19 month old still not walking or cruising but Dr can find nothing wrong with her! Any advice?

[inadreamworld]

Hi - not sure if I am going to get any replies to this as I don't know anyone in my situation.

My 19 month old DD has been crawling since she was 12 months old. She was late rolling, sitting up and crawling but in all other ways is perfectly fine in her development. She is now just turned 19 months old and has never pulled herself to stand, never cruised round the furniture and certainly never tried to walk.

She crawls everywhere very fast. I have obviously been to the paediatrician at my local hospital. She has had blood tests for all possible muscle diseases/genetic diseases - all clear. Nothing wrong with her hips/knees/legs - they checked them out. She can actually stand up if you pull her up by her arms but she doesn't want to do it. The longest she has stood up for is when I made her hold on to a chair whilst standing to look at my Mums cat which was sitting on the table (she loves the cat).

All the paediatrician said is 'she might be a bit hypermobile'. She has been referred for physiotherapy at my local clinic (have appointment in a few weeks) but I just can't see how they will get her to walk when she doesn't even want to try!! Has anyone been in this situation - I know of children her age who are pulling up/trying to walk at her age but DD is not interested at all in trying and even has tantrums when I try to make her. Apart from this problem she is a chatty (over 20 words) bright and lively little girl. Advice really needed!!!!

I have 2 dcs who are late walkers.

Ds has sn, and low muscle tone and started cruising around his 2nd birthday.

Dd2 had hypermobile ankles, and walked at 21 months. She never crawled, bum shuffled everywhere, couldn't weight bear and showed no interest in standing or walking. She saw a physio at 18 months, who said that the best thing was to get her doing regular excercise like swimming, and make sure she had sturdy shoes that supported her feet and ankles in the right places. I think if there are no underlying problems, then it is just a waiting game, with gentle encouragement.

I am amazed that your dd had blood tests before seeing a physio, especially if there are no other concerns about her development!

It sounds like you are doing all the right things, have you got any push along toys that could help her balance and might encourage her to walk.

Think swimming sounds like a good idea. My guess is she will be fine but can understand why you are concerned.

Hi. My dd1 was very late meeting her physical milestones. Sat at 8 months, bit of bottom shuffling around 13/14/15 months, rolled at 18 months, crawled at 19 months! Diagnosed with hypermobility in all joints at 23 months. Saw physio from 2.3 years. Hypermobility worst in ankles. Special boots (piedro) allowed dd to stand at 2.3 years, but she didn't start taking any steps till 2.6 years when fitted with leg splints. Walked at 2.10years. Now just in piedro boots at 3.10 years and running! Still got to learn to jump and do stairs. Possible processing issues as well as dd also has autism.

Physio say that as dd's muscles strengthen she'll have more control over her joints. Apparently swimming is best exercise.

HTH

Wow - I got some replies :).....it's just that I know NO ONE with a 19 month old who isn't walking (let alone not even standing..). So I thought DD highly unusual.

hazeyjane - they said they did the blood tests to rule out genetic diseases/muscle diseases. Didn't really understand it myself. Anyway they said they showed nothing wrong. And her muscle tone fine. It is good to hear that the physio helped your DD2.

girliefriend - I borrowed a walker from a friend. DD pushes it along whilst 'walking' on her knees. When I try to get her to stand up she just sits down again straight away and goes back to the knee pushing!!

seaweed - thanks for this - very interesting as your DD1 later even than mine with physical milestones but looks as if she is doing really well now and will have no problems catching up. Wish there was a child like yours at one of the Mum and baby groups I go to - honestly I have never met a single 19 month old who isn't walking. Glad the physio helped you - that gives me hope!!

Btw am expecting another baby in January so I will have two babies to carry around (and one of them weighs 22 pounds.....:)

Funny you should mention your dd knee walking! Had forgotten my dd was a prolific knee walker, and in fact this is how she got around at playgroup till she learnt to walk! Obviously some trousers never recovered as she knee walked outside too!

Oh and I know what you mean carrying 2 babies around at the same time! Dd walked a week after birth of dd2 . We also have a lot of stairs in our house. Amazing how your body adapts to carrying 2 at once. Sling and a single buggy or a double buggy are essential. As dd1 is now 3.10 years, we have an out & about double, because dd1 can get overtired very quickly compared to her peers as a result of the hypermobility.

Dd2 on the other hand walked at 9 months . That runs in Dp's family!

Please stop worrying (I know that's ridiculous to say to a mum)... my DS1 didn't crawl till 12 months then didn't walk till 23 months. He's now 6, v healthy, active, sporty and super bright .. he is just the type to think things through before doing anything and I guess that's what he did with walking - he still watches and thinks before doing anything new now which can be v frustrating
please don't think there's anything wrong - it really is normal!

Our DCs weren't particularly early walkers - in fact DS was probably about 20 months and we were a bit worried but he was a bit slow with sitting up (not not with language or fine motor skills!) - he got there in the end and now you'd have no idea....DD was about 13 months!

Hopefully she will just get up and walk one day - sure that's what DS did (it's a long time ago now that he was at that stage).

My DD did not move at all until 14 months. Never rolled, never pulled herself up and always cried when lying on her front.

She was diagnosed with low muscle tone and because we were in New York she qualified for their 'early intervention' program and had physiotherapy twice a week. Despite not ever pulling herself up the lovely physio eventually got her walking by 'plonking' her on her feet and she just go on with it. I guess he judged the timing. He also did lots of strengthening exercises - sit-up type things and crawling over obstacle courses made with sofa cushions etc.

seaweed - will definitely be needing double buggy, or a sling at least! Luckily I am fine with the carrying, no back probs or anything. Am sure it is the reason I am still very slim apart from a huge bump. When pregnant with DD I was fatter as had nothing much to do except chill out and eat chocolate!!

Ginandadash - that really really helps - thank you. DD does think things through and (thank God so far) has not had the usual bumps and bruises other babies get. I even found her carefully examining a piece of broken glass I had stupidly not hoovered up after I had smashed one earlier. I dread to think how she could have cut herself if she wasn't so careful and delicate about everything. She doesn't even put random things off the floor into her mouth - she just gives them to me.

Toomanyworrieds - your post is very reassuring. DD does not even have low muscle tone the Dr said. So in theory the physio should be able to help her. Glad your little one is on her feet now too (or she may have been on her feet for ages you don't say how old she is now!)

dd2 never crawled, she just bum shuffled everywhere. She could stand up, she just wasn't interested. She finally started walking at 21 months, at 27 months now she happily walks around the shops, and can walk to dd1's school and back - normally 10 mins each way for me ( 20 mins each way for her).

hophop - that's good that she caught up so quickly. Maybe I will keep hoping and buy that sling instead of the double buggy!

Dd didn't walk until 19 months: turned out to be hypermobility. Physio sounds a good idea. If they can strengthen her muscles she might be more willing to try.

Thanks cory - still not sure exactly what hypermobility is - very bendy joints??? A fitness instructor friend recently told me I am hypermobile as I can bend my elbow back in a weird looking way as well as my knees. But I walked at 13 months and have had no problems with joints.....

How much walking would you be doing once the baby arrives? If it's not much, I'd say go for a sling. You can put the baby in the sling if your dd still isn't walking at first, then maybe once she has got going the baby can go in the buggy but take the sling with you to put the baby in if your eldest needs a rest? I would think that once she starts walking you are going to need a buggy or buggy board for her till she gets up to speed really though.

My dd is almost 18 months old. She doesn't pull herself up from laying down, she doesn't stand alone or cruise. She's a bum shuffler, not crawler.

She's had blood tests (clear.) Seen paediatrician and on Friday we saw a physio for the first time who said she is hypermobile but doesn't need physio as it should correct itself.

I have worried myself sick over her because as you've mentioned no other baby I know has been so late. My dd didn't roll until 16 months, bum shuffled at 17 months and can now get onto all fours. But speech is progressing really well.

Good luck!

Also my dd appears to have hypermobility in her knees and wrists but it's difficult because she doesn't try to do things.

Hi there. I'm in a similar situation. My dd is nearly 17 months and crawls and walks on her knees but doesn't walk yet. I have another one on the way, due in early feb. so I can really sympathise with u carrying your baby around all the time. It's so tiring!!

Nancy and Cupcake thanks so much for this - haven't checked this thread for a few days. Don't suppose you are in London - we could set up a v v v v late walkers group!!! :)

My DD has physio assessment on 3rd December so will let you know what they say.....

Are they supposed to be able to sit up from their backs? My little girl always rolls onto her tummy and gets up, and she's 2! She was a late walker as well, 18 months. Isn't it quite hard to sit up from your back? Never really thought about it!

leobear I think to get up they are supposed to roll onto their tummies to get up, sorry that's what I meant but it wasn't very clear. Although my dd does seem to think she needs to do a stomach crunch to get up

inadreamworld I'm miles from London which is a shame but would be good to hear how your dd progresses and you too cupcake and to swap tips and ideas.

The physio we saw last week suggested a couple of tips which do seem to be working so will share with you.

1. Get down on your knees and sit on your feet, with a coffee/activity table in front of you. Then sit dd on your lap with her feet touching the ground and facing table. Put your arms under her arms and rest your hands on her knees. Then slowly come up on your knees, keeping your hands on her knees for support. Stay in this position and encourage her to play with toys on the table while standing.
   I say 'ready, steady, go' and my dd s already pulling herself up from my lap herself.

2. If you have a low child's chair or the portable high chairs are good. Sit your dd on it, again with a table in front and try to encourage them to pull up. My dd is doing this now and I've found it easier encouraging her to get up from this level then floor level.

3. As your dd is a crawler, can she crawl up the stairs? That will help with the 'pulling.'

Hope it helps!

leobear My DD never sits up from lying on her back, she rolls over first too. I thought they all did this.

Thanks Nancy for the physio exercises I will give them a try. We don't have stairs as we live in a flat - but I will try her on some stairs at one of the baby groups I go to. Have never thought of this. My DD is also doing well at talking - knows over twenty words - not sure if this is good or just average for just 19 months but she certainly has no language delays.

Just an update - in case anyone looks back on this thread in the future. DDs blood tests all clear - basically nothing physically wrong with her except that her joints (especially ankles) are very bendy/flexible and that is known as hypermobility. Had physio appointment today - was told to encourage her to stand and to pull herself up. DD was very co operative for the physio - she let her pull her up to stand and stood up holding on to a chair without complaining. When I try to make her do this she cries! Physio says not to make DD feel 'forced' to stand/walk. Reassured me that as nothing shown to be wrong with her she will most definitely walk eventually and I need to be patient.

She will do it in her own time. Good that you've had a Dr's opinion and visited the physio. I am sure she will be running you ragged with her toddling very shortly!

I think the most difficult thing is dealing with other parents looking shocked that your DC isn't walking at "such an advanced age". I remember DW being mortified when she took non-walking 19 month old DS to meet up with her ante-natal group. Of course their super advanced (I'm being slightly ironic here!) offspring were all running all over the place...

Too small a sample to statistically mean anything but the late walkers we've come across have tended to be highly intelligent!

Good luck!

Thanks gazza! I like to think she is concentrating her mind on higher intellectual things