Toddler started tip toe walking

[ForeverBaffled]

My 19 month DS learnt to walk six months ago but a few days ago suddenly started walking on his tip toes. Not all the time and still more frequently flat footed but seems unusual?

Just for transparency I’ve had concerns about ASD in the past (poor eye contact as an infant, stiff and uncuddly) but generally have been less concerned lately.

Could this just be a phase or an indicator of sensory issues?

Thanks :)

[violetrosie]

No advice but my 16 month old is doing exactly the same this week. Been walking normally since 12 months. I am assuming it's just discovering new things they can do and wouldn't be a concern at this age. These phases usually pass!

[ForeverBaffled]

Thank you, that’s reassuring. Just seemed to come out of nowhere. But then these things always do I guess. He’s been walking backwards on occasion and laughing for the last few weeks too so hopefully just part of him developing better control over his body and things.

[violetrosie]

Oh yes actually we've had the backwards walking this week too! Maybe it's all part of the same development thing. Who knows!

[AladdinMum]

It is very common for toddlers to tip toe, some guides even treat it as a milestone - it is only concerning in older children or if its excessive. If you are worried about ASD tip toeing is not a reliable marker, not being cuddly is also not reliable as many autistic toddlers are very cuddly , social and loveable - by 19M there would be many other more reliable markers such as lack of pointing, deficits in social communication and rigid behaviour.

[ForeverBaffled]

Thank you @AladdinMum, your comments are always very rational and sensible.

The tip toe walking is definitely not excessive so that’s reassuring. He does pass the MCHAT but does have some obsessive type behaviours (he will point out or comment on ‘cars’ literally 100s of times a day) and his imaginative play is limited to feeding a doll with food/water or pushing a car on the floor. Maybe that’s all that would be expected at this stage anyway.

Socially he’s very interactive with people he knows but will turn away from strangers that say hello and in terms of interest in his peers he will watch other children or occasionally babble at them but will only really approach them to get a toy off them ☺️

His gestures seem on track although he’s not a big waver. Hopefully these are all just personality things.

[AladdinMum]

@ForeverBaffled your DS sounds on track; feeding a doll with food/water and pushing a car on the floor seems about right for 19M - very soon, if not already, he will be doing car noises (brrrr, beep beep) while pushing the cars, and start putting his dolls to sleep or give them hugs (around 24M).

Passing the MCHAT is excellent, and hence unlikely for him to have autism - studies have shown that a child passing the MCHAT at 18M and 24M and then going on to develop autism is very very rare. Toddlers love routine and are prone to obsessions, weather it's doors, cars, lifts, etc - however they will get over them and move on to another (normally an obsession lasts between 3-6M depending on age). Pointing to cars a 100 times a day is not concerning, it would only be concerning if it was the ONLY thing he pointed at, or if he took it to extreme levels (i.e. looking out of the window and pointing at cars all day and have meltdowns if you try to move him away from the window, i.e. affecting his daily life).

Gestures are very important, with pointing to request and share being the most important and waving and clapping being the least important, so inconsistent waving at 19M is not really a concern either :)

You DS sounds absolutely on track! :)

[ForeverBaffled]

Thank you again @AladdinMum for taking the time to explain everything. It’s really put my mind at rest. I think it’s time to put the ASD concerns to rest and stop analysing my DS!

[violetrosie]

That's lovely advice @AladdinMum and great to hear as my DD is similar. She pushes cars and says vroom vroom but wouldn't for example pretend that anything else was a car. I think it's so easy to obsess these days with so much knowledge available on the internet so it's good for some rational advice online! Thank you.

[ForeverBaffled]

So the tip toe walking went away as quickly as it started but a month later it’s well and truly back and for a good amount of the time (60-70% of time!) It’s coincided again with a period of poor sleep and a bigger appetite so maybe it’s a growth spurt? He’s been really irritable and ignoring me a lot too over this period. Really quite a personality change. I struggle with anxiety and trying not to worry myself that it’s all part of some kind of regression. Agh!

[Cluelessmum5]

@ForeverBaffled hey, just found your post. It literally could have been written about my own son! It's uncanny. If you're still there can I ask how things are now? X

[Foreverbaffled]

@Cluelessmum5 I have a very happy and healthy nearly 5 year old who occasionally still tip toe walks! But mainly just for fun. All turned out totally fine. My 21 month has just started too urgh! 🤣

[Cluelessmum5]

@ForeverBaffled aw I'm so pleased to read that, that's great! My little one has started doing a bit of tip toe walking and he also started walking backwards this week so I think maybe they are connected?? I think both are quite normal developmentally but as I've had a few ASD concerns I'm just living in a constant state of anxiety so your post really resonanted. Thanks for taking time to come back to the thread and update x

[Foreverbaffled]

@Cluelessmum5 Sounds like you’re little one is just learning new ways of moving around. Tip toe walking can be a mini milestone I understand as it shows a degree of balance. It does seem incredibly common - I went through the ASD fear too but it was totally unfounded. I hope you aren’t too concerned.

[Foreverbaffled]

*your