Hi MissB.

Thanks for thinking of us and asking after us. It's been really busy here. DS turned 1, had a burst ear drum, we moved house (and are still unpacking and preparing the old for sale), and had numerous community health appointments for DS.

Paed appointment went well. He looked at DH and I and then at DS and concluded that we're just a family with bigger heads and when in comparison with DS's body, it's probably too big for him to manage. He's referred DS for a head ultrasound just to be sure there is nothing underlying but he seemed not too worried about it all.

The physio we've accessed through community health services has diagnosed him with low muscle tone, so we're on regular physio appointments and an exercise program at home. We have a referral to Occupational Therapy next month as low muscle tone can impact on walking with rolled ankles etc, or fine motor skill activities, though DS's fine motor skills seem really good.

We had a 12month age appropriate assessment with the MCHN and that went well. She had a child with low muscle tone so could relate and gave us some insights as to what we may be in for. She made a comment that has stuck with me though. She said we'd done really well in reaching out for help because that requires us to admit to ourselves that something may not be quite right, which no parent really want to think about their child. This was true for me. For a few months I was thinking (telling others) that DS would do things in his own time despite that little twinge in my stomach. It was a huge step for me to admit that things needed to be looked into. I still find it hard to tell people with children of a similar age, and the grandparents interstate, that he's not sitting etc and I feel that reflects on my parenting, but he's one very loved little man and we'll get there in the end.

I know I'm lucky given it's only a minor thing compared to what others deal with, and it's certainly given me a new appreciation of how challenging being a parent of a child with extra needs can be.