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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to worry about my 15 month olds "knee-walking"

26 replies

Bells3032 · 24/03/2023 15:46

Daughter is 15 months old. she is incredibly active and switched on. She started crawling at 8 months and a couple of months ago started "knee walking" she is incredibly fast, can get where she wants to go, can carry her toys whilst "walking" and seems very happy.

She pulls herself up endlessly and bears weight really well and is just starting to cruise a tiny bit but she has no interest in letting go. you try to get her to stand and she'll refuse and just sit down again.

She also always sits in a "W" position which wasn't very surprising given myself, my sister and my niece are all extremely hypermobile.

I've given her a walker but she just pushes it whilst walking on her knees. She's got a little tykes car and she's worked out how to get in and out of it no problem - rather impressively getting out by walking out on her knees. she's an expert climber as well.

her nursery said they've seen it before and not to stress but at what point should we see someone. anything we can do to encourage her?

should i worry about this or not?

OP posts:

TiredandBlue · 24/03/2023 15:48

It's still early to be worried about it, my youngest was around 18 months to walk properly but started crawling early. Perhaps the focus is on cognitive development atm for them.

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 24/03/2023 15:49

My dd did this. The pediatrician had never see it before. My dd was later diagnosed as ASD.

She got it eventually. We used to put her shoes on and take her outside, and gently pull her up whenever she tried.She eventually stopped doing it.

mrswhiplington · 24/03/2023 16:01

My DD did this. She started walking properly about 18 months. Don't worry too much. She used to do it at toddler group and got some funny looks. It didn't bother me. She's 21 now and perfectly fine.

CaptainWentworth · 24/03/2023 16:05

My DD also did this recently for a while (2-3 months ish?) before getting the hang of walking - she did it from about 14-16.5 months I think. Just turned 18 months and walking very well now. Don’t worry! They all develop slightly differently and at different speeds.

SeaToSki · 24/03/2023 16:20

My DD knee hopped until she was 16/17 months. She is now 14 and an excellent sports woman and at the top of her class academically. I think what really encouraged her to get up on her feet was doing lots of outdoor play with slightly older children at nursery as she found it hard on her knees and had the example of the other dc getting around faster than her.

Original poster

Bells3032 · 24/03/2023 16:35

Thanks all for the reassurance.

I definitely dont think she has asd. She loves hugs and randomly comes up to give you one, she has a smile for everyone (people always comment on this) has a great vocab for her age and chats endlessly, no obsessing over certain toys - plays with everything, follows instructions well and likes to mimic expressions etc, no sensory issues and generally the opposite of every symptoms listed. I know they can regress but it would really suprise me if she did.

OP posts:

DaveyJonesLocker · 24/03/2023 16:53

Mine did this. I realised it was because I walk about on my knees all the time when playing with him. He hasn't done it for a long time now and he's nearly 2

BanditsGravyStain · 24/03/2023 16:59

A friends little girl did this for months. Started walking about 19/20 months, but really didn’t take her long to grasp so once she was on her feet she was off.

GoodVibesHere · 24/03/2023 17:04

I think w position is potentially quite bad for kids long term? I'm not a Dr, that's what I have heard.

bunnypenny · 24/03/2023 17:08

DC1 crawled at 9months and then walked on his knees for a few months before walking properly at 16months.

DC2 was lazy like her mother and preferred sitting before walking at 18 months.

DC3 started crawling at 10months, and then the knee walking began last month. She's just started walking this week at 15months.

Polarbearyfairy · 24/03/2023 17:17

My friend's kid did the knee walking thing. I think once they've found a way to get around they sometimes don't bother getting to another stage as why bother, they can get around! She was well over 15 months before she walked. One day she just got up off her knees and ran off!

coloursquare · 24/03/2023 17:29

Knee walking is strengthening the core in order to walk on feet. It's halfway between crawling and walking (obviously). Once the core is strong enough to support the body she'll walk on her feet all the time. Let her get there in her own time.

Helenloveslee4eva · 24/03/2023 17:33

Yep. Youngest did this.
physio put her in boots when she got to 22 months and she walked about a week ir two later.
the theory was that Achilles can get tight as the foot is always pointed when knee walking - I think boots got in the way 😂

Phos · 24/03/2023 17:33

My daughter did this. We were advised to try putting her in shoes to give her a bit of stability. She took her first steps, holding someone's hands, the next day. For anyone desperate to pole in on how this is the wrong thing to do, her first completely unaided steps, a couple of weeks later, were barefoot.

Buddythecat1 · 24/03/2023 17:36

My daughter is 16 months, she did this last month and started walking this month

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 24/03/2023 17:39

Bells3032 · 24/03/2023 16:35

Thanks all for the reassurance.

My dd was exactly like this. No obvious symptoms. It was only later that it was apparent that this was one of the symptoms.

She was smiley, articulate, sociable and friet. The only thing was she refused to wear buttons. That was the only indication.

GrumpyPanda · 24/03/2023 21:39

Early martial arts training. We do all kinds of techniques from a kneeling/knee walking position in budo, it's called suwari waza.

PopethYnIawn · 24/03/2023 21:45

Mine did this! She had tough knees, like a miner. We had tiled floors, and she was so quick. She was running on her knees!

She walked at 17 months, and walked across a big room for her first steps. She just walked from that point.

Like pp she was diagnosed ASD late teens. Very bright, advanced maths brain.

OliviaFlaversham · 24/03/2023 21:47

Is she hypermobile?

PumpkinQueen1 · 24/03/2023 22:09

My daughter walked on her knees until she was about 2.5 years old.

I think she was too busy talking and learning other things. Walking on her knees got her where she wanted to go, so I don't think she was bothered to try anything else.

Please try not to worry, she's probably just busy doing more interesting things, and will walk in her own time.

FindingMeno · 24/03/2023 22:14

Dd knee walked till 17 months.
She never crawled, and once she started to walk she was very confident.

bakewellbride · 24/03/2023 22:49

Ds did this then naturally progressed to proper walking at 18 months.

He's 4 and a half now and doing great. If I told you he was walking on his feet from 1 or whatever you'd have no reason not to believe me.

Relax and let it go.

Nailsandthesea · 24/03/2023 22:51

Mine did this was diagnosed as hyper mobile at 4. Get it checked

Fansandblankets · 24/03/2023 22:56

My daughter did it too. She was late reaching all her milestones, rolled over at a year, crawled at 15 months, then the knee walking and finally stood at 18 months and walking about a month later . She’s 17 now! Try not to worry x

LittleMrsPerfect · 25/03/2023 12:18

My baby is 19 months cant walk unaided yet but very good a knee walking.

I think I will give the HV a call as I have ASD and she is very social and has no other signs of ASD.

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