have super strong calves!" And then as all the other kids are climbing up and over things, your son won't even climb a ladder because he is terrified.

So all of the sudden, something is different. When did he start walking on his toes, and have I never noticed it before? This wasn't just sometimes. This was all the time and always. He hardly ever was flat footed. He stood on his toes, he walked on his toes. Hmmmm.......

We took him to the pediatrician who threw out wild ideas like Spinal bifada and MDS. She had him tested, but he was fine, so she referred us to a physical and occupational therapist.

At this point he was 3, and he was diagnosed with something called Sensory Integration Disorder.