16 month old - not walking

[sparklestar4]

Hello,

So my little girl turned 16 months today. She's been pretty spot on meeting all of her physical milestones until she hit 1.

She started pulling herself up from 14 months and cruising confidently along furniture around 15 months. She has just learnt to stand independently but only for a few seconds.

In terms of first steps, she's maybe moved 1 or 2 steps but nothing more, we try and encourage her but she's just not interested. She knows that she can get about quicker crawling or using her push along Walker.

Her social development is fab - she babbles all day long, points, plays, waves, smiles - social butterfly.

I spoke to my HV today as she wanted to see how my little girl was getting on walking independently and she said she wants to see my little girl in the person for a development review.

Should I be worried? I guess I'm looking for some reassurance xx

It sounds like she is so so close to walking I really would try not to worry. My DS is under physio and I was told they don't even worry about not walking until after 18 months so still plenty of time

@Foreverbaffled Ahh thank you for your reply, really appreciate the reassurance.

I think it's good the HV is coming to have a look, just to be sure, but I agree, if she's cruising and going about with her walker, it's almost certainly either a confidence thing or a convenience/speed thing.

@Foreverbaffled

It sounds like she is so so close to walking I really would try not to worry. My DS is under physio and I was told they don't even worry about not walking until after 18 months so still plenty of time

Hello, How old is your little one and how is physio going?. Just curious as my 16 month old will cruise on the sofas but his balance isn't good at all. I feel he has no strength, when he lets go of something he just flops on the floor. He doesn't even squat! He puts one leg down first thorn falls to the floor. It's really stressing me out. I don't even want to take him to play groups as all the babies who are younger than him and we're crawling are now walking and he's just made no improvements 😭.

Thanks x

@Lsammie Try not to worry, I know it's hard not to but honestly there is plenty of time. My DS is 14.5 months and nowhere near walking. Cruises and has just started taking steps if I hold his hands but the minute you let go he crumples to the floor. We have a wonderful physio (she's a specialist physio in neuromuscular disorders) and she has zero worries. She said it's all about mini milestones and the most important is cruising. The rest will come. My son is slightly hypermobile which she thinks is what's causing him to take his time.

Did your DS meet other gross motor milestones on time? Rolling, sitting, crawling etc? My son did which is what the physio found most reassuring. If he'd been very late with those then there would be more chance this is a muscle tone issue (which in itself can be massively helped anyway!) but seems more of a joint instability/perhaps personality too thing.

[quote Foreverbaffled]@Lsammie Try not to worry, I know it's hard not to but honestly there is plenty of time. My DS is 14.5 months and nowhere near walking. Cruises and has just started taking steps if I hold his hands but the minute you let go he crumples to the floor. We have a wonderful physio (she's a specialist physio in neuromuscular disorders) and she has zero worries. She said it's all about mini milestones and the most important is cruising. The rest will come. My son is slightly hypermobile which she thinks is what's causing him to take his time.

Did your DS meet other gross motor milestones on time? Rolling, sitting, crawling etc? My son did which is what the physio found most reassuring. If he'd been very late with those then there would be more chance this is a muscle tone issue (which in itself can be massively helped anyway!) but seems more of a joint instability/perhaps personality too thing. [/quote]
@Foreverbaffled
Everyone keeps saying to me 'he will do it in his own time'.
But it's like the more desperate I am for him to walk ... he doesn't 😭.

He sat up at 8months
And crawled at 11months

He won't squat when reaching for things. He will put one leg down first and then go his bum.
The last couple of days he has been bending down with both legs but he'll get to certain point then just fall on the floor. (I should Imagine it's like us getting into a deep squat then can't get out of it haha).

My boy started walking at 16 months. No one was worried about him except me as he was behind all the other kids his age we knew.

But it's fine 16 months isn't considered late. She sounds close!

I agree with others that your baby sounds close to walking. It's only after eighteen months that people begin to be concerned (even then the child will often start walking unaided at 19 months).

Try not to worry,, every child is different and when they are older, running around, getting in to everything, you will wonder why you were so concerned.

It's good that the HV is coming out to see her. So many people say not to worry it will happen, it will happen but it's hard not to. But I do agree with the others she sounds so close to walking - which is positive. Just keep encouraging her which I am sure you're already doing.
My LO walks on his tip toes so that's a whole different problem. But I found if I place something in both of his hands it encourages him to stand and walk (albeit on his tip toes) rather than crawl to where he wants to go x