Question about clapping

[mom2william]

My DS is almost 11 months old and still doesn't clap.  I clap with him and play "patty cake" etc. but he just won't do it!  He sometimes holds my hands while I clap but if I try to clap his hands, he pulls his hands apart and won't let me hold them to put them together.  Just wondering if I should talk to the doctor about this??  Did anyone have a LO that clapped late?  Just didn't know if I'm too worried and should just keep trying with him.  We don't listen to a lot of children's music but he has musical toys.  I wonder if putting on some kids music would help?

Thanks,
Suzanne
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William born 3/23/05

[Paulsmama]

Hi Suzanne, he'll probably come around but it couldn't hurt to ask your doctor -- I call the advice nurses at my ped's all the time.  I had been trying unsuccessfully to get Paul (11 mo later this week) to clap for months.  Then my mom came for a visit and two days ago he just started doing some sloppy clapping for her!  Guess he likes her singing better or something.

[tylersmommy]

Tyler didn't clap until about 16 mo. He was "late" on a lot of physical milestones but far ahead on verbal ones, so I figured it would all even out at some point (it's starting to). If you're concerned, you can ask the dr, but if your DS is showing other signs of hand coordination, like eating finger food and being able to put things in his mouth, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Lana]

Ewan only started to clap right before his first birthday .  I never really worried about it myself but if you are really concerned you could check with your doc.

[Alibobs]

Our daughter doesn't like to clap either! She loves it when others do and lets us do it for her but won't attempt it on her own. I'm sure she'll do it when she's ready and so will your ds. They're the same age too - dd was born on the 26th. But if you are still worried, I'd ask for advice.

[Nikki~Nathanamp;Danielle]

My ds didn't clap until just over a year either.  If you ds is bringing his hands together and using them in other coordinated ways and imitating you (waving, moving arms, or any other sign language etc) I'd say it's just something he's not too interested in doing.

[mom2william]

Thanks for all the replies!  That makes me feel better.  As a first time mom, I always am reading about stuff and read about 7 and 8 month olds clapping and get scared!   He does fine with his pincer grasp and uses his hands to gesture although doesn't quite wave yet.  He is not crawling still, just drags himself on his belly so maybe that's why clapping may come bit later?  I'll just keep on clapping myself and hopefully he'll catch on soon!

Suzanne
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William born 3/23/05

[Caroline-Charlies Mummy]

Hi Suzanne,

William and Charlie are (exactly the same age.
Charlie has only just started to clap - last couple of weeks or so, and it started with the holding my hands and pushing them together, so William is probably on his way. He's probably just got better things to do

Charlie is not crawling, either, and is making no attempt to, but I'm not worried, as Melissa said, it all evens out in the end.

He's got no teeth yet, either

[Wilfie's Mummy]

My ds is 14 months and still doesn't clap! We go to various baby / toddler groups all with singing time so 3 times a week he sees other lo's clapping to songs and sits on my lap and I help him to clap along to the songs (he has only just started to open his fists up so that I can help him to clap his palms together) but he just doesn't seem interested in doing it himself.

I'm not worried as he crawled at 6 months, walked at 11 months and has really good fine motor skills for the things he wants to do so I think he has just consentrated on other skills first - I imagine the same is true of your lo's they just do things are different ages and stages. Please let me know if this is a naive attitude and if I should be doing more to encourage clapping... and waving this is also a very rare occurrence.

Ta

Hannah x