Positive late development stories

[Purplegloves]

Hi all, I'm desperately searching for some reassurance to stop myself from shattering into a million pieces with anxiety. My DS is 19 months and still isn't walking. He's been pulling himself up and cruising for ages, hitting all the other physical milestones 'on time'. He will walk very happily holding one of our hands but the moment you let go help falls to the ground. It's really upsetting me seeing babies so much younger than him racing ahead.

He's really good with other stuff like pointing, clapping, responding to questions, has good eye contact and seems determined to do anything but walk! His vocabulary is also a little on the limited side, but he is progressing slowly.

We are going to make an appointment with the GP but I wondered whether anyone has got any experiences of late bloomers / developers that will give me a shred of reassurance? Please be gentle. Thanks so much.

Almost all late walkers turn out absolutely fine, just a bit laid back/lazy normally.

If he's doing all the 'nearly walking' activities like cruising and walking with hands etc. it won't be long.

Do you think his issue is confidence (he sits down when let go of his hand) or balance (he falls over when he isn't leaning on something)?

@Purplegloves I'm in the exact same situation!

I've gone down the Dr Google road ...and it's awful!! Don't do it! If you have - stop!

My DD is 20 months and doing everything- pulling to stand..standing...cruising..take steps between furniture...pushing a walker but not actually walking independently.

We have seen a private physio who said she has a slight Hypermobility in her feet. Basically she's flexible! It's know also as being 'double jointed'.

She wears little ankle boots that I got from NEXT. This is just to give her a bit more support. This was on the physiotherapist advice. It seems to give her more confidence to stepping between furniture.

I've another appointment in a month. She might be walking alone by then!

Try not to worry! I know it's hard not to. Trust me - I've been down that road!

If you want to chat message me.

Let me know how you go. If you are able to - make an appointment with GP. Mine made the referral to physiotherapist and it's helped a lot.

X

Summerinthecoty22, my friend's baby had this condition and she didn't start walking until later to three. She's five now, walks and runs absolutely fine and you'd never guess she was carried everywhere for the first years of life.

@coffeeandjuice yes Hypermobility can effect toddlers in different ways.

Your friends Bub must have been quite severe Hypermobility to not actually walk until closer to 3.

My DD has gained confidence quite quickly. She actually walked lightly holding my hubbys hand today. She stands independently and seems to be progressing. It does take time though and it is frustrating as a parent when everyone else's toddler seems to have started walking at 15 months

My daughter didn't walk till 18 months. She didn't move till 11 months and then only shuffling - she didn't crawl or cruise. We self-referred to a physio (health visitor advised to as my daughter didn't even pull herself up at 15 months) who found nothing physically wrong but couldn't get her to progress in three months' of regular appointments; she was pretty sure she'd have to refer my daughter to a paediatrician at 2 years as she was sure that with the lack of progress she wouldn't be walking then. My daughter just one day stood up and walked - the physio was stunned! My daughter is 5 now and a little behind her peers in gross motor skills (she can't hop well or jump on and off things as high as other kids easily can) but she can ride a bike (no stabilisers - she started on a balance bike then onto a normal one) and ice-skate - things like that don't come easily to her though. Other than gross motor her other development is more than ok: she's middle of her class by age but top of the class for reading and writing (the best her teacher has ever seen) and near top for maths. She's also reasonably well behaved and gets on well with other kids. Before Coronavirus we had my daughter going to a gymnastics class where she was almost the worst there but it was great for bringing her on and she enjoyed it.