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Motor
Explore explanations, everyday questions and next steps connected with motor.
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Signs & concerns
Causes & influences
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Signs & concerns
When should I worry that my newborn might have Stereotyped Movement Disorder?
Stereotyped Movement Disorder is not diagnosed in newborns — repeated, jittery and rhythmic movements in the first weeks are usually a normal part of a maturing nervous system. The label becomes meaningful only in older infants and children. For now, observe gently; but seek same-day medical care for movements that don't stop when held, occur in clusters, or come with stiffening, colour change or poor feeding. Only a Pinnacle clinician can assess — never an online form.
Read the answer AnswerWhen should I worry that my newborn might have Tourette Syndrome?
You cannot identify Tourette Syndrome in a newborn, and there is no reason to worry about it now. Tics typically begin around ages 4–6, and a diagnosis needs both motor and vocal tics over a year — well into childhood. A newborn's startles, sleep jerks, chin trembling and hiccups are normal. Only stiffening or rhythmic jerking you cannot stop, with eye changes or colour change, needs a same-day doctor's review — and that is about other concerns, not tics.
Read the answer AnswerWhy does my child bump into things and seem clumsy?
Bumping into things and clumsiness is usually a normal part of young children learning coordination, balance and body awareness, and it improves with growth and active play. Sometimes it reflects differences in vision, balance, strength or body position sense. A gentle clinician-led developmental check can reassure you or pinpoint where support helps.
Read the answer AnswerWhy does my child walk on their toes?
Toe walking is common in toddlers and is often a harmless habit that settles on its own. It is worth a check when a child over 2 still toe-walks most of the time, can't put heels flat, or has it alongside speech, play or movement delays. Toe walking is something we observe, not a diagnosis — the cause is what a clinician helps uncover.
Read the answer AnswerWhy does my older child still drool a lot?
Most children control saliva well by about age 4. Drooling beyond this is usually about oral-muscle control, open-mouth posture (often from a blocked nose) or how often a child swallows — rarely about making too much saliva. Most causes respond well to support; a developmental check helps if it persists past 4 or comes with chewing, swallowing or speech difficulties.
Read the answer AnswerWhy is my child late to crawl or walk?
Crawling typically happens between 6–10 months and walking between 9–18 months — a wide, healthy range, and some babies skip crawling. Gentle reasons include individual pace, muscle tone, temperament and less floor practice. Seek a check if a child isn't sitting by ~9 months, not pulling to stand by ~12 months, not walking by 18 months, uses one side much more, or loses a skill. A clinical AbilityScore® and diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle centre.
Read the answerCauses & influences
Are boys more likely to have Cerebral Palsy?
Boys are slightly more likely to have Cerebral Palsy than girls — roughly a 1.3–1.4:1 ratio — but the difference is modest and sex is never a screening tool. What matters is each child's movement and posture development. A clinical AbilityScore and diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre.
Read the answer AnswerAre boys more likely to have Developmental Coordination Disorder?
Boys are diagnosed with Developmental Coordination Disorder more often than girls, with reported ratios from about 2:1 to 7:1. But girls are frequently under-recognised, so the true gap is likely narrower. What matters most is the pattern of persistent motor difficulty, not the child's sex — and DCD responds well to support.
Read the answer AnswerAre boys more likely to have Fine Motor Delay?
On average, boys are slightly more likely than girls to show or be referred for fine motor delay, but the difference is modest and not predictive for any individual child. Fine motor development is highly individual, and a delay in any child is a starting point for support. A clinical AbilityScore and diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle centre.
Read the answer AnswerAre Boys More Likely to Have Gross Motor Delay?
Boys are statistically slightly more likely to show gross motor delays than girls, but the difference is small and the healthy range is wide for both. What matters most is your child's overall milestone pattern, not their sex. Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. under qualified clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerAre boys more likely to have low muscle tone?
Hypotonia (low muscle tone) is a sign with many causes, not a single condition, and it is not strongly linked to being a boy overall. A few X-linked genetic causes appear more often in boys, but many causes affect boys and girls equally. What matters most is the underlying reason and the trajectory — understood through a clinician-led developmental check, not a guess about gender.
Read the answer AnswerAre boys more likely to have motor planning difficulties?
Boys are identified with motor planning difficulties (dyspraxia / developmental coordination disorder) more often than girls — roughly two to three boys per girl — but girls are affected too and are sometimes missed. A child's sex predicts little about their progress; what matters is how they manage everyday movement now, and how the right support builds skills over time.
Read the answer AnswerAre boys more likely to have persistent toe-walking?
Persistent (idiopathic) toe-walking is reported slightly more often in boys, and family history is common — but sex is not a useful predictor for any one child. What matters more is whether toe-walking persists past age 3, affects both feet, comes with tight calves, or appears alongside delays in speech or play. Diagnosis is made only by a clinician.
Read the answer AnswerAre boys more likely to have Stereotyped Movement Disorder?
Stereotyped Movement Disorder (ICD-11 6A06) is identified more often in boys than girls, but gender raises likelihood only slightly and never decides a diagnosis. Most repetitive movements in young children are typical and fade; a check is warranted when they persist, worsen, cause injury or come with developmental delays. Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Read the answer AnswerAre boys more likely to have Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette Syndrome is diagnosed about three to four times more often in boys than in girls, reflecting a population pattern rooted in genetic and early brain-development factors. Girls can and do have it too. Most childhood tics are mild and often temporary; what guides support is the individual child, not their sex.
Read the answer AnswerAre girls more likely to have Cerebral Palsy?
Girls are not more likely to have cerebral palsy — in fact CP is slightly more common in boys, roughly a 1.3-to-1 ratio. The difference is modest, and what matters far more than a child's sex is the underlying cause and how early support begins.
Read the answer AnswerAre girls more likely to have Developmental Coordination Disorder?
DCD is identified more often in boys, with roughly two to three boys per girl in clinical data. But much of that gap reflects referral and recognition bias rather than true prevalence — girls' difficulties are quieter and more easily missed. A daughter who struggles with handwriting, sport or self-care deserves the same careful assessment as a son.
Read the answer AnswerAre girls more likely to have fine motor delay?
Girls are not inherently more likely to have fine motor delay. Sex differences in early fine motor skills are small and inconsistent; a child's own pace, practice and overall development matter far more. A clinician-led developmental check is the surest way to know if a child needs time or gentle support.
Read the answer AnswerAre girls more likely to have gross motor delay?
Girls are not meaningfully more likely to have gross motor delay; if anything they reach some early milestones slightly earlier on average. Sex is a weak predictor for any individual child — prematurity, birth weight and movement opportunity matter far more. Watch the milestones, not the gender, and seek a check if your child misses key movement stages.
Read the answer AnswerAre girls more likely to have hypotonia?
Hypotonia is not strongly linked to being a girl or a boy — it affects children of any sex. What matters is the underlying cause behind the low tone, not gender. Some specific genetic conditions carry sex patterns, but hypotonia itself does not favour girls. Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. under qualified clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerAre Girls More Likely to Have Motor Planning Difficulties?
There is no clear evidence that girls are simply more likely to have motor planning difficulties. Boys have historically been identified more often, but girls are frequently under-recognised because their difficulties can be quieter or masked. What matters most is your child's day-to-day pattern, not their gender — and Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. under qualified clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerAre girls more likely to have persistent toe-walking?
Persistent toe-walking is not more common in girls — if anything boys are reported slightly more often, and a family history is common. Sex matters far less than whether toe-walking is constant, whether heels can go flat, and whether other development is on track. Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. under qualified clinician care.
Read the answer AnswerAre girls more likely to have Stereotyped Movement Disorder?
Stereotyped Movement Disorder is not more common in girls — simple and complex stereotypies are seen more often in boys. Many young children show harmless repetitive movements; what matters is whether they persist, interfere with daily life or risk self-injury, not the child's sex.
Read the answer AnswerAre girls more likely to have Tourette Syndrome?
Tourette Syndrome is diagnosed roughly three to four times more often in boys than in girls, but girls can and do have it — sometimes with milder or later-recognised tics. The pattern is about likelihood, not certainty; any child with persistent, distressing tics deserves a calm developmental check.
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