21 months and not walking

[Jackie2kids]

DD is 21 mnths, she will pull up to stand on furniture (since 3wks ago) and walks if I hold both hands. She had a clubfoot when born, we went back to clubfoot clinic yesterday, clubfoot now fine but they were worried about her walking. We had her hips x-rayed, which was a bit tricky as DS(3yrs) was with me, I had to stay with her and hold her in the right position and he had to go out of the room with a nurse (poor lad). Her hips are fine though, so we have been referred to the community peadiatrician. I'm trying not to worry. J

ive got no advice about clubfoot but it will probably delay her walking - had her foot been "fixed" now or still got a long way to go?

no experience with club foot either but a friend of mine has a DD who is 21 months (with no club foot) and is not walking either - only just started pulling herself up on furniture.

They all develope at their own pace if she is only just pulling herself up on the furniture it will be a little while before she gains the confidence to walk around a bit. If her foor and hips are fine just go with the flow. They like to worry you.

One of the children at a parent and toddler group I go to didn't walk till she was 2 and now races round with the others just fine.

Jackie, my ds2 (a bottom-shuffler) was a late walker - only started walking a few days before he turned 22mths. Wasn't weight-bearing at all until 18mths, didn't start cruising around the furniture until around 20mths. Finally took a step or two one day in the park a few weeks ago, and now he's toddling around as if he's been walking for ages. We had been referred to the community paediatrician too but the waiting list was so long, the appt came through after he had taken his first steps and so was cancelled.

Also, my dd had positional talipes as a baby and also had to have her hips scanned (which were also fine). Her talipes took a few months to correct with regular exercises prescribed by physio. She walked at around 18mths and has had no long-term problems at all.

Hope this helps, all the best x

bump

My dd didn't start walking until about 21 months. She was referred to a paediatician. They found that she had weak ligaments in her ankles and knees which meant that she felt very unsteady on her feet so was choosing not to walk.

It was recommended that we took her swimming weekly and my dh took her for a walk daily to the end of our road. He held both of her hands and didn't pressure her to let go of either hand. She is a twin so finding time to concentrate on these tasks was difficult.

She is now 4 years old and can run and walk ok but I can see she struggles with hopping and skipping.

I hope everything turns out ok

Thanks everyone. Her clubfoot is now fine, but she still wears boots and a bar at night until she is walking. I had assumed the clubfoot and the treatment for it had delayed her walking, but the hospital said that this isn't usual but that muscle and ligament weakness can be associated with clubfoot, which is why I started to worry. However hearing from people whos kids didn't walk til later and have had no long term problems reassures me. I'll keep encouraging her and not panic (unless she gets to 2 and still isn't walking). J