Weak neck muscles - 4.5 months old!

Hi everyone - my darling girl is almost 4.5 months old and has a very very weak neck and can't really hold it up yet, apart from for very short periods with assistance. When she has tummytime she just lies there. Went to the Doctor a few weeks ago who said to just keep giving her tummytime - but she doesn't even attempt to move her little neck. She can hold it up a bit when I hold her but its pretty weak. Have tried lots of different tummy time toys to encourage her to lift it but to no avail. Have also tried lying her on my chest when I'm lying down and lying her across my lap.
Has anyone else been in this situation? I think she is ready for solids now too but can't start her on them as her neck is too weak - any advice greatly appreciated!!

Hi Nades, have you mentioned this to your plunket nurse? She has the power to refer you on to a paediatrition or a OT/physio if she thinks it is an issue. Or go back to your doctor and push your case. I know some kids hate tummy time, but all the ones I know that do have still been able to reach milestones at the normal times, and lift their heads by about 4mo.

We have just been through this from about 3months with our wee girl, she turned out to have a torticolis (google it for explaination!) and also a muscular problem. Since then we have been seeing the paediatrition and the neurodevelopment therapist (like an physio for children that are developing slowly physically) and she has improved in leaps and bounds, although she will always be a bit slower with gross motor skills. Once she eventually started holding her head up (about 4-5 months with exercises to strengthen) she improved rapidly, and once she started eating (we did BLW from 5.5 months) her fine motor skills improved heaps. Now she is nearly 14 months old, her gross motor skills are that of a 9-12 month old, but her fine motor skills and cognitive skills are that of a 16mo.

I hope that your girl is just taking her time, but I would definately get everything checked just in case. Sorry, hope this doesn't scare you - but its better to get onto anything earlier rather than later though - and it may be nothing at all anyway

Good luck with getting your referral :-)

An exercise that I can remember from our early days was to lie bubs on a swiss ball, tummy down, and gently roll them from side-to-side and to-and-fro. If I remember any more, I'll let you know

DS HATED tummy time with a passion. In fact, he hated it so much he never got it as it wasnt worth the fuss, he'd grumble as soon as i turned him over and vomit within 30 seconds. He barely held his head up at 4mo but he is 6months today and rolling both ways constantly, and pushing up on his forarms. No harm in mentioning it to your p/n or doc if you are concerned though.