20 months and not walking, anyone else experienced flexible joints?

[WelshCat]

DS is 20 and a half months, he is not walking, or even standing on his own.

He was quite late at other stuff, he rolled at 6 months, sat at 10 and crawled at 17.

He went to see a physiotherapist last week and she said its because his joints are too flexible so they don't support his body enough for him to walk. Apparently if I buy him a pair of boots to support his ankles he might improve. Also he sits kind of kneeling with his feet either side of him bum, which I have been told not to let him do as it stops his hips from becoming less flexible, which may in turn prolong his not walking.

All seems odd to me! I'm fully prepared to believe her, but there's not much I can do to help him!

Anyone else been through this? I'm worried that he'll never walk! He cruises round furniture and can walk if you hold his hand, but its still horrible to think something more permanent might be wrong!

Dd2 had over flexible joint, she bumshuffled everywhere, and din't even cruise, if you stood her against something her feet rolled out to such an extent it looked as though she was standing on her ankle bones!

We were advised to do the same as you, and bought some very solid Clarks boys shoes (not the cruisers or crawlers), which came up quite a way on her ankle. She walked not long after having them, i think she really just needed the stability.

She was 21 months when she walked.

I think hypermobility is a fairly common problem causing late walkers-at any rate I know a number. The good news is that they all have walked by 2yo, although the worst continued to have bodility issues. However yours is nothing like that bad if he's walking holding on.
W-sitting is a marker for it, I think it stretches the joints so they continue to go too far.

Hi,
I've just been through exactly the same thing, DS just walked last week at 2yr2m, although I think it took him so long because he is a champion crawler and knee walker (was just so much more effort to try and walk on his overflexible joints). Anyway, yes, things that help....

Definately buy shoes with ankle support, preferably still flexible and light though to encourage natural footfall. Brands we have found good are Babybotte, Froddo, Garvalin and Ricosta - all European brands and quite pricey but if you get your DS measured you can buy them on Amazon for a fraction of the price. These are (in my opinion) much better than Clarks.

Another good thing to help your DS strengthen the muscles around his joints is swimming. Its low-resistance but will work all the joints, we noticed a massive improvement when we started taking our DS. Taking him to soft play will also help strengthen him up as it'll encourage him to crawl over things. If he'll cruise then encourage him to cruise more by placing things he likes up high (I used to put a row of blueberries or choc buttons along the windowsill so DS had to walk back and forward to get them). Also, when your DS is sitting try tickling his feet as it'll get him to move them around. Our physio also suggested getting him to kick bubbles or a balloon or something.

Lastly, if you get supportive shoes then keep them on DS most of the day as it'll encourage his ankles into the right position, if not then just bare feet (no socks or slippers) as its good for him to feel the texture of the ground underfoot.

HTH

Hypermobility runs in both sides of our family - unsurprisingly, all 4 DS have it to some degree (2 of them only have elbow, finger and thumb involvement), the other 2 DS have it in most joints including hips, knees, ankles and feet (very, wide feet with no arch and the ankle joint pushed onto the floor). However, they did not walk late (9.5 months and 12.5 months), but they had good muscle tone despite the loose, shallow joints, and I think for a lot of hypermobile kids, low muscle tone may add to the walking delay (lots of activity like swimming or cycling will help with both issues as strong muscles support joints better).

DS4 had his feet/legs looked at a couple of days ago, he's almost 18 months and the advice was bare feet in the house and outside where it's safe, but very supportive shoes/boots with special inserts (which we will get fitted soon), when he does wear shoes.

It's important that your DC takes care of his joints as he grows up, to avoid problems later! Excersise is important for keeping the muscles strong, but it has to be the right kind of exercise! High-impact stuff should be limited or avoided, but things which support or control joint movement are really helpful - swimming, cycling, rowing machine, cross trainer are all great, but running, jumping, free weights not good (much higher risk of muscle tears, dislocations, joint injury etc). That was the advice given to my DS2 (17), when he was little, as he kept dislocating hip, knee and shoulder joints in rugby and football.
With a bit of care, it is possible to limit or avoid the long term effects of hypermobility - arthritis, I have been very careful myself but at 44, I'm getting problems in shoulder, wrist thumb and finger joints - housework and veg peeling to blame, I think! My leg joins are still ok - in marked contrast to my younger brother who ran a lot and has serious problems with hips and knees.

Oh yay thanks for your replies everyone!

I so thought it was only me!

One of the problems im having is with the boots, it out of season so its hard to find any, and as a lone parent on benefits I cant afford to spend £40 on boots every six weeks when his feet grow!

Obviously I'll do everything I can to help him but that amount of money is not do-able! I have got the ones from clarks coz they were only £17 in the sale!

Swimming is what the physio said too, does it really help then? I might have to purchase a swimming costume then!

Thanks for your messages :)

DS2 has some hypermobility in knees, ankles and hips. As well as physio and swimming, we were referred to the local hospital orthotics department. They prescribed Piedro boots (very sturdy and supportive), free on the NHS.
Might be worth checking if you can be referred.

MMmmm oldmum, goldmum, just one extra letter but SO MUCH MORE glamorous . Now why didn't I think of that!

Op, as you've said you are on benefits, it may be worth asking about the swimming - it may be that you can get free/very subsidised swimming if it's recommended as treatment, as obviously you both have to go swimming and costs add up! This may depend on where you live.

OP definately check out Amazon for boots, most of the one's we've had have been under £20 (usually full price 50-60). Just takes a wee bit of a search to find boots in the right size because the discounted ones tend to have limited sizes left.

Good luck, with a wee bit of strengthening he'll prob be running around in no time

:) hopefully, he@s mad coz he can't walk!

ill defo check out amazon for boots. i know what you mean about sale sizes its infuriating!

DS has another appt in 6 weeks with the physio so if he has made no progress by then ill definately mention nhs boots/free swimming.

thanks guys!