21 month old not walking

[CassandrasCastle]

My DS is nearly 21 months, and still can't walk. He can if he holds my hand, but only for a bit then starts giggling and falling down. He can pull himself up and cruise round furniture. (He's also only got about 5 words)
I'm actually going crazy with this - sometimes I'm so incredibly worried about him, sometimes I chill out. I even get annoyed and frustrated with him :(( I've taken him to the GP, and we've been referred to a paediatric clinic - but the appointment is at the end of September. I don't know what to do. Just keep waiting and trying to hold my nerve I guess? I don't know how to help him. I have lovely friends who reassure me, but sometimes I just want to scream I'M SO DAMN WORRIED THERE'S SOMETHING SERIOUSLY WRONG AND NO ONE WILL LISTEN.
Sorry. I've read so many threads now, some which petrify me and of course they're the ones I latch on to.
Anyone been in this boat?

Bumping for you OP. I'm not in this boat but the other way one. My little one was walking really early but at 30 months still has zero words so I can completely understand your stress with it all. I'm still waiting for a hospital appointment for the audiologist but it's a 31 week wait apparently. It's so frustrating that you wait so long isn't it. I'd just keep coaxing him into walking and keep a log of all aspects of his walking for when you do finally get your appointment.

The sad thing is, even if your little one doesn’t walk, there’s no magic pill to fix them.

You could try ringing the consultant’s secretary at the hospital and asking for a cancellation, that way you may get an earlier appointment.

Keep doing what you are doing. Let them cruise around the furniture and hopefully they will build their strength and just start walking.

My first was a late walker (I won’t use the word lazy but he preferred to be carried). You wouldn’t know thirty years later.

Sorry to hear @Devilsmommy 31 week wait, that's so shit.
I think it's the unknown that's so hard, and as the months pass I just fret more and more. It's so good to vent a bit about how worried I am, because in real life I feel my concerns are often dismissed (not in a malicious way, people just trying to be nice.) Although I'm obviously never happy, because if someone does comment on his lack of walking I feel extremely defensive 🙈

My daughter was a late walker (20 months).. literally a week before she walked she was showing no signs (wouldn't even hold our hands and stand) then one day she pretty much just got up and walked - job done 🤷🏼‍♀️

I was worrying but most people we spoke to said don't worry unless they hit 2 and still aren't. From talking to my nan it ran in the family and my uncle didn't walk til just before he turned 2.

It's great you've got an appointment (despite the wait) but kids move at different paces so try not to worry ☺️

I can get into this awful mindset where I just KNOW he won't walk at 2 😪 I know we're going to get to his second birthday and he won't have progressed.
My daughter was totally different. And all my friends kids seem so much more advanced, even those who were born quite a while after him.
I know I need to stop obsessing and worrying!! But when I start comparing it's really hard.

Pay for a private paediatric appt or private physio to assess and see if anything beyond eg hypermobility etc

If the appointment in September is to see a paediatrician, ask for a referral for physio in the meantime.

I’m surprised they aren’t seeing him sooner as usually they start investigating it they aren’t walking by 18 months. The fact that he pulls himself up and cruises is encouraging though. I old you consider a private appointment for him?

My daughter was a late walker and turns out it was hyper mobility. We saw a physio who gave us exercises to do with her and she progressed rapidly with those. She's still a bit clumsy but nothing anyone would notice if they weren't looking for it.

DD only walked at 21 months. She wasn't even pulling herself up much before that and if you stood her up she seemed to be really uncomfortable on one leg.

There was nothing wrong. She just waited till she was ready and then she was off.

Both of my kids did this but at about 23 months - went from nothing to walking very quickly.

I totally understand the worry as I have also experienced this. I agree with asking for a physio referral but that also takes time and they might be walking by the time you get the appointment.

The fact that he’s cruising and walking holding hands means that he is pretty much certain to walk in his own time. My DD started walking with us holding her hand around 24 months, took a few steps by herself at 28 months and walked voluntarily at 30 months. She has low muscle tone (hypotonia). We have been seeing the physio since 18 months but I wouldn’t say it’s made much difference, they mostly encourage us to do obvious things like encouraging play standing up and practicing going from sitting to standing.

It’s shit that the wait is so long for the paediatrician appointment but having a diagnosis is unlikely to make much difference to the treatment which tends to be physio if it’s hypotonia or hypermobility. We have seen a paediatrician and genetics so far but are no further to knowing the cause of my DDs hypotonia.

I'm assuming your son wasn't born prematurely? I was born 11 weeks early and didn't walk unaided until I was 2 years old. Talking though, I grasped much earlier, than walking. I cruised the furniture for absolutely an age, my Mum was worried I'd never walk. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do, other than wait for your appointment in September. You could call the Consultant's secretary and ask to be notified if there's a cancellation? Or pay privately? I am surprised they are making you wait so long, especially if your son wasn't born prematurely. Sending hugs, it's very hard not to worry.

Two of my three (DD2 and DD3) were bum-shufflers. DD2 finally walked at 23 months and DD3 at 21 months. I never worried about it. It was just how they were.

Has yours bum-shuffled? Bum-shufflers are quite often late walkers as their hands are free much more than those who crawl or other methods of getting around.

I'm quite clueless as to what to do so it's helpful to read suggestions about physio and possible private appointments. Good to consider options and hear others experiences. I did feel quite dismissed by the GP - asked several times if I should get DS out of the buggy so he could see him move around but he said no need. He was a nice guy, but I did feel like such a worrisome mother to him

No bum shuffling no! He started crawling around 10 months.

We were repeatedly dismissed by both our GP and health visitor but if not walking by 18 months it should be possible to get a referral to physio. It does sound like he’s pretty close though.

I would add with speech that 21 months is still quite early. I used to think DD was a bit behind with speech but it really came on between 20-24 months

My DS was just shy of his 2nd birthday when started to walk.One day he pulled himself up and held onto the back of a dining room chair.
He was also a ‘bum shuffler’ and was quite proficient at it, so had no incentive to walk.
I felt guilty about it (ridiculous I know) because relatives commented and made remarks like ‘our so and so was walking at 9 months’ which was unhelpful.Hang on in there it will happen at their own pace just like other milestones, talking and toilet training etc.

I know that irrational feeling of guilt! And yes, hearing about the early walkers is such fun 😅 I just feel like I'm always explaining him - when people ask how old he is, I anticipate the surprise and hurriedly go on and on about him not walking. I sound like a real peach eh

Hey OP. Sometimes GPs can be a bit dismissive of this sort of thing. Have you spoken to your HV? They should come out and see him. You could consider a physio referral. Are you able to pay privately? I would be more concerned about his lack of speech than his mobility as he’s walking aided by you and furniture. 5 words at his age is far below what is considered developmentally appropriate. Early intervention for speech delay (/speech and language therapy) is absolutely essential. You could discuss this with you HV too

Oh God - far below average eh. How helpful 🙈

My sister is a SALT actually, and has been very reassuring - so I guess that makes the speech thing feel more manageable for us.

I’m not being unkind OP, just stating a fact. It’s great that you have the support of your sister

Can you contact health visitor and local children's centre in the meantime

My neighbours son didn't walk until the day before his 2nd birthday he's absolutely fine and he actually had excellent balance straight away he seem to miss out the wobbly stage so was pretty much on par with other kids straight away when he started. We use to joke about how he's probably been walking in secret for months and just wanted to stress his mum out