Late Walking

[PastaB]

My 15 month old can't walk. She pulls herself up, scoops down to pick things up, crawls everywhere and climbs the stairs. She does a strange monkey crawl on one leg when she wants to move and carry something.

Until a few weeks ago I took the attitude she will do it when she is ready but now I've made the mistake of googling. Google informs me that 90% of children walk by 15 months and those that don't have underlying problems or simply aren't given enough encouragement at home.

I've taken this to heart somewhat. I don't know what else I can't do to encourage her. I play with her but if I suggest she pushes her trolley or stands holding my hands she cries and shouts 'up'.

I am wondering if I am holding her back as she is very slight so not too difficult to carry round and she is quite a patient child so we do a lot of baking, drawing, ipad apps, books etc.... Should I stop this in favour of more mobile activities?

Should I take her to the Dr? She goes to nursery 3 days a week and baby groups so she sees other children walking.

Apologies for the stream of consciousness.

[Fuzzymum1]

Out of my three children only one was walking at 15 months. DS1 walked at 17 months - not a single step before that age and he is perfectly normal, within a few weeks you couldn't see any difference between him and children who'd been walking months. DS2 walked at 18 months, he doesn't have a diagnosis but i suspect a degree of dyspraxia due to other motor issues and a diagnosis of ASD. DS3 walked at 14 months. I've known lots of children who weren't walking at 15 months to be honest and they're all fine.

[TokenGirl1]

Your dd sounds just like mine at that age.My dd was under 6lb at birth and was clothes two sizes smaller than her actual age.

She didn't take her first steps until she was 18 months and wasn't really properly walking until 21 months.

I wouldn't worry for a good few months yet.

[MimsyBorogroves]

DS1 walked at 16 months, rarely pulled himself up, never stood alone, didn't cruise much, started commando crawling at a year.

DS2 has been commando crawling since 8 months, proper crawling since 11ish months, cruises a lot, sometimes stands alone - but isn't walking. He's 14 months.

My advice is to enjoy it! If they're not walking, then they're not running - and it's a whole lot easier that way. Plus you get to use the pram without the whole "I want to walk, even if I don't want to walk, and you're sure as hell not putting me in the pram because I'm going to go rigid and SCREAM"

[3birthdaybunnies]

One of mine walked at 15 mo, one at 16mo and one at 17mo. Two were fairly big, one is tiny. They can all walk now, infact dd1 is a great at sports, won hurdles at sports day, dancing in school play. 90% is a silly yardstick, I mean there aren't 10% of 5 year olds who have difficulty walking, yes maybe by 2 seek some help, but it sounds as if she is on her way.

With dd1 it was purely confidence in the end - it sounds a bit cruel/funny, but we ended up putting reins on her - she would only walk holding a fiinger, we only had them on for 10 seconds or so, and showed her that she could walk without holding our hand, but the reins would support her if she fell, by the next day she was running. We knew she could do it though, she just needed to believe it.