21 month old still not walking

[yorkintherain81]

Any late walkers experience?

My DD is still not walking.

She is a bum shuffler! Has been for a long time! She can also crawl. She pulls to stand and can climb onto and over sofas!

But is not walking yet.

Has walked with a walker but all on tip toes.

Have tried getting her to stand and walk but won't.

She's a big toddler. 98% percentile for height and weight.

Charters and talks a lot - knows quite a few words.

So worried about her.

I'd do the m-chat test to see what her risk is for ASD as a few things you mention would suggest she's at risk of having it.

The test will give you a score which says if she's at risk of having it or not and may suggest that you talk to your GP

What exactly concerns you?

Yes I've take that test already - low risk.

This is about walking not about wether her social skills are lacking or language.

Thanks for your advice but I'm looking for advice from mums who had late walkers.

Sorry I didn't mean to cause offence. I've just always thought that late walking, bum shuffling and walking on top toes could all be signs. I'm not trained though so could be entirely wrong

If you haven't already I speak to a HV/GP always good to get things checked.

Do you think the problem could be with her balance?

My daughter has just learnt to walk. She’s 18 months old. She’s got a large head for her age and low muscle tone, maybe it’s the same for your little one. Mind you, she’s an expert now at working. Doesn’t take them long.

Hi thanks so much for all your replies.

I have spoken with a psychotherapist over the phone. She watched some videos of DD pulling to stand.

She's suggested putting toddler boots on and wearing them all day. She's actually wore them the last 2 days with little fuss so that's good. She has pulled to stand at the play table and one boot has been firmly down - the other I've had to just press it down a little. It's one leg still a little tippy toe.

When I massage her after her bath. Her right foot ankle at the back feels a bit tight. When she pulls up she uses her left foot flat to push herself upwards.

She's also been a bottom shuffler for a while but she can also crawl on all fours - fast!!!!

I've just got to keep the boots going and encourage flat feet. Then we can start on the walking as such.

Hips were stable at all the development checks. Her language is coming along really well. Social skills are good.

Shall see how we go.

Anyone with any experience of this - please let me know. Worried first time mum x

Hi OP. A friend of mine had a very large baby/toddler (almost certainly larger than yours) and he did take longer to walk than others. I think he started around 22 months. He was a bum shuffler too (and in fact didn't even start that until he was about 18 months). I think it can sometimes be harder for larger kids as they just need stronger leg and core muscles to make it happen. I would keep encouraging her to stand assisted and climb as much as possible as those activities will strengthen the muscles she needs. One thing that might reassure you is that my friend's child progressed very quickly once he was on his feet - he started running very shortly afterwards (I think his sheer size gave him momentum).

Sounds like you are doing all the right things. My husband apparently didn't walk until 22 months too, and he is really very good at it now.

I know it's stressful feeling that your child is behind their friends, but it does sound like you are doing all the right things and are getting useful advice from the physio, so please try not to worry - your daughter sounds delightful.

@irecitethegruffaloinmydreams thanks so much for your reply.

I've decided to book an appointment with a podiatrist to have her ankle and feet checked over. I'm continuing with the physiotherapist advice on getting her to stand in boots at play table. But I've concerns over the tightness of her ankle. Well it feels tight to me!
I don't know if the motion of bum shooting has made it tight? Not really using their feet muscles properly in that way.

First time mum so I'm not sure if this is all part of normal development and I'm over reacting but....
Is pulling to stand normal when they prefer getting up on tip toes
And taking first steps crouton tip toes? Is that normal.
She also has a preference for pulling up with the left leg bent and left leg flat and then tight goes up and straight onto tip toe!!??

My little boy was a late walker, he took his first steps at 18 months then refused to do it again till 19 months.
He is 23 months now and runs around the same as his friends who walked at 12 months,
I have read it is very common for bottom shufflers to be late walkers. My mum was a late walker and shuffled round till she was 2.
I went and saw the HV about my little boy and she said I’ll refer him to physio at the hosp.
If you are really concerned I personally would pay privately for a physio if you can, it will be much quicker.

Watching this thread as I also have a late Walker - 19 months. Bum shuffles or scoots!

Can pull to stand but left leg seems a little shaky but can stand up.

I assume that they need to build muscles up- if we were suddenly asked to stand on tip toes forever - we would need some strength!!!!!

Anyone else have any thoughts? Experience of late waking?

My DD didn't walk until around 15 months and all we got is "isn't she walking yet", "put her in shoes that will help her walk" and that was from family. I was worried as a FTM and then in her own time she walked and is fine.

She was also a bum shuffler and never really crawled.

I've have definitely learnt to only focus on my own family and not to compare as people love to make unhelpful comments!

I don't know about anything medical but there's every chance your daughter is fine

There is a huge difference between walking at 15 months and walking at 21 months, Raaa.

There comes a time when you do need to investigate because there may be an underlying medical cause which needs treatment.

My dd did not walk until 19 months, and we later found out this was because of Ehlers Danlos syndrome. If that had been diagnosed and she had been given support then, she might have escaped a lot of pain later on. Not comparing with others but just accepting her for what she was turned out not to be in her best interests.

The physio's suggestion of toddler boots suggests she may be suspecting some physical weakness, e.g. hypermobility or maybe something with that ankle. If so, getting her the right physical support and maybe eventually exercises could make a huge positive difference.

@corythatwas I think people are just trying to help with the experience they have been through. There's no right or wrong here. Late walkers/ early walkers. I don't itsthe same situation as your DD and I think you shouldn't try to scare others like that.

I am not scaring others. I am just saying the advice to do nothing if your child's development is a good way out of the expected range may not be in their best interests.

Do you think if someone posted about symptoms of illness that might mean the child needed a doctor, we should all tell them not to ring NHS 111, just in case that advice might scare them? Would it be unhelpful to suggest that they do so?

If the OP gets her lo seen to and there is nothing wrong, she will be reassured, won't she? Is that unhelpful?

If there is something that needs support, then it will be better for the child to get that support, won't it?

Late walking may be a sign of nothing worse than a slightly lazy or heavy baby or a baby that is focusing on something else.

It may also be a sign of something that can lead to chronic pain or disability if not given adequate support.

Wouldn't you want to know as a parent? Do you really think it is unhelpful to suggest that a parent should have it checked out?

@corythatwas I agree with you - the op should get it checked out.

My DD is also late to walk. Is 21 months - can crawl on all fours , walk on knees - and also bum shuffles! Which has been the preferred method....

Started pulling to stand at around 18.5 months. Can stand but it was on tip toes.

We are seeing a private physiotherapist who told me to put ankle boots on her -which has made a big difference. She stands flat in them. Yet to take more than a few steps but it's progress.

Physio has said she has Hypermobility- double jointed - in her ankle/ feet - one is slightly tighter than the other. We have exercise to do to strengthen her muscles- and she seems to be enjoying standing in the boots! Give her confidence!

@corythatwas could I ask you how your daughter is going now?

Thanks everyone. Be good to hear or know if this helps anyone else..shared expiate always helpful.

waffledog20

Sounds like you're well on top of things and are making great progress.

Unfortunately my dd (who is 23 now) wasn't diagnosed until she was at junior school and had developed chronic pain and even then it took a long time before she got the support she needed.

She still has her off days but is doing much better now and is even studying physical theatre. Keeping active and knowing about her body has helped a lot. But more support earlier would obviously have been better.

Just wanted to update in case any other mums are following and need advice.

Great news - my daughter is now walking. She's 22 months. I took her to a physiotherapist who said she had a bit of Hypermobility in her feet. She said to put ankle boots on - nothing spectacular-just some toddler boots from NEXT. She gained her balance and confidence in 2 weeks. You now wouldn't know she was a late Walker.

She also gave me exercises such as reaching down to pick up toys and playing at a low table as much as possible.

Hope that helps someone else. See a physiotherapist if you can they work wonders

My daughter didn't walk until 22 months. I didn't walk until 18 months but when that milestone passed for dd I was so worried! We had some friends come and stay for 10 days with their son who is slightly older and was running around the place. That seemed to give her the push she needed because she wanted to keep up with him.

Hi
My son is already 20 months, hi hasn’t started walking, hi doesn’t understand basic things, like who’s mama or daddy lots of things, hi doesn’t speak.. I’m really worried, things the are really slowly, wating for child development appointment.. i don’t know what to do 😢

@Freddy79 is he pulling to stand? Does he crawl?

When you say he doesn't understand who Mum and dad are - are you asking who you are or where's daddy??

My DD didn't walk till 22.5 months. She was pulling to stand a lot though. She knows words but is still basic things. She calls me daddy!

They develop at different rates but it's good you are getting things checked out.

Stay strong mumma

summerinthecity22
He doesn’t crawl, he stands up with support, what makes me more worried understand, some time his doing wird things , something in his brain not right, I don’t how I’m going to cope, I’m getting mental seriously

Ok I would see what the specialist says. But try not to worry. It's hard but you know he will get the help he needs.

We had this. My son couldn't put his foot flat. The physiotherapists gave him a special boot at 19 months by 22 months he was walking fine and running by 24 months. The boot held his foot down so he had to learn to walk in the right position. Boot got taken off at 23 months. He's bloody quick now at 27 months. It hurt him to put his foot down flat. The boot stretched and strengthened his leg muscle. So thankful to the physio department for their help and support. It's such a hard situation because you want them to up and active!

The thing is we’re to ask for help , the physiotherapists we had , she wasted our time for nothing, she didn’t do anything for 7 months just keep lying, I’m struggling to find the right people to look after my son

@Freddy79 hi sorry why would a physiotherapist lie?

I hope you get the right help but I'm not sure this forum will give you the right answers...have you spoken to your GP????