Hmm... Maybe

Was at the paediatric discussion meeting today. That’s basically when Prof Rutherford or another senior radiologist reviews the magnetic resonance images of children’s brains taken that week. She then describes the pathology to us. During the meeting she also gives us the clinical picture, describing the cognitive, behavioural and motor correlate of the brain damage. During this one of the eminent retired paediatricians came up with a very interesting observation. Throughout her career, many parents would consult her about their fears that their child was not walking as early as they had hoped. They became preoccupied with this, and would often raise their crawling child into a standing position in the hope that they would take a few footsteps. Some parents became totally obsessed with this. The paediatrician inferred that many infants were being forced to explore the space within the environment (by walking), without being given the opportunity to fully concentrate on just one object. Over time, this might contribute to attentional deficit disorders, the incidence of which has been increasing in the UK. This is an intriguing theory, and may have some truth. How often during your personal experience have you heard new mothers talk about their child’s first steps (a gross motor skill), whilst neglecting to mention progress in fine motor control, for example?

The moral of the story? Don’t become preoccupied with one developmental milestone to the detriment of others!