How far can your 4yo walk?

[UnbeatenMum]

This is just for my curiosity, we're already on all the right waiting lists to see doctors, OT, physio etc. DS is 4y3m. He shows some signs of a mild disability and mild mobility issues. He can walk and run and jump and walked on schedule at 15 months but he seems to tire more easily than my older children who are now teenagers. Today we think he walked about a mile (with rests) but I think my older children could do a lot more at that age.

@cestlavielife he had an MRI which showed lack of oxygen probably in the womb. Not tested for gower manoeuvre as far as I know. I don't think he's getting worse, I think he is getting more stamina as he grows it just doesn't seem enough for his age IYSWIM.

My 4 year old can managed 2 0.5 mile walks on a good day. Tires easily doing other activities. My eldest could do much more. My 4 year old has recently been diagnosed with low muscle tone and hypermobility which explains it.

Well my son had hypermobility and hypotonia (and a microdeletion syndrome with brain mri anomalies) and walked at 24 months and was very wobbly...but by 5 or 6 could walk miles. So barring any underlying neuromuscular issue your ds should get stronger with time.

Other things like undiagnosed coeliac disease can impact stamina. ( If it is something getting worse.) Any food issues or stomach issues?

Ask OT for standardised assessment like ABC Movement battery involves lots fun exercises and gives gross and fine motor score and age equivalent. And then targeted therapy...

Also ask for a gait analysis.

If is linked to a cp diagnosis then just keep.up with therapies

But keep a record with videos so you can compare in few months time.

@Bibbitybobbitty I think we're a reasonably active family with lots of opportunities to develop stamina. My older children were walking miles by this age although I do drive to preschool due to distance.

@cestlavielife thanks - that is hopeful. We're just on lots of waiting lists at the moment but hoping to get some actual answers next year.

@Koalaslippers thanks, that sounds similar to DS in terms of distance.

My 4Yo (4 years 4 months) will only walk for 5 minutes at a time and still uses a pushchair. GP said he’s fine and it’s just stamina 🤷🏻‍♀️ he has delayed gross motor skills too.

My 4 year old's favourite park is a mile away, but we do often get an ice-cream or whatever to have when we are there. Our two year old can walk half a mile to the shop fairly well.

DC2 is almost four (in a fortnight). We are a family who walk a lot, and my personal experience is that families who walk a lot often use buggies for longer. I would struggle to get him to walk more than a mile without a fair amount of moaning - the scooter is a better option for us. Yet he can walk maybe two miles no problem with his childminder so I’m confident it’s behavioural …🙄 DC1 had definitely dropped the buggy completely at this age but had also taken very well to scooting, whereas DC2 is less bothered about that.

However, he can jump and hop, and has just started to practise balancing on one leg.

@MyCatIsPlotting DH thinks there's a behavioural element, or just natural variation between different children but I'm reluctant to push him too much when there's a question of CP and he's showing other signs too. I could try a scooter though and see how he gets on, he's wasn't very confident at balancing last time we had it out but he might be better now.

@UnbeatenMum , those things will be factors but if there are enough red flags for him to have been referred, I completely agree with not pushing him.

Sorry if you mentioned it but would he find a bike (maybe with stabilisers) or a trike easier if balance on a scooter is tricky? We have one of those big trikes with a handle where you can add pedals as they get older so they can ride independently. I think doing that kind of stuff gently to increase stamina is always a good thing, it’s just working out how far to push it.

Under your circumstances I’m not surprised you’re still using a buggy - I know a lot of people with kids at this age who use them where they do lots of walking.

How long do you think you'll have to wait until he can see a physio? I agree you shouldn't push him until you've ruled things out, though hopefully its just a stamina issue and once things have been ruled out you can work on improving his stamina.
When DS was 4 his stamina was pretty poor most of the time, when we had to walk far I would take his scooter and when he got tired I'd let him stand on it while I pushed/pulled him along. Was annoying for me but it did mean he spent a bit more time moving himself than he did if he was in the pushchair.

Following as have same concerns about my DC. DC on waiting list for ASD assessment and I worry about possibility of commonly co occuring conditions such as dyspraxia or hypermobility - as both of these can cause tiredness when walking.

4 year old DC walked about a mile yesterday on uneven ground and is tired today and complaining of foot pain - I don't feel that's typical, but when it's your first child it's hard to know.

Kids come to junior parkrun from the age of 4 and many of the youngest ones run / walk it when they first start but they’re usually all finished 2km in about 20-22 minutes which is a decent brisk walking pace for little legs.

Older DS has asd and hypermobility. Thinking back to when he was 4 and he struggled to walk long distances and on a city break couldn't walk far. His calves would tighten up too.

Younger DS at 4 on a city break this year, walked and walked and walked all day every day for miles and miles. Older DS is now 9 and was able to manage the same.

We did a 4.5 mile walk today across quite difficult terrain with a 4 and 2yo, the 2yo had a shoulder ride for the last mile but the 4yo was quite happily skipping and running along.
they are not my children, mine are older, these 2 are used to doing a lot of walking.

My dd hated walking and complained all the time whereas by dgd, her daughter could walk for miles at that age without complaining

my experience is the youngest is allowed access to a pushchair for longer so doesn’t build up the same stamina. The older kids are often kicked out of the pushchair earlier to make room for the younger sibling.

My second born 4 year old moans her legs are tired by the end of our very short road.

How long can they play in a playground for?

Both mine could walk a mile easily at 4. It was a mile to school and church (they both started school at 4 years) and we nearly always walked. In fact the younger one was walking to and from taking older sister to school at 3 years…
We have always been a family of walkers though so they just grew up with it.

My 4 year old has hyper mobility. She visibly tires after walking for over 20minutes and occasionally complains of leg pain. Not a huge amount we can do apart from bringing scooter/bike, and trying to follow her lead. Supportive footwear helps.
She could swim for about 3 hours straight though.

Just posted on another thread about Gross motor skills for a 4 yr old. Not sure if that is you. DD has very mild CP and was diagnosed about this age. Happy to chat via PM if helpful.

@minipie think that was my thread you posted on 😊

@Natsku I haven't been told how long the wait is, just that the referral was accepted. We have a paediatrician appointment soon though which we're hoping might give us some idea.

@minipie thank you, that's very kind, I will PM you.