Lazy, low muscle tone, or just don't know how?

Question

my son had been using a sippy cup since 14 months. I use to let him lay back on me while he hold his own cup and drink, or I would just hold it for him, because I enjoyed doing it. Now that he's so active, I just give it to him, and he carries it around. I have noticed that once the liquid reaches a certain level, that he won't tilt his cup to get more out, instead he would suck on the mouth, or just give up and throw the bottle. Is it that he just doesn't know how, is lazy, or has low muscle tone? If he has low muscle tone, how do I make them stronger?

He's 16 months old now.

Answer 1

Whether or not he has some developmental "issue" is not something people on Yahoo Answers can reliably tell you, but little folks his age often just do that kind of stuff because they haven't "worked out the bugs" of basic, daily, things yet.  He's still really little.

I'm guessing he isn't "lazy" and doesn't have any particular muscle problem.  He's probably just being an "unpolished" 16-month old baby.

(These days when people get coffee out the coffee has those high lids that make the cup seem like a sippy cup.  I hate them,  I won't tip it way up either, because you get thrown off with how high to tip it versus where the liquid is.  I have friends who say the same thing.   Maybe your baby would like trying small amount of liquid out of something like a paper cup.  My kids didn't really use sippy cups at all.  They just went from using bottles to using half-filled little cups or else juice boxes, straws.)

Answer 2

sounds like he just doesn't know how to use it. the next time he throws it pick it up put his hands on it and show him how to do it. after a few times of you showing him he will pick it up. if he climbs, pushes himself up etc. then i dough it is muscle tone.

Answer 3

Have you talked to him and showed him what to do? ("Want more juice? Tip the cup up, like this!").  You may have to show him multiple times, but he'll get it.

Answer 4

I think you'd see more then a problem with a cup if he had problems with his muscles, he probably just can't be bothered.

I confess I held all our sons cups until he was at least two -  I remember the age because that's how old he was when we first had Christmas at this house, I remember sitting downstairs at the table giving him a drink.

They grow out of it.

Answer 5

It's not low muscle tone if he can throw the bottle!  He's not lazy either if he continues to suck on it.

He probably just doesn't realize that he needs to tilt it.  You may need to show him and tell him several times before he catches on.