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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

20month old little boy won't walk!

30 replies

Jojojones · 09/03/2013 12:29

Hiya just wondered if there was any others parents with a 20 month old that isn't walking? As every other parent I speak to is saying that their child is walking/running and jumping by this age n it's starting to get me down n question if I'm doing things right. My little boy will walk round the furniture n walk holding on to my hand but just doesn't seem to have the balance/confidence to do it on his own. Any suggestions as to how to build up his confidence would be great as I'm running out of ideas and feel that he is missing out by not being able to walk around. Thank u

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DanGleebals · 09/03/2013 12:54

My ds didn't walk until 20/21 months. My GP referred him to a consultant who took one look at him and said he was fine, just a bit lazy! DS is now a normal, very active 6 year old who runs everywhere. DD goes to nursery with a little girl who is about 23 months and not walking yet. Her brother was the same apparently and the mum isn't worried at all.

As long as he's cruising around furniture it sounds like he's fine. Maybe one of those little wooden push along carts will help? With DS it was just a case of waiting until he felt like it. One day he just got up and followed me into the kitchen as if he had been walking for months! Take him to the GP or health visitor if you're worried but, honestly, it's fairly common and rarely anything to worry about (although i did so i know exactly how you feel )

Original poster

Jojojones · 09/03/2013 13:08

We have taken him to the gp and he said he is totally fine and will do it in his own time. Just hard not to worry when you see all the other babies his age n younger running around.
It's really nice to know I'm not the only one who is experiencing this. We have got him a few different types of push along walkers etc n he can use them really well. Guess it's just a matter of time before he is off and about.
Thank you for the reply

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Jergens · 09/03/2013 20:51

JoJo, my LO didn't walk unaided til 20 mos. She didn't walk aided til 19 mos. Never crawled but bumshuffled fr 15 mos and was a speed demon on her bottom!
She was and still is v verbal though. Had few hundred words by 18 mos and was using 6-7 word sentences y then. It was almost like she was expending all her energy on talking rather than walking!
Once she did walk though, she was v confident with it and not wobbly at all.
It's frustrating I know but try not to worry as you have had medical reassurance.

Original poster

Jojojones · 09/03/2013 22:53

Feeling better about it already just knowing that I'm not the only one who has been worried about it cause all you seem to hear is well my little one was walking by time he was one n omg is he not walking yet. Really gets me down. Thanks for the reassurance it means a lot :)

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mawbroon · 09/03/2013 23:00

DS1 didn't cruise or use a walker at all and one day at 20months old he took a couple of little steps and then the next day he was walking up and down the kitchen like he'd been doing it forever!

Interestingly he was and still is very cautious and worried about danger, so perhaps he wanted to be sure that he wasn't going to fall before he dared to do it.

ilovevenice · 10/03/2013 00:01

Our boys were all late walkers, and lingered for ages on the pushing things around stage. We bought DS1 a buggy from the Early Learning Centre (cost about £8). It was so wobbly that it wasn't actually giving him any support, so then he just set off on his own, and DS2 did exactly the same!

mumeeee · 10/03/2013 00:04

DD1 didn't walk until she was 21 momths. Like your DS OP she walked round furniture and when she held our hands. She just didn't want to walk on her own and then one day she just got up off her litle chair and walked across the rom. She was a bum shuffler and also an early talker.

babySophieRose · 10/03/2013 10:17

You could walk with him, holding his hand more to build his confidence and use a push along toys.

Bouncey · 10/03/2013 15:02

I have a 15 month who is nowhere near walking. She won't even pull up and if I support her will only stand for a few seconds. We've had her checked out and her hips X-rayed and apparently she's just lazy. The consultant told us that many babies don't walk until they are 2, and it's not particularly unusual. There's another baby at nursery who's a few months older and is same boat.

mashpot · 10/03/2013 15:08

Checking in with a 16 monther who has only recently started to pull up to standing. He doesn't like to walk holding hands and doesn't much cruise either. He's a bum shuffler too and just likes to get around on his bum. I think we will be at least a couple of months to walking yet

Bouncey · 10/03/2013 15:43

I quite like the gymbabes classes (part of the tumble tots franchise) as they are fun and have lots of baby sized climbing equipment to encourage babies to stand and walk.

Some friends in a similar situation took their little boy to a physio and had ok results, though when I asked the consultant if it was worth doing he didn't think so, on the grounds that dd would get there when she's ready. I think it's possible to get physio referrals on the nhs if you're interested and they might suggest some exercises. But to be honest, I think late walking is more common than most people think, and I'm sure our babies will get there when they are ready.

ellesabe · 10/03/2013 22:14

My dd1 didn't walk until 20mo and the day after she took her first steps she walked all the way round Sainsburys pulling things off the shelves

Original poster

Jojojones · 11/03/2013 14:29

He is constantly taking me on walks around the house. N loves taking me up stairs to bounce on the bed so I'm defo not thinking it's anything physical. Think he jus needs to get his confidence up n he will be off. Thank you all for your reply :)

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peachypips · 11/03/2013 14:33

DS2 was 22 months when he walked unaided. He is now 2.6 and is just as able as his peers, though reluctant to try new things! My eldest was also cautious and he is now 5- always the one to climb the highest in the trees or throw himself on the floor in goal.

Hersetta · 11/03/2013 16:16

I have a 19 month old who's not walking - not even standing/cruising by himself. The HV has checked him over but I think if we see no progress soon (and it seems unlikely) that I should go and see a dr. I've no idea when I should begin to worry as DD was distintly average and walked at 14 months.

Hersetta · 11/03/2013 16:18

SHould add that DS is a confirmed bum shuffler and has never crawler. I worry though as if he falls over he can't get himself back to a sitting position, just lays on the floor and whinges until one of us sits him up again.

Molehillmountain · 11/03/2013 18:28

Dd is 20 months old and until this weekend was a confirmed bum shuffler. On Friday she decided to walk with hand holding and on Saturday took to walking unaided. Before then there was pushing of pushchair by her (for about a month) and cruising a bit round furniture but woe betide anyone who tried to get her to put one foot in front of the other. I'm guessing progress will now be swift. Apparently I was the same but two months older! If doc says not to worry, I wouldn't.

Molehillmountain · 11/03/2013 18:29

Bum shuffling is less frustrating for them I think because they can see forward well and carry things. So less incentive to walk.

scarlettsmummy2 · 11/03/2013 18:44

My best friends little boy didn't walk until about this age. We were talking about it last week and she said that he only let go of the furniture when she bought him proper shoes- I know it isn't recommended but she was adamant that they really helped.

MeAndTheBoys · 11/03/2013 18:54

Another one here saying not to worry. My DS1 walked at 11 months, my DS2 is nearly 15 months and still just commando crawling everywhere. We have had him at doctors and paediatrician, checked his legs, had xray on hips. Everything is fine. He's just not in a hurry. Just shows how different they all are. If he's cruising round furniture he probably just hasn't got the courage to let go and walk as there isn't much of an incentive. He's is getting around in the way he knows but he will let go of the sofa eventually and probably sooner than you think.

Original poster

Jojojones · 13/03/2013 15:58

Well hopefully won't be long before he is off. I had a doctors appointment yesterday while I was there I mentioned it to him n he said to give another couple of months n we can send him for a check up. He didn't seem to think it would be long before he will be off so wasn't overly concerned

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redundant · 14/03/2013 20:34

my DS has only just this week started walking, and he's nearly 20 months. I was getting worried too, think is only natural. Doctor told me bum shufflers nearly always walk later. Am sure yours will get there, don't worry!

RozzieR · 17/03/2013 17:07

My DD didn't move at all till she was 16 months old, then bum-shuffled very happily for a few months, then walked for a couple of months holding onto my little finger, and finally walked unaided at 21 months. I was worried, but throughout it all, a paediatrician friend said "she'll be fine, she'll just be late riding a bike." Now she's 4.3, and already riding a bike unaided without stabilisers.
So don't worry, he'll be fine.

Margie32 · 18/03/2013 20:22

Hi Jojo, my DS1 didn't walk until 20 months and like others have said he just got up one day and did it! He then didn't do it again for a good few days which made me wonder if I'd imagined it. Our doctor said she thought it could be genetic and I didn't walk until I was 24 months and obviously totally lazy so did you or you DH walk late? Does your DS talk a lot? Mine seemed much more interesting in talking rather than walking, maybe they just have to deal with one milestone at a time at that age.

Original poster

Jojojones · 18/03/2013 22:06

He says a few words strongly but does baby talk at lot of the time but doesn't stop babbling. Also he is very good at working the iPad/iPhone and can recognise all the different names for his toys.
He has defiantly been getting braver the last few days and has been looking like he is just going to let go of the sofa and run lol
I've just come to the conclusion that he will do it when he is ready and I just need to stop worrying about it :)

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