Not walking yet, age 2

[lateWalker]

Just that really, my friend has asks if I could ask on her behalf (she hasn't used MN ).
Her boy has turned 2 but isn't standing or pulling up, and no interest in walking. He shuffled on his bottom.
Physio see's nothing obvious but she is concerned.

Does anyone have experience of this?

Thanks all, I'll pass on.

Bum shufflers do tend to walk later than crawlers. By 2 though I would be worrying.

I’d be pushing for a referral if I were her.

I know someone who didn't walk until 2 but was very verbal early and is now a normal walking adult so it's not necessarily a problem.
But probably worth a chat with health visitor in case.

For what it's worth, my godson was neither walking nor talking by the time he was 2 (though I'm pretty sure he was bottom shuffling and also pulling himself to stand up). A couple of months later he was both walking and talking, and he is currently top of his year in a highly selective grammar school, on the rugby team, and all round good at everything. So it's not necessarily a long-term cause for concern, though I would certainly be getting it looked at.

My DD didn't walk until she was almost 22 months, so not 2 but on the way. She's fine now x

I'd definitely get it checked out; ask for a referral to paediatrician as there could be a development delay, and early intervention would be crucial.

My twins both walked at just before and just after 2. 1 was a bum shuffler too. They were prem and have hypermobility. Long term they are now 6 and fabulous walkers, better stamina than lots of their peers and happily do gym and dance classes with their peers so with that in mind I wouldn't worry too much. However they were refered at 18m and had pretty intensive physio from about 20 months and specialist footwear so I'd maybe asked for a second opinion from physio or pediatrics.

@Selmababies - the HV round here sees the babies at 12 months (in practice it's 10 months) when loads of babies aren't walking. Unless you go to see them, they don't see them again until 27 months. So it's quite possible for the HV to have no idea.

My son didn't walk till he was 21 months. I eventually found out when he was 6 that he has hypermobility and low muscle tone. Occupational therapy diagnosed that. Ask her to get the health visitor or Doctor to make a referral.

DD (19) did not walk until 23 month ,but she did bottom shuffle. Her older brother also bottom shuffled and did not walk until 18 months and I was the same as a baby!
None of us have sat still since!
Definitely worth getting them checked out, I did.
It’s not necessarily a cause for concern yet.
My youngest crawled and walked MUCH earlier.

I've seen a couple of late walkers when I worked in a nursery.

I can't believe he hasn't had a referral. I would push hard for an explanation. How is his speech? Other motor skills? Development in general?

My son was 19months which I thought was incredibly late. We were already under the paed. Please get yourself referred asap.

I was a late walker.
As a bum shuffler, I could see all around me so I didn't need to stand.
Crawlers will be looking at the floor as they move. So going to stand will enable them to see things other than the floor.
My ds was a late walker.
Speaking in sentences at 14 months, but not walking. I guess he channelled his energy into his mouth not his legs!
Dd was also a late walker.
She has dyspraxia and other physical issues.

In your situation, I would ask for a physio referral. And while you are waiting, put things just out of his reach. So he needs to stand to get them. See if he will try? Or think about trying?
Maybe leave a toy on the sofa and leave the room (watch from doorway so he thinks you cant see)

My DD was a bum shuffler and didn't walk until she was 2. She's completely NT and has caught up with gross motor skills now at 4.

My DD2 did that. When she reached 2, I pulled her up by her arms and showed her how to walk, barefoot, around the garden. It took a few tries for her to walk confidently while I held her hands. Then I let go and told her to walk to objects a short distance away. Once she realized she could do that she was very pleased. After that, with encouragement, she walked more and more. She is now 11 and fine, though I suspect minor dyspraxia (her handwriting is awful). DS1 also walked late (17 months) and has diagnosed dyspraxia.

Hopefully he's just "lazy' but My friend well more a friend of a friend, her dd wasn't walking by the time she was 2. It turned out she had a condition RENS disease.. I've not saw them in a while so i don't know how she's doing.

Retts disease no t Rens.

My son was 19months which I thought was incredibly late.

It isn't, though.

@Selmababies the health visitor comes once after birth, then there are weight clinics until 1, but they exclusively focus on weight. there us a 2.5 years or so check up, so nobody would have seen the child since if he doesn’t go to nursery where it would have been flagged.

My daughter didn’t take her first steps until 21 months and didn’t walk much until 2.

At the time we were told she’s just a late developer, she’ll catch up, she’s fine, nothing wrong.

Eventually we were told she has hypermobility and low muscle tone by a physiotherapist. Doctors, health visitors, Paediatrician’s didn’t see anything wrong so it’s great he’s already seen a physio.

In my area the health visitor wouldn’t refer for late walking until 2...

Other than the physio hasn’t it been flagged up by the health visitor? My 10m old was flagged as needing development on gross motor skills and she was able to stand up while holding on and I was in no way concerned about her. I’m amazed he wasn’t followed-up more intensively as he must have flagged as behind on the various questions as part of the checks.

Every child is different. I learned to walk at 9 months I never even crawled , my brother walked at 3 years old and only shuffled on his bum before that. My mum works in childcare and says unless there’s any obvious signs of a problem or pain then it’s very normal . My sister was closer to 2.5 before she started to walk. Again she only shuffled .

One of my children didn’t walk until 2yrs 3 months, missed out the crawling stage and became the fastest bottom shuffler known to mankind ! Although he started off shuffling backwards until he’d got the hang of it.
Very concerned at the time, child under doctors / having hip x rays etc, but all turned out well and no further problems.
Wishing you all the best.

@myself2020
Although health visitors may not routinely maintain regular contact with every child and it's parent, child development in pre schoolers is very much part of the established role of a health visitor
Contacting the health visitor is the first port of call for a parent that is concerned about any aspect of their child's development, both in terms of initial assessment and supporting and advising the parents.