Worried baby isn’t walking

[babywprries]

Ds is 14 months (just) and seems nowhere near walking. He can stand but usually holding something, though he can stand alone and has done a few times. He will scale round the playpen and climb at soft play etc but has zero interest in walking at all. Should I be concerned? It says online the average is 12 months, does this mean he’s not going to be very bright? Or any other things? First time mum with not much partner support, worrying a lot.

Average isn't 12 months it's 12-18 months. I know maybe one kid that walked before one and that's it. Mine didn't til she was 20 months old. She's about to turn 2 and youd never know. She can run around with the best of them.. at 14 months I really wouldn't panic

Our son was the same age as yours. He went from one day taking just one tiny step between 2 chairs one evening, the next day he walked across the sitting room, day after he walked all around town and a couple of weeks later he was doing country walks. He has just started secondary school and has done everything like that watched built up his confidence and once he did it once he was off, so even though he started later than a lot of his peers he was soon a head of them. He started later but they were still doing the stiff leg drunk old man walk and he went straight to running everywhere.

DD crawled just before her 1st birthday and walked at 16 months. She's just started a degree in dance! In the long run, it makes no difference.

He’s still well within the normal range, and I don’t think there’s any correlation between the age they walk and how bright they are!

I also think walking is one of those things where they look nowhere close for ages then suddenly do it, so he might be closer than you think.

Physical strength - which is what largely determines walking, the strength in the feet, ankles, legs, hips, core muscles, neck, head (everything), the ability to use those muscles to constant make tiny changes to maintain balance without tiring - and intelligence - are completely separate things.

If the average is 14 months, that means that half do it before and half do it after that point.

It may be that being in a playpen gives him fewer opportunities to strengthen his muscles because he doesn't have a need to go far - his ball hasn't rolled just out of reach, there isn't a cat sitting temptingly five foot away or the fascinating oily screwdriver, toolbox and bolts left on the floor by an idiot when they're supposed to paying attention to their child instead of buggering off for a twenty minute shit (spot my life in these comments). Walking is tricky and hard work when crawling or bottom shuffling can get them where they want to be quicker if they do that, too.

And sometimes they find it's just more productive to put their physical energies into learning to talk early to argue back with their older sibling, who will bring them whatever they want when not being bellowed at that they 'tink.

It has absolutely no relation to his intelligence or his ability to learn.

My children walked at 13,16,18 and 11 months. They are all well above average in terms of academic ability, seems like a boast but isn’t. Just meant to reassure you that it’s not a sign of anything like that.
If you are concerned though, please speak to your local health visitor team. I have always found my local team very helpful
and reassuring.

Nursery nurse of 15 years here working with babies.

This is totally, totally normal op, please don't worry.

Your child is scaling round the room which means he is making progress and developmentally right on track

I have seen children not taking their first steps until almost 2.

12 months is just an average ( and a very generous one, on my experience)

Would not worry one bit about this 🙂

There's no correlation btw age of walking and intelligence, so don't worry! Someone told me kids are walking a bit later now, perhaps bc they have more done for them, compared to the past when families tended to be larger.

Both of mine just suddenly let go and walked across the room age 14 months.

Mine walked at 16 and 18 months, zero physical issues. My very non scientific observation is that the capable crawlers I’ve known have walked later, for obvious reasons!

My son was being seen by a physio from a very young age, with walking they said they wouldn't be concerned until he was 22months. He walked just before then.

DS walked at 18 months -- he's 15 now and doing well in school

14 months is actually still really young. My boy twin walked around 14 months but his twin didn't walk until more like 20 months

My now 13 year old was 16 months and is top of the class so no.

Why would not walking at 14 months suggest he won’t be bright? What a weird thing to think

Just to reassure you my DD didn’t walk until the end of 15 months. She’s 11 now, passed the 11 plus last year and is in the top set for maths and English. She had a very weird ‘combat style’ of crawling too!!

My friends DD wasn’t walking until 17m… she is a very advanced talker and at 20/21m can sing full songs
make full sentences

super articulate, to the point many people comment on it..

kids progress at different paces.

If you have a few mins spare, I really recommend the (award winning) Bluey episode “Baby Race” (the full episode is on YouTube). It’s like a 7-minute cup of tea and hug for mums in your position, and you’ll recognise yourself there and realise how normal your anxiety is xx

Please don’t worry about it. My DD didn’t walk till she was 16 months. She’s now an athlete who has competed internationally

DD was 17 months and it took us going on holiday and making her move her butt to do it 🤣 she’s still sloth like today at nearly 9

hasn’t stopped yapping though since about 11 months so not sure what I’ve have preferred: a wrecked house or wrecked ears!

My daughter started walking at 17 months. She was just too comfortable getting everywhere on her knees. It's pretty common so I wouldn't worry.

She's now 2 and a right climber and insists on going on all the larger climbing frames at the park. She comes on morning walk with the dog, which is over 3 miles so she's a really great walker.

My ds is one of 6 cousins and none of them walked before 15-16 months. They are all fine.

Incidentally, DS refused to go in a buggy after 18 months and despite being tiny, walked everywhere. He is ridiculously active now and very sporty. Please don't worry, your son is totally normal.

DD was around 15/16 months before she started walking. At 18 she went to uni and graduated with a 1st Class Honours degree, so I wouldn't worry too much.

Have you looked at the importance of crawling? It’s amazing for brain development and in fact there’s some evidence that suggests that early walkers should still be encouraged to engage in crawling play. I would not be doing anything differently if I was you.

Early walking is not linked to intelligence, babies have an innate knowledge of when their body is ready for walking, do not try and encourage them because their musculoskeletal will be put under stress. Just let your baby take their time and enjoy it this stage of development as it is.

My DD was 22 months walking. Took her to health visitor at 20 months to check but all was fine. She's almost 5 now