Baby Not Crawling: Is It a Sign of Cerebral Palsy?
If your baby isn't crawling yet, it can be hard not to compare them to other babies. Some babies crawl early, some crawl late. Some even skip typical hands-and-knees crawling entirely. What matters most is not just whether your baby crawls, but how they move, whether both sides of the body are working together, and whether other motor skills are developing as expected.
Quick Answer: When Should I Worry If My Baby Is Not Crawling?
Not crawling by itself doesn't necessarily mean your baby has cerebral palsy. It becomes more of a concern when your baby also shows other signs like stiffness or floppiness, obvious weakness on one side, early hand preference, uneven crawling or scooting, or delays in sitting, rolling, or standing up.
Is It Normal for a Baby to Skip Crawling?
Yes, it can be sometimes. In fact, the CDC no longer includes crawling as a formal milestone because evidence showed that there is no specific age that most babies crawl by. However, that does not mean that crawling is not important. It just means that some babies progress through movement at different paces.
Babies can move around in many different ways, such as scooting or rolling. Some even skip crawling entirely and move straight into standing and walking. If your baby is reaching other milestones and progressing normally without developmental delays, not crawling usually isn't an issue.
When Do Babies Usually Start Crawling?
Most babies typically start crawling between 7 and 10 months, but there is a wide range of what's normal. Some babies crawl as early as 6 months, while others may crawl later than 10 months. Some babies skip crawling altogether.
If you're concerned with your baby's crawling progress, start by analyzing these few things:
- Is your baby sitting well?
- Does your baby try to move toward toys or people?
- Is your baby using both sides of their body evenly?
- Is your baby progressing overall month to month?
If you answered "yes" to most or all of these questions, your baby not crawling is most likely not an issue, regardless of what month they may be at currently.
Baby Not Crawling at 7 Months
Many babies are still learning to sit steadily, pivot, roll, and push up during tummy time at 7 months.
Not crawling at 7 months is usually not a reason to panic, especially if your baby is getting stronger, reaching, rolling, and trying to move in other ways. If your baby seems very stiff, very floppy, or favors one side of the body, you may want to bring it up to your pediatrician sooner.
Baby Not Crawling at 8 Months
Many babies at around 8 months are getting close to crawling.
If your baby is rocking on their hands and knees, pivoting in circles, scooting backwards, or army crawling, these movements can all lead up to them crawling. Even if your baby isn't crawling yet but is trying to move and is developing other motor skills, it is still likely quite normal.
If any movement appears limited, uneven, or stalled, let your pediatrician know.
Baby Not Crawling at 9 Months
By 9 months, it may be a concern if your baby isn't crawling and is also showing signs of developmental delays.
Even though crawling is no longer a formal CDC milestone, 9 months is usually when babies are moving more independently in some way, whether by crawling, scooting, pivoting, or pulling up to stand.
At this stage, be sure to watch for signs of developmental delays including:
- Struggling to roll over, sit, or walk
- Muscles that feel stiff or floppy
- Unusual gait or posture
- Obvious problems with balance
If your baby is not crawling at 9 months and is also not sitting well, not moving toward/reaching toys, or not using both sides of their body evenly, ask your pediatrician about a closer evaluation.
Baby Not Crawling at 10 Months
At 10 months, asymmetry becomes more important than just not crawling itself.
Signs to watch for in babies at 10 months include:
- Lopsided or uneven crawling patterns
- Pushing with one hand and leg while dragging the opposite side
- Scooting on the butt or hopping on the knees instead of crawling on all fours
Just because your baby army crawls or scoots at this stage doesn't mean that there is something wrong or that they have cerebral palsy. However, persistent lopsided or uneven movements are more concerning than just being late at crawling.
Baby Not Crawling at 11 Months
At 11 months, many babies who are not crawling are at least moving around in some way.
If your baby is rolling to get places, army crawling, butt scooting, or pulling to stand, your pediatrician will usually want to know how they are moving and whether it is symmetrical.
Alternative movement patterns can happen during this time, but it's recommended to discuss any missing milestones you notice with your pediatrician.
Baby Not Crawling at 12 Months
If your baby is not crawling by this time and is not attempting to, contact your pediatrician.
It's important to talk with your pediatrician if your baby is not making any attempts to crawl and is also not pulling to stand, moving around effectively, or using both sides of the body evenly. Don't feel like you're overreacting by asking for more support.
Early intervention and physical therapy can help whether the cause is a mild delay, low tone, high tone, asymmetry, or a more serious issue. Even if nothing is wrong with your baby's development, an evaluation by your pediatrician or a pediatric therapist can help you understand what's going on.
Why Is My Baby Army Crawling, But Not Crawling on Their Hands and Knees?
Army crawling can be a normal phase for some babies before they move on to crawl on their hands and knees. Army crawling becomes more of a concern when the movement is clearly uneven, such as pulling themselves mostly with one arm, dragging one leg, or always turning one direction.
Army crawling usually isn't an issue, but older babies who persistently crawl in a lopsided way or drag one side of their body should be evaluated more closely by a pediatrician.
Is a Baby Not Crawling a Sign of Cerebral Palsy?
Not crawling by itself usually doesn't mean a baby has cerebral palsy. The bigger concern is when not crawling happens alongside issues such as abnormal muscle tone, abnormal posture, asymmetry, and delayed developmental motor skills.
Early signs of cerebral palsy that matter more than late crawling include:
- Muscles that are very stiff or very floppy
- Baby obviously favors one side when reaching, rolling, scooting, or crawling
- One fist stays clenched more while the other is doing most of the work
- Baby cannot sit steadily, transition or balance well, or progress moving around over time
- Crawling or scooting looks lopsided or uneven, with one side dragging
Important: If your baby is showing any of these signs, contact your pediatrician as soon as possible. If there is an issue, early intervention and treatment, such as physical or occupational therapy, can make a huge difference in your child's long-term outcomes and abilities.
Why Do Some Babies Not Crawl?
There are many different reasons why some babies may not crawl. Not all reasons are related to cerebral palsy or developmental delays. Every baby moves and progresses differently, which means some may choose other ways to move or jump straight to standing and walking.
Common reasons why some babies don't crawl include:
- Not enough tummy time, or they simply don't like tummy time
- Lower motivation to move across the floor
- They prefer scooting, rolling, or standing
- Tightness, weakness, or poor coordination
- A motor delay that requires extra support
How Can I Help My Baby to Crawl?
While you don't need to force your baby to crawl, there are a few ways to help give your baby opportunities to practice moving, rotating, reaching, or bearing weight through their arms and legs.
You can encourage your baby to move naturally on their own by:
- Giving them more supervised floor time
- Doing tummy time in short, frequent sessions
- Placing toys just out of reach
- Encourage them to move in both directions
- Noticing whether one side is working much harder than the other
Note: If your baby seems frustrated, stiff, or very delayed, it's better to ask your pediatrician for guidance than to just keep trying random exercises at home. If needed, they can help your baby with gentle movements and show you more exercises you can do at home safely.
How Do Doctors Evaluate a Baby Not Crawling?
Doctors usually do not focus on crawling alone but instead look at how a baby moves as a whole picture. This includes evaluating head and trunk control, sitting, symmetry, muscle tone, transitions, balance, and how your baby moves across the floor.
During an evaluation, doctors may ask you if:
- Your baby is able to sit up without support
- They can move around another way besides crawling
- Movement is symmetrical and not lopsided or uneven
- There are any muscle tone issues, like stiffness or floppiness
- Any developmental milestones are delayed
Tip: Keeping track of your baby's progress with notes or recording short videos can help your doctor to see what you're seeing at home.
When Should I Call the Doctor?
Call your pediatrician sooner if you notice:
- Your baby is not crawling and also seems very stiff or floppy
- Their movement is clearly one-sided
- Your baby drags one side or uses one hand or leg much more than the other
- Your baby is not making steady motor skill progress
- Your baby is 12 months old and is still not crawling or moving around
Explore Related Topics
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Hypertonia: Why Does My Baby Feel Stiff?
Hypotonia: Why Does My Baby Feel Floppy?
Why Is My Baby Only Using One Side of Their Body?
Baby Not Crawling FAQs
Written and Medically Reviewed by:
Cerebral Palsy Hub Team
Cerebral Palsy Hub was founded to help support children and their families with cerebral palsy and to create a safe space for those affected. We strive to provide the most accurate, up-to-date information, and tools to help give your child the life they deserve.
Last Updated: March 14, 2026
