Late Walker?

[Lazysundayafternoons]

Ds is 17 months and wont walk independently further than 3 steps.

He has been cruising round the furniture for months, can crawl and climbs everywhere without fear, yet he wont try to walk anywhere.

From people asking if he is walking yet and other younger babies walking before him, it feels like he's behind.

Is he behind and should I be worried or is this normal?

[Aquamarine1029]

I wouldn't worry even a little bit right now. He's cruising, crawling and climbing which is all very good. My bet is he will be walking independently before you know it.

[FuzzyPenguin]

My DS didn’t even crawl till 18 months and finally walked at 22 months. I was told he was on the later side of normal but as long is there was nothing else going on they don’t tend to worry until they turn 2 years.
He is 6 now and did a 13 mile walk the other day you would never know!

[Abouttimemum]

Hi, my DS is 19.5 months and doesn’t walk. He does everything but, but won’t take steps. He was premature so is really 18 months corrected so we are lucky enough because of that to have a paediatrician and a physio.
At his review last week they were more than happy with him. Essentially, where I live, they don’t refer non walkers until around 18 months and they don’t ‘worry’ about it until they are 2. So long as you see progress and the building blocks for walking are there (cruising, walking with hands, with a Walker, standing sometimes) then they say it will come.
He is much more focused and interested in his fine motor skills. He’s quite happy crawling to do what he needs!
He gets checked again at 2 and if he’s still not in his feet there’ll be tests but I’m hopeful it will happen!!
I would say it does no harm to ask your GP for a referral if you’re concerned about it but try not to worry.

[Lazysundayafternoons]

Thanks for the advice, I'll stop worrying about him and hopefully he will get there in the next few months.

[Lazypuppy]

My dd didn't crawl until 14 months and walked at 16months. Those extra months of not walking were bliss compared to my friends babies who walked by 12 months.

[ByGrabtharsHammerWhatASavings]

My family members little boy just bum shuffled until he was about 2, wouldn't even crawl. Then one day just got up and walked like it was no big deal. He's 22 now and has a black belt in karate so it really isn't any big predictor of future mobility. The spectrum of normal at that age is enormous.

[Sevo7]

My dd crawled and cruised at 8 months so I thought she would be walking by one but then didn’t actually start walking until almost 18 months. I think she was so fast at crawling and cruising she didn’t see the need to walk tbh. Even once she started walking she would still crawl if she needed to get somewhere fast. She almost 2 now and can walk a reasonable distance and has just started running. She is also an amazing climber which I put down to her crawling for so long

[Xyzzzzz]

Dd is 15 months and won’t walk yet. Like your little one she will crawl (started at 11 months) and can stand herself and pull self up on furniture but won’t walk

[Twizbe]

My eldest was 16 months and youngest 17 months when they walked. Youngest is now just 21 months and is running around like a mad thing now.

[HarryHarryHarry]

Mine walked at 17 months after I took him to physiotherapy. She didn’t really do anything except show him what he was capable of - first crawling properly, then standing without holdinv onto anything, then walking. The walking she did by blowing bubbles at him from a few steps away - he was so curious he just walked towards her without thinking about it.

[Lazysundayafternoons]

Thanks all for posting, its reassuring to hear about others DC.

@Sevo7 ds is a climber too, he climbs absolutely everywhere.

[Aquamarine1029]

@Sevo7

When my daughter was 8 months she was running like an Olympic champion, and I honestly wouldn't wish that hell upon anyone. 8 months is way too young for that nonsense.