My baby has stopped walking!

[JacqueslePeacock]

My DS is 14 months. He has been standing well on his own for 5 or 6 weeks. 3 weeks ago today he very proudly took his first steps across the room, grinning beatifically, to much applause from me and DH. He did it several times.

But since then, he won't walk, he won't stand unsupported, nothing! If I try to stand him up on the floor, he makes himself go all floppy and won't straighten his legs. He is still cruising the furniture happily so I don't feel he can be injured/in pain. He just won't stand or walk. If we hadn't videoed the first walk i'd think I imagined it. Does anyone have any ideas what is going on?

[Cupcakemummy85]

That's great news ur little one is walking! I'm so happy to hear that. My dd has started walking for longer periods but doesn't want to walk full time. I'm wondering how much longer it will be when she decides walking is a better method of transport :) I'm really hoping it will christmas time she will be walking full time. I'm getting bigger and she is getting heavier lol

[JacqueslePeacock]

He's walking!! Just today he has started again and is toddling about - a bit wobbly but with a manic cackle. Hurrah!

And his nursery has confessed that a few weeks ago he had a nasty tumble head first into a big bowl of "gloop" (flour and water paste with food colouring) so I suspect that may have been what put him off. They did mention it at the time but downplayed it somewhat so I didn't quite grasp how scary it must have been for him.

Cupcakemummy, any progress for your little one?

[Iggly]

I would speak to the GP actually. Cruising will give him something to hold on to.
It could be some sort of ear thing or it could be nothing? Best to rule it out.

[JacqueslePeacock]

Oh, thegreylady, that's exactly like my DS. As soon as we let go he drops down to sit or crawl. If he weren't happily cruising round the furniture I would be worried he'd injured a leg or something.

[Cupcakemummy85]

So my 16 month dd is starting to practice walking but has slowed down the practice today. Why? So frustrating!! How is ur child doing with the walking op?

[thegreylady]

I was at a chrstening las Sunday.There was a little girl of 19 months who took some steps on her own at 13months [for one day].Now she will only walk holding on to an adults finger-one finger of one hand.She will dance,run,walk but wont let go.I the adult lets go the child drops to hands and kness and crawls.

[LoveYouForeverMyBaby]

Apparently some babies learn a new skill and then sort of forget it for a while, has your lo learned another new skill in this time that he's Ben practicing perhaps?

[JacqueslePeacock]

Well still no walking here! In fact he still won't even stand without support anymore, which is very frustrating given that he had been standing confidently for ages. I do think it must have been a fall which has put him off. Glad to hear we're not the only ones though.

[LoveYouForeverMyBaby]

Dd took first steps at 9.5 months then didn't attempt it again for about 2-3 weeks. she started walking more around 10.5 monts and stopped crawling around 11.5 months. Took a while from her first steps.

[RubyrooUK]

My friend's daughter who is the very verbose, articulate child of two doctors didn't walk till 23 months. The HV was a bit worried as her second birthday approached but as a paediatrician, my friend felt she was just a very relaxed baby rather than feeling anything was wrong. She was. She is now 4 and a whirlwind of chatting and activity so it doesn't seem to have made any difference to her to have walked quite late.

[Cupcakemummy85]

My dd did a few steps yesterday but refuses to do any today. I'm we r going to a birthday party where one year olds r already walking and my dd 16 months isn't. Is it bad I'm slightly envious of the other parents. I really wish my dd walked so I could take her outside and let r run around like all the other kids. It's starting to get me down a bit.

[PrincessScrumpy]

Same here dtd2 took steps about 8 weeks ago, this weekend she did a few more but 4 at a time and today it's like it never happened. Very frustrating.

[ProcrastinatingPanda]

I'm sure she'll walk soon enough. My son was a late walker though and I found out much later it was because he has hypermobility and hypotonia which I wish I figured out a lot earlier than I did.

[capecath]

cupcakemummy I only walked at 18 months and I am very active and completely normal! Apparently I just liked sitting. They called me the fork lift because I kept my legs out when picked up!

[Cupcakemummy85]

I should really appreciate the crawling and her not running away from me I guess but when I see all the other kids playing outside I feel sorry for my dd that she isn't running around with them. But I'm sure it will happen soon. I'm sure op is like me and every week u think to yourself this might b the week they walk :)

[BikeRunSki]

My friend's son did exactly the same. Enjoy the non-craziness of a non-walking child

[MainlyMaynie]

It took my DS two months from his first steps to consistent confident walking. That included a couple of weeks where he wouldn't walk without holding hands at all - he had a couple of nasty falls and it seemed to knock his confidence.

[Cupcakemummy85]

She cruises but seems to choose to just walk on her knees instead and if she wants to go faster she crawls. I was so excited when she took her first steps. Maybe I will just mention it again to the health visitor if it gets to January and she still isn't walking as I'm due in feb and she is really heavy lol. I try to encourage her but sometimes that is met with kicking and head shaking lol

[ProcrastinatingPanda]

I think you should keep her aware of her not walking. Is she still cruising about furniture and stuff or does she have no interest in walking or standing?

[Cupcakemummy85]

Yes the health visitor said the latest she has ever know a child to start walking is 21 months. And that I shouldn't worry. I think with my dd its a confidence thing and she notices she can crawl faster than she can walk. I'd love her to walk though as I know she'd love to b able to get down from her pram. Do u think I should mention it again?

[ProcrastinatingPanda]

cupcakemummy have you mentioned it to the health visitor?

[JacqueslePeacock]

Oh phew - I am glad you are all saying it's normal! I guess my worry is just because he was standing on his own for at least 5-6 weeks and now he won't stand up at all (let alone walk). He gets upset if I try to stand him on the floor.

Adrift - that's interesting about a virus. He's had bronchiolitis. Could that have affected his balance?

[AdriftAndOutOfStardust]

That's perfectly normal OP. Lots of babies will take a few steps and then not do it again for a while - it's like those first steps was them checking that they understood the theory of how to walk, but they then don't feel the need to practice it any more for now. He'll restart within a few weeks, don't push it.

From the thread title I thought you might be talking about a more established walker - it is possible for a toddler who has been walking confidently for weeks to lose the knack temporarily if he/she gets a virus that knocks out the balance centres in the ear. But I don't think that's what has happened here.

[thegreylady]

walked

[thegreylady]

My ds waked off and on for one day when he was 10 months old the next day he refused to even pull himself up-it was about 4 weeks before he did it again but was walking confidently by 12 months.