Not walking at 18 months- should I be starting to worry

[Digggers]

My ds is 18 months today and is still not walking. I've been totally relaxed about this until
the last month or so, but now I'm starting to wonder whether there is something wrong that I should be finding out about.

He's pulling up, cruising and crawling. Has been since May, and there's not been much of a change since then. He's very motivated, wants to be on his feet constantly, but his legs seem very weak
and give way very quickly and his balance is all over the place, even when holding a hand or an item if furniture he'll fall.

I'm finding it hard because he's constantly upset and frustrated, and constantly bumping his head, splitting his lip, banging his nose as he inevitably crashes down every couple of minutes. I just feel
for him, he's so frustrated.

Is there anything I can do to help him? What kind of reasons are there for late walking?

Normal walking age is between 9 and 18 months.
Sometimes a reason in delayed walking is hypermobile joints. Do his ankles/ knees/ hips seem quite bendy and mobile? It could be a reason for him not walking independently yet.

I would advise getting your Health Visitor or GP to refer to a physiotherapist for an assessment.

Marking my place. My ds is 17 months and the same. I do know a few kids who started walking just after 18 months with no 'medical' reason but I was also wondering when to take action.

DD is 18 months and not walking, but she was 3 months premature, so I'm not worrying too much now (She didn't start crawling till July).

One day it'll happen, I'm sure!

Yes, I agree, get him assessed by a physio, sounds like he possibly COULD have hypermobile ankles and might need some temporary support until he gets on his feet, like supportive boots, this is very common and doesn't mean he would need them always.

my neigbour is a consultant paed. We had the following conversation:

her: "my dd is finally walking at 22 months"
me: oh is that late?
her: yes, if I hadn't already known what to look for, I'd have had her checked out at 18 months"

hope that helps.
her dd is fine btw

You've all concurred with what I was thinking. Had eighteen months in the back of my mind for a time to start thinking about it. I shall take him to GP tomorrow. Just want to make sure we're doing all we can for him.

He's just got a pair of clarke's cruising shoes just now to wear outside the house, inside he's in socks or barefoot. Or he was barefoot outside all summer, because I thought this was best to help him walk. Should he have shoes with ankle support then?

I'm not sure about how flexible his joints are, don't really know what to look for. He'll hold my hand and "walk" though, but he's not solid on his feet like other babies I've seen doing this. His knees give way after a dozen or so steps , he'll spin round whilst holding my hand, or he'll take a nose dive onto the floor.

Don't think I'd be worried if he didn't seem to be, but he's just so fed up all the time, poor thing. Every few minutes he's falling over and screaming his head off and it's been like this for months

Shoes can help with support - Startrite are good for ankle support.

DD has issues with her balance - didn't walk until late because of low muscle tone and hypermobile joints. Just takes a bit longer for joints to strengthen usually but very frustrating for our lo's and us Mummies!

Hi,

My son didnt walk til 21 months, we even went to the HV about it at 19 months, she didnt seem concerned, but contacted the physio anyway cos I insisted she did, and they said that he still had time to do it and was too young to be referred.

They dont seem to be worried unless they turn 2 and are still not walking.

Try not to worry, he is doing everything else and will happen soon. x

I would put shoes on him for more of the day, and see what happens. I also didn't have my DS in shoes much before he started walking (15 mos) because it seemed like it would be better not to constrict his feet before I absolutely had to, but on advice I did get him shoes and it was after he started wearing them regularly that he started properly walking. I have known several kids who haven't walked till after 18 mos though, so it's not that unusual. But speak to the GP/Hv to put your mind at rest.

DD walked at 21mths as she is hypermobile like others have mentioned.

Even now at 2.9 she still falls over a lot

DD had 5mths of physio and I have been shown exercises to strengthen her muscles, lots of squatting etc.

I would talk to HV/GP even if its just to put your mind at rest

My DS2 didn't walk until 19 months. I was just starting to really fret when he did it! He never crawled though, he was a bum shuffler and I believe that delays walking.

Hi there!

The advice here is 19 months. My DD just made it- she did her first steps at 18 months 10 days, but didn't walk properly- you know independentely toddling around until 20 months. I had phoned the HV for an appointment but I cancelled!!!

Best to get checked out. She was a bum shuffler too.

Ds didn't walk until he was 22 months. I was concerned but as ds was under the care of a cons paed for other issues I wasn't concerned. He said he would take an interest if ds wasn't walking by the time he was 2. He was 7 weeks prem and hypermobile (diagnosed at 6 months when HV noticed a problem with his hips).

He had physio at 2 and for a long time was less mobile than his peers - fell over a lot.

When he was 5 things just seemed to click and now he is 6 he is one of the fastest runners in his rugby team. Something I could never have envisaged when he was 3 or 4.

I would get it checked out if only to put your mind at rest. One thing that I got thoroughly sick of was having friends say that once he started walking I'd wish he hadn't. Carrying around a 22 month old is nothing like carrying a 13 or 14 month old and I was very grateful once he started.

my ds2 did not walk till he was 2.6m

Thanks everyone!

I took him to the GP today, who examined his legs, hips and back and said nothing stood out as being obviously wrong for him, but he admitted it wasn't his area of expertise so he's going to talk to his colleagues and get back to me in the next couple of days as to whether any investigations are necessary.

I got the wee boy some more supportive shoes and he loves them and does seem steadier on his feet in them.

I know what you mean by saying that people saying that I should enjoy him not walking, I look after my friend's wee boy too, who's the same age but has Bern walking since he was a year. He's far fat easier than my frustrated whiny fallingovery boy that can't stand up but won't sit down. He just riddles about happily. My boy needs me as his human zimmer frame!

Hi - I see you've already bought shoes but I just wanted to recommend start rite ankle boots my ds is 22 months has gdd and weak muscles. Our physio recommended them and the difference has been amazing.
Good luck

Thank you! I think I'll order some of those.

Just to update, incase it helps anyone who is worrying. The doctor phoned back and after talking to his colleagues, they've decided not to act until he's 20 months as he's weight bearing and showing willing. The wee boy's still pretty much the same, a bloody nose and a split lip yesterday! But he has taken a couple of steps, or should I say flung his himself between the sofa and the coffee table!

Thanks for all support! Will let you know if anything else happens!