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?

I'd advise her to go to the GP and get referred to Paediatrics

Think if they are not walking by 18 months that warrants specialist input

@ItWillBeBetterinAugust is right. It depends on the context of the child’s overall general development. Please see the health visitor to determine whether there is anything to worry about.
Incidentally @anotherlittlechicken your advice that not talking at two is not a problem isn’t quite right. As a paediatric speech therapist I would advise seeking health professional advice for a child that wasn’t talking by their 2nd birthday.

I’d consider hyper mobility syndrome

My dd was a bum shuffler and didn’t walk until she was 22 months. She did start pulling up from about 18/19 months and we started physio around then

My friend's little girl had similar where she was very good bum shuffler but couldn't walk at 2. She had some a problem which her hips and little one still walked stiffly once she first started walking. I'd definitely suggest your friend sees the GP and pushes for a referral.

@Selmababies of course if a parent is really determined, they can contact a health visitor- but its not as if there is any sort of ongoing contact that would allow them to spot something proactively. but it is quite hard to contact them (involving several calls to answerphone, waiting for a call back, chasing etc)

It isn't always a problem, but if she is more comfortable asking for a referral then she should consider I.

Bum shufflers can be quite late walkers. Two of my three DDs were bum shufflers. DD2 began at about 8 or 9 months and didn't walk at all until she was 23 months. She could stand indefinitely long before then but just refused to walk. She was simply stubborn. Once she started walking there was no stopping her. I had begun to despair of her though and she wore through trousers and nappies at a phenomenal rate.

DD3 began bum shuffling at a similar age, but walked at 21 months.

Neither of them ever crawled. Only DD1 crawled and she walked at 14 months.

I'd say that bum shufflers can be very frustrating. Sometimes it might be a problem, but in many cases it is just belated development. My DD2 was a case in point. She was just perfectly happy with the status quo. She saw no reason to change. One day I just said to her that she simply wasn't getting out of the pushchair if she couldn't even try to walk. I don't know if that was what made the difference, but the next time I did let her out she stood up and began toddling.

My youngest has a rare genetic condition and is globally delayed. She was walking at 21 months.

2 and not even cruising / pulling up on furniture is a major concern.

I assume 2 year check with be imminent, but yes push for a paediatric referral.

Ds walked at 22 months. Had major motor skills delay and slightly loose hips. Had to ensure at least an hour a day climbing, balancing etc. Has very good coordination/sporting Abilities now.

Certainly needs further investigation. My little one at age 2 was the same and I was fobbed off with "its Laziness" Turned out it was hyper-mobility of the ankles and needed leg splints. Within 6 weeks of having them he started walking. Was also tested for Elhers Danlos syndrome. Good luck and fight for further answers!

My friend experienced this with her son. After a complete fiasco with her GP surgery they finally did xrays and scans, to find he had a displaced hip. It's more common in boys, maybe worth your friend asking about?

Six steps by 18 months was what I was told by the health visitor. I'd be on this as a matter of urgency.

My eldest son didn’t walk until he was 25 months. No idea why - he was neurotypcial but was always behind on his physical milestones - couldn’t sit until 12 months, didn’t crawl until 18 months.

He’s perfectly fine now - we had a physio referral at 18 months but they found nothing wrong with him and basically said he was lazy.

He did however, have a really big head and a very petite body and I often wonder if it was a proportion thing! He’s nearly 7 now, plays rugby, football and does boxing with no issues

My little girl didn't walk until a month before her 3rd birthday. She was a bum shuffle then progressed to knee walking. She was finally referred to physio after her 2and birthday and was given a frame Walker which did not help much. She then got orthopedic boots which had her walking within 2 months. I would keep pushing for referral but bum shufflers are late walkers.
I can relate at how frustrating this is, especially when everyone seems to comment on it!

My daughter couldn't pull herself up,sit up from lying down or stand unaided at 2. We had a physio referral and she was diagnosed with hyper mobility and low muscle tone. Shes 7 now and there is no noticable difference between her and her class mates.

DD didn’t walk until 26 months. I didn’t worry about it because her dad didn’t walk until after two either.

She’s an adult now and very athletic. She’s never had any physical health issues.

My son was 19months which I thought was incredibly late

It isn't particularly late. There is a wide range of normal. People do seem to panic if they aren't walking by 12 months, but it is very common that they don't.

Two years is getting late and might warrant a referral but I certainly wasn't going to worry much before then anyway as I already knew that bum shufflers were frequently very late walkers. Other people did plenty of the worrying for me so I let them get on with it.

People do seem gobsmacked that not every baby crawls at 8 - 9 months and walks by a year! Two out of three of mine didn't. I never worried about it and they are perfectly normal adults with no physical health issues at all.

Whatever the anecdotes, if a child misses their milestones then they should be referred into paediatric services. He has missed his 'walking' milestone by a good 6 months. I'd 100 per cent be wanting a paediatric consultation. I'm a physio. My son walked late-ish, 17 months, but is low tone and has dyspraxia and SPD. So my anecdote is about how a child can reach their milestones and still have something 'wrong'. Missing a milestone needs investigating, even if all is then found to be well, which hopefully he will be.

I’m very surprised the health visitor hasn’t referred her to a paediatrician, I’ll be honest. One of mine didn’t walk until 17 months and HV was monitoring us ready for a referral if she didn’t start by 18 months, though she was pulling up, cruising the furniture etc., just not the final act of walking without holding on.
It’s a big deal they aren’t even showing signs of getting ready. It needs further investigation.

Bum shufflers are notoriously late walkers.

My nephew didn't walk till 2.5 years old and is 30 now and nothing wrong with him

He was a bum shuffler , one day just stood up and tottered off

She shouldn't be worried if he isn't walking but if he isn't doing anything then yes she should be worried . My son has sn and he didn't walk tim he was 3 but he did sit crawl cruise walk eventually just much later than he should have .. frankly it's a good indication things are amiss , my son is in sn school now and it's a common theme among our kids .. ask for a urgent referral to a developmental paediatrician!

Just recently I’ve met several babies who have not started walking until after 18 months. Not sure exactly how late they started but they are very heathy now so it doesn’t have to be an issue. I’d always worry though!

Me and dh were late walkers. DC walked at just past 2. Carrots in each hand helped.