2 years old and can’t walk

This was one of my DC, he finally started walking at 24 months, talking was a lot later. He was developmentally behind in all major milestones.

He was diagnosed with ASD at 7 years old.

He’s 15 now, at mainstream school, should get a decent set of grades at GCSE and is planning to do an apprenticeship in one of the trades. The only outside cue to his autism these days is his lack of eye contact and you’d never know he was developmentally delayed as a baby.

One of mine started walking not long before this age, at 21 months. She was diagnosed with global development delay and later autism but is now doing very well. Push for referral to physio. Even if it doesn't get him walking, it opens up other avenues for you to go down for support if he does have a condition.

Has anyone looked in his ears regarding his speech? My friend's little boy spoke late and seemed to sometimes ignore people or not understand. Turned out he had glue ear which is tricky because it means the ear is clogged intermittently. It can look clear sometimes but it was seriously interfering with his hearing.
I would go to your gp for all of these concerns and as a pp suggested rule out physical problems first.

@FirstTimeMum0 I would push for referral to a developmental paediatrician simply because his receptive language seems delayed. My dc was the same at that age, he had language processing disorder (co-morbid with ASD).

Doctors often take a "wait and see" approach but I wouldn't do this when you suspect language impairments. The brain is developing rapidly in the infant years and early intervention and therapies are really important. Don't let them fob you off. If it's nothing and he's just a little behind, the extra support won't do any harm.

The issues with walking and cutlery etc may signify other difficulties but it's the lack of language and understanding that would concern me the most.

This sounds more important to me than the late walking / refusal to walk. I would definitely ask the GP for a referral to a paediatrician for these reasons.

He’s not really pre walking if you want him to walk outside. My DC had StartRite shoes and I’d definitely get outside shoes for outside walking. Cannot comment on much else but do you read to him? That’s great for language acquisition. Point to pictures and say the words.

@CarrotsAndCheese Yeah I would absolutely agree with this. He might well need something sturdier now.
I know a lot of people love Clark’s but I actually have never found our local one great - and they measured DS wrongly the last time I popped in there! DS got some Bobux shoes and StartRite shoes as his first ones and they were great.

My toddler first walked holding hands at 19 months and then unaided at 21 months. He is hyper mobile and no one was really interested as walking at 2 is still within the realms of "normal". I persuaded the HV to refer to Physio at 18 months. Physio were very helpful and we were advised to get proper little trainers or boots for walking outside, not just the first walkers shoes, as he needs a lot of support for his ankles. They also said he would get more tired when first walking than other children, as his muscles are working harder.

I couldn't move for mums telling how unusual it was for him to not be walking. That's really unhelpful when you're already worried.

My DD was a bum shuffler and didn't walk until 2. Shes 9 now and has no additional needs.
The understanding would be more of a concern to me. I would expect a 2 year old to be able to point to his nose etc. I think see your GP and push for a referral.

If your worried book a GP appointment and discuss your concerns around d development

I don't know if this would make a difference but I would have thought the pre-walker shoes might be too thin to wear outside*. I think he might need the more hard-wearing but still flexible toddler shoes. Might he be finding the ground outside a bit too hard on his feet?

*ETA: now that he's actually walking

What have the HV said about the language and speech @FirstTimeMum0?

What does your little one do if taken to soft play etc - do they climb etc?

Id definitely be pushing for referrals at this stage 😊 Could be absolutely no issue and just doing things in their own time (which they all do!) but if there is any mobility issues it’s good to get the help as early as possible 😊

I would be very worried. My son walked at 11 months and ran with ease in different directions by 18 months, refusing to sit in a pram (hard work).

If he goes to nursery they can do both referrals so you can always ask them if you don't think you're getting anywhere with the HV.

Normally by 18 months they'll refer to physio so I'd ring the HV and push for a referral. Same for speech, I wouldn't be overly concerned at this point however my almost 3 year old was referred by nursery and there was a wait of 6 months for an assessment by SALT so you're best to be in the system now. My DD didn't really speak until she was 2, it was a month after her first birthday she said mommy for the first time. She did end up under SALT for 3 years, she's 7 now and I can't shut her up talking now.

First thing first is to check out physical things so ears, eyes, hips and feet.

I'd go to the GP and see if you can get a referral to a pediatric physio or OT.

Teach him to sign, it uses a different part of the brain to speech and if he can clap he can sign

Both of mine were late walkers at 18 months. I have friends whose kids bum shuffled and didn't walk until nearer 2. I was never concerned about the walking but at closer to 2 I think your right in questioning it. Although not walking independently mine would climb the stairs and play equipment, cruise and hold hands when out if the hourse. Language also seems a little delayed (as was my eldest) do you have any concerns about his understanding, play or attention and listening? Can he feed himself and understand routines?
HV fobbed me off for years but I was more people would question whether their child is meeting milestones as so many come to nursery at 3 and are so far behind and parents have no idea. (I'm a nursery teacher).
For clarity, my eldest was diagnosed autistic at age 7 and still struggles to speak and we've spent thousands on speech therapy and he was always dismissed as his understanding was good.

My dd was 26 months before she decided to walk. Nothing wrong with her, just didn't want to! She is 8 now and this has been a common theme, she does things in her own time and I'm happy for her to do that.

If both his speech and walking are delayed then I’d push for guidance.

Is it a shoe issue? Can he walk outside without shoes on? Or inside with shoes on?

How are his fine motor skills? And his gross motor in areas other than walking?

Sounds like a confidence issue if it's an outside only thing.

His speech and his walking are delayed

I'd get him checked out

It’s great that he’s started walking unaided. If it were my child I would push for an assessment though. My DC walked unaided at 14 mo, but was delayed in more than one area at 2.5 thought not globally delayed - this still allowed him access to early intervention.

I would try and get a GP appointment again, if nothing else, to put your mind at ease. Children will do things at their own pace but 21/22 months is quite late to not be confidently walking.
Do you feel like you give them enough opportunity to walk? By that I mean do you let them climb the stairs at home, do you encourage them to tidy their toys, find their own shoes? Setting small tasks like this can help build confidence for when outside the home. Some children are quite lazy, for want of a better word, and if they are being carried about, or don’t need to walk to things they want, then they won’t.