Worried about 15 mo DS - taken some (wobbly) steps but still not walking

[LittleMouseontheDairy]

Up until now DS has been meeting his developmental milestones in 'average' time (was a little late to crawl however - about 9-10 months) and is an energetic, high maintenance adorable creature.

However I am beginning to worry about him because while he happily pulls himself up to standing (including 'freestyle' - i.e. can get from sitting to standing while in the middle of the room with nothing to pull himself up with) and cruises around furniture and walks around behind his walker, he still isn't walking independently in anywhere near a 'confident' fashion. He has made some steps by himself, and just lurches 'drunkenly' for a few wobbly steps before collapsing onto his knees or bum. He can do this repeatedly - ie walks about five steps, falls, gets up and does it again etc. His longest 'run' of steps was about 25 steps, and he can do about 12 or so but usually it's about 5 before he collapses.

The thing that worries me is that he just looks SO wobbly. It's like watching Bambi. When I see other toddlers (often younger too!) at the park or something they often seem to quite solidly totter around before falling over, whereas DS has this sideways style straight-legged lurch. And when he stands up unsupported you can see him really concentrating to get his balance. Like an adult would on a balance-beam or something. It just doesn't seem quite 'right' to me.
What could be wrong? It's beginning to really quite scare me. Should I take him to the Dr?

Anyone else experienced similar with their DC?

Sounds exactly like my DD2, also 15mo this week. Compared to DD1 - who was a bum-shuffler and didn't get around to walking independently until gone 20 months - she's a prodigy, so I'm not worried.

I think it's partly that her crawling is so fast and efficient that she's not quite seen the point of walking yet. And also that she's too busy climbing up the furniture, trying to pull the gas fire off the wall, emptying the kitchen cupboards, getting hold of her sister's felt tip pens, etc, etc. She never stops moving, and I'm totally confident that once she feels a bit steadier on her feet she'll be finding many new ways to injure herself in a bipedal fashion!

Does he have shoes? Dd1 was very wobbly but really found her feet when I got her some pre walker shoes instead of the soft suede bootie things she had been wearing. I think some people say not to get shoes until they're waking but having the support of shoes definitely helped dd with walking unaided.

Don't panic! Dd didn't even crawl till 15 months and didn't walk till 22m. You can't tell now at 3.5.

My favourite piece of mn advice for threads like this is: You never look at someone walking down the street and think, gosh they are good at walking, I bet they started early

Don't worry LittleMouse, he will do it when he is ready. DD showed no sign of walking at all until she was 18 months. She could pull herself up on the furniture, but much preferred to crawl or shuffle on her bottom!

Even when she did walk, she was very wobbly for a while, it was months until she was really solid on her feet. Am sure your DS will be fine

Thank you everyone, I really appreciate the responses! Of course it doesn't help he's PFB

Helebear yes I got him some 'pre-walker' shoes the other day. He LOVES shoes. Not sure if they're helping much at the moment but I am indeed hoping that they provide a little 'stability' for him.

It's not so much the 15 months that bothers me (I like that MN advice 2tired2bewitty!) - it's more his wobbliness and stumbling. But I am heartened to hear your similar experiences.

The average age for walking is 14 months - some kids are quicker than the average and some slower (mine was bang on) its not until they are 24 months and not walking that the medical professionals consider it late.

I think if your worried about the wobbliness you should take him to see your community physiotherapist - your HV or GP can refer you,
they will be able to rule out any muscle issues and give you exercises to help/

My LO was referred due to having a wry neck (long medical term starting with) but the physio was very good at checking general development.

Oh and get rid of the walker - now. Not helpful in terms of teaching them to walk independently and frowned upon by pediatric physio's.

I think the op is talking about the push along walkers (which are fine) rather than the sit in walkers (which aren't recommended by physios)

15 months is average for starting to walk. Wobblyiness is ok, but if you can see his ankles rolling in or out then maybe ask your gp or hv.

Thanks SimLondon and hazeyjane.
Yes I was talking about a push along walker that he stands behind not the sit down type. I won't ditch that just yet then! unless 'Hello baby puppy calling' drives me mad

I have actually made an appt with the GP, it's in a couple of weeks. I haven't seen his ankles rolling in or out but will scrutinise. He had a sacral dimple at birth which was checked and deemed ok but I guess now it is niggling at me that he has some mild spina bifida. Or something else entirely. Or I'm just been anxious PFB mother.

I think if you have niggles, it is always worth getting things checked, if only for your own piece of mind.

(we are still listening to the same walker - 3 years on!)

Ha. I know what you mean!

Weirdest thing about that walker was my reserved and straight-laced father commenting that 'the way it says 'wiggle' is rather flirtatious' !

My Dd was a late walker. Wobbly steps at 16 months and not reliable on her feet till more like 19 months.
She's now the most athletic 3 yr old I know!!
Very surprised that 11 month dd2 took her first wobbly steps today - honestly kids are all different and develop at different rates. Doesn't mean anything in the grand scheme of things

Mine was 16 months when he walked, but he hadn't even attempted to walk before then (fast bum-shuffler). He was running three weeks later, and at 22 months has the stamina for long walks (plus the quick turn of speed to make a fool of me in public).

Three kids; one walked at 16 months, another at 20 months and last at 22 months. They are all fine now but get it checked out for your sake

15 m

I had a late walker . Still gt to Oxford University though! Brains do not always mean early in everything !

I wrote a long post and somehow lost it! I was going to say 15 mo is still young for walking especially for boys, I think 18 month is the cut off for medical advice so just relax and wait a few more weeks. They go from wobbly to running sooner than you think!

Thanks for the latest responses. It's good to hear about other 'wobbly' starters taking their time to walk more solidly too.
I vacillate now - sometimes when I watch him I think 'oh he does seem a bit less wobbly' and he'll do a slightly longer 'run' of steps, perhaps throwing in a tricky move like holding a ball over his head at the same time, or managing to turn/ totter in a curve to change directions. At other times I just watch him wobble and fall repeatedly after 5 steps or so and just think he shows no signs of improving.

At least the weather is nice for watching him in the garden!