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!!!!

[Nancyclancy]

Thanks for your replies. Moosey we've got some shoes that are similar to the ones that you linked. They are great for giving a bit of grip.
My dd has got some Xmas money, so I'm going to treat her to a little table and chairs. I think that if she is ever going to walk, she's more likely to do try getting up from a chair rather then the floor.

This evening for the first time EVER she wanted something on top of our fire guard. It's one of those large guards that is fixed to the wall. We quite often hang clothes on it to dry and she loves pulling them all off. Today there was a baby gro on top of it that she couldn't quite reach. She did really stretch up and her bottom came off the ground a little bit. When she couldn't reach it, she did hold onto the guard for support but then gave up and cried and looked at us for help. We all pretended not to notice and so she gave up completely.

Starting tomorrow, I'm going to plan a lot of full on toddler activities, that don't require walking. So drawing, cooking, puzzles etc all from her new table to try and get her off the floor as much as possible. I'm also going to only put one or two toys on the floor and the rest up higher, so she has to reach for them to get them. Will be hard because she has a very short fuse!

[inadreamworld]

snowtunesgirl :) at the Gangnam Style!! DD unfortunately said sh*t today as I said it when I hurt my finger. I must be careful in future. I don't think you should worry about not pulling up at 13 months. Maybe wait a few months and see how she develops.

poozlepants I didn't know you could get special inserts for shoues - I must look into that. In fact I probably need to get her some supportive shoes at some point as it is clear I won't get them on the NHS (!!)

Nancy that is good news that the developmental check went well. Same with my DD - all other areas of development fine, just the late walking. Although they said she was hypermobile. I have noticed that although she is able to stand for a few minutes holding on to something, her ankles seem to bend outwards a bit. Like yours, she doesn't seem bothered that she can't walk.

Lolly I have put things she likes on tables and she does stand up for a while if in the right mood - but doesn't pull herself up, I have to put her in a standing position.

madwoman thank you for that explanation and you are right - talking to other Mums with hypermobile children (for whatever reason) may help. I had never realised there were so many reasons for hypermobility - in fact I had never even heard of it until about 6 months ago when mentioned by the paediatrician.

[Albaba]

Hi there. I have similar issues to you. I have 15 month old twins born 7 weeks early. One is doing great and we have no concerns about and the other is not. She was late at sitting unsupported only doing it at 11 months corrected age. Now at 15 months actual age she is showing no interest in pulling herself up on to furniture or walking. The other twin has been cruising furniture for months and though still a little wobbly on her legs is nearly there with the walking. The other twin can crawl but is still doing commando crawling rather than getting her bum and knees up. Have attended a child development clinic who diagnosed her with low muscle tone and we have been referred to physio and for a MRI scan to rule out other issues. Have been seeing a physio privately as the NHS appointments are taking forever to come through. Physio seems to think that she is seeing slight improvements every week. Everything seems to be a struggle for her though. She can do the physio exercises for a while but seems to tire easily. Just worried about her as the other twin seems much more advanced, ironically she was the smaller one and sick one at the start. Have felt embarrased too at Mother and Toddlers when one twin is in to everything and the other one literally just sits in one position and doesn't move especially when ones at a similar age are running about and in to everything. We are doing everything we can for her. She is out nearly every day at nursery or some sort of play activity so she can meet and mix with other babies and goes to physio once a week but it definitely is a worry for me too.

[inadreamworld]

DD has made quite a bit of progress - all in the last few days.

She is now able to pull herself to stand but will only do it standing on the sofa and using the back of the sofa as a lever - will not do it on the carpet. She even climbed up on to the side of the sofa today - luckily I was there to stop her falling off! Her ankles do still bend a bit too much when she is standing but they seem to be getting a bit more stable. She also has had a huge increase in energy, knee walking and crawling all over the house very fast, no longer wants a daytime nap and learning loads of new words!! I am really hoping she will start pulling herself up on furniture soon and not just on the sofa - probably she likes the fact the surface is soft so if she falls she won't hurt herself.

Albaba interesting about your twins being so different. DD doesn't have low tone and can crawl and knee walk - it seems to be her ankles that are very bendy!

378 the physio also told me DD does not need special shoes as she is not bad enough and they think she is better off learning to strengthen her muscles without the support. They also said she definitely does not have low muscle tone (not sure how they know this!) just hypermobility.

[inadreamworld]

Just updating in case it helps anyone else with a late walker. DD is now pulling up on furniture and cruising round holding on to furniture. Other times she walks on her knees everywhere and only occasionally crawls. When she stands up her ankles still look a bit wobbly but much better than they were. She is 2 in April....am taking bets on whether she will walk on her own by then!!

[WaitingForPancakeDay]

Yay! Good for your DD. she sounds like she's doing really well. Wobbly ankles can be a nightmare. Me and my sister both had them. I can still twist my ankle stood still on a flat surface and so can my sister. We can't wear high heels well without wither ankle support or clutching hold of someone. But other than that as adults, it's not exactly impinging on our lives! I think she sounds fab.

[WaitingForPancakeDay]

Well, I don't know what word wither was meant to be....

[inadreamworld]

Thanks Pancake!!wither = either??

[WaitingForPancakeDay]

Aah, yes. that makes sense!

[Bouncey]

Watching this thread with interest. My 14 month dd won't pull herself up or even stand for more than a few seconds when supported, with something tempting to look at such as an ipad! She sat late, and crawled at 13 months. She was referred to an orthopaedic consultant after her one year review to have her hips checked out but has been given the all clear. It's so nice to hear about other parents in similar situations.

[inadreamworld]

Bouncey yes late walking is more common than I thought - but don't know any children DDs age in real life who are late walkers. She has a follow up appointment with paediatrician in a few weeks but the doctors have said nothing wrong with her except hypermobile (very bendy) ankles which they say will sort themselves out on their own. Am still waiting....!

[Vixster18]

Hi, Another parent of late walkers here!
I have 3 sons and 2 were late walkers. DS1 didn't walk till the week he turned 2! He wouldn't even put weight on his feet, let alone stand until he was 23mnths! He was referred to have his hips checked at 18mnths, but by the time the appointment came round (6mnths later) he was walking. So there was nothing wrong with him, other than him being a bit lazy. DS2 walked at 19mnths so slightly better.

I also have a friend with a daughter with 'bendy ankles'. She finally walked at 2.2yrs. Her Mum did buy her some supportive ankle boots that a friend (Doctor) had recommended.

So good to hear your daughter is making progress, I'm sure she'll be walking before you know it xx

[inadreamworld]

Thanks Vixster. Hopefully the bendiness will go away soon!

[Theas18]

The rouble with later Walkers I'd that it isn't something that is discussed, it is a"shameful secret" almost! We hear all the."my baby walked at 9 months etc"

Your dd is still within the normal range and she is a normal child from all other markers. Try to let her develop at her ownrate. She'll get there and a few months down the line you'll have other things to worry about lol.

Just for the record my from my experience-dd2 walked at 21 months after high knee walking/running for months. I did this too. She was put into piedro boots by the Physio add they worried that her feet were always trailing pointed behind her so they worried her Achilles may get tight. I think it frustrated her and she finally walked!

She is now 13 and the most coordinated it all 3.

Eldest bum shuffled, walked at 15 months.son crawled and walked at 15 months!

[Bouncey]

It is so reassuring to hear other stories. When I took dd to get her hips checked, the consultant was totally relaxed - quite common not to walk until 2 apparently. It's not the lack of walking that bothers me but the fact that she won't stand at all - if you hold her hands she either lifts up her feet or collapses and sits down. Still, I suppose she'll get there in the end, and the rest of her development is totally fine. I am London based btw - I think someone earlier in the thread was asking about London based parents.

[inadreamworld]

Bouncey my DD wouldn't stand when she was 14 months either. She does pull to stand now (22 months) but her ankles seem a bit bendy. The paediatrician didn't want to give her the piedro boots as said she isn't bad enough and will walk on her own in her own time. Have another appointment next week so will ask again.

Theas thanks for the reassurance. Knee walking is now DDs main way of getting about, only crawls occasionally and pulls to stand but needs to hold on to something.

[Hersetta]

I have an 18th moonth old DS who's not standing or cuising yet - he's a bum shuffler and is pretty nippy on his bum. He has been checked over and pronounced lazy. He seems to be more interested in standing up now - asks to be stood up so he can hold onto the kitchen cupboard handles, but won't pull up beyond a crouch by himself. If he stands up in bare feet he curls him toes right over so in effect he is not flat on his feet. has anyone else's DC done this toe curling?

[inadreamworld]

Hersetta my DD doesn't stand flat on her feet either - that is what I meant when I said her ankles are bendy. She stands on the side of her feet and is pulling up on her own now but is older than your son (22 months). The doctor said she is hypermobile - ie extra flexible and seems to think it will sort itself out but I am still a bit concerned but hope she will start standing properly soon.

[Nancyclancy]

So glad your dd is progressing, hopefully it'll just be a matter of time now. My dd is 2 weeks off 22 months. She's not pulling to stand yet but is getting on her knees constantly, she's started to crawl which is quite rare for a bum shuffler apparently.
I mentioned earlier in this thread that she never rolled, laid herself down and couldn't get from laying down to sitting which was what concerned me the most. But she's doing all of this really easily now.
I'm not convinced she'll be walking by her 2nd birthday (May.) But she's improving every day, so I'm not worried anymore.
The good thing is that everyone now asks (in a nice way) and are constantly saying she'll get there. So when she does finally do it, it'll be more special!

[inadreamworld]

Hi NancyClancy thanks for the update, your DD sounds a little similar to mine. I will be interested to know when she starts pulling herself up to stand.

I actually started to worry a bit when DD started to pull up to stand (at around 21 months) as her ankles bend over a bit to the side when she stands but I think this is just the hypermobile joints and will sort itself out as the paediatrician says.

[inadreamworld]

Went to the paediatrician today. He mumbled something about physio but still won't give DD the special boots that could support her ankles and help her walk. Have started a thread in the special needs section asking about hypermobile children and where to get the boots as perhaps i could get them myself. DD is standing and cruising but her feet bend over when she stands so she walks around on her knees most of the time. Am getting a bit impatient now!!!

[Nancyclancy]

Did he give you a reason for not giving her the boots? I'm no physio, but do you think her ankles may improve now she's standing and cruising and using those muscles more? The last paediatrician we saw suggested getting a pair of shoes for dd. She doesn't appear to be hypermobile. But Clarkes refused to sell me a pair because she's not walking.

So I had her feet measured and bought her a pair online. I bought some sensible ankle boots. She will hold both of my hands and walk for ages, she loves it and they really support her.
She's progressing well, her overall movement has improved. She's rolling around more and although she's not pulling herself to stand, she's kneeling and putting one leg out. So hopefully it won't be long.
I don't think she'll be walking by her second birthday though. ( She'll be 22 months on Monday!)

I can't help but get frustrated, she's having a few temper tantrums too and I'm sure it's the bloody non walking. Why is it so difficult for our girls?
She doesn't like any children her own age either, I think they scare her. So she's really difficult to amuse.

[inadreamworld]

Hi Nancy sounds as if your DD has made a lot of progress. Interesting she doesn't take to children her own age either. My DD likes her 6 week old little sister (and other small babies) so I think it is jealousy/frustration/fear of other children who are walking when she can't. Ditto with the temper tantrums although if there are loads of adults around giving DD attention she is in heaven and very well behaved! She is just difficult to amuse when at home with me. When you pull your DD up to stand (you said she is not doing this for herself yet) do her ankles bend over when not wearing the boots? I can understand how you feel - it is frustrating when you know they really want to walk!!! Keep me posted on her progress.

[inadreamworld]

Oh to answer your question Nancy the Dr didn't really say why he wouldn't give her the boots just kept saying there is nothing else wrong with her and kind of vaguely hinted she might get the boots a long time in the future if she didn't start walking.