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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Walking-My HV has worried Me-Advice Please!

49 replies

Fimbo · 24/11/2004 13:17

My ds is two weeks away from his first birthday and although cruising round furniture etc, standing up, he is not walking. He can put his feet down flat but likes to go on tip toe (like a ballet dancer). I saw my HV yesterday (nice woman but drives me round the bend as she either doesn't give you advice but tells you to go to gp or she ends up worrying you with what she does tell you) anyway she said we need to make sure he can put his feet firmly on the floor as he may have something wrong with his tendons which means he cannot walk properly. I was so shocked that I didn't ask any questions but I would have thought that children can walk at any point up to 18 months so to me he is not really ready to walk yet, but I felt she thought he should be and because he goes on tip toe we have a problem. My dd who is 6 did the same, do you think she has worried me unnecessarily?

OP posts:

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GeorginaA · 24/11/2004 13:21

Oh silly woman!!!! (The HV not you!)

Ds1 didn't walk until 15 months, showed no inclination to then within one week he took his first steps, we went away to Spain on holiday and by the end of that week he was doing this tottery little run! They soon catch up

I was 18 months apparently before I walked. It can sometimes run in families (late walking that is)

She's worrying you unnecessarily. Besides, it adds a whole new level of destruction once they can walk - enjoy your freedom while you can

mummytojames · 24/11/2004 13:23

fimbo my son was walking around on tip toe for ages before walking properly and he walked a week before his irst birthday (he got sick of waiting for us to take his hand)if the hv says get it cheacked out then get it checked out but i would worry about it to much its just one of those thing kids do oh and to stop him walking on tip toe put shoes on him for a while it works a treat

Kittypickle · 24/11/2004 13:25

I second GeorginaA's silly woman !!!! Much to early to be worrying about him not walking, he's cruising so well on the way. You've seen him with his feet flat on the floor so you know he can, just keep an eye on it, but I bet he starts walking properly in the next few months. I am on the edge of a whole new level of destruction as DS (14.5 months) has just started taking his firsts steps....!

enid · 24/11/2004 13:25

you know what we are all going to say dont you .

Anyway, my dd2 didnt walk until she was 16 months and then walked on tiptoe for two months. She now bombs around like a mad thing (although I must say she isnt very steady) and loves dancing.

He'll be fine

Original poster

Fimbo · 24/11/2004 13:31

Thanks everyone, you don't know how much better you have made me feel. I will def get it checked out if I think there is a problem but as I have seen him with his feet flat on the floor then I will leave it for now. Great tip about the shoes. Roll on the mayhem when he does start to walk.

OP posts:

GeorginaA · 24/11/2004 13:34

Fimbo - if you go the shoe route, Clarks do a cruising shoe which is much softer on the foot. We got them for ds1 when he was happily pushing his truck along "walking" but not able to take steps on his own yet, so he could push his truck around outside. "Normal" shoes aren't recommended until they've been walking 6 weeks because they can restrict the growth of their feet and damage them.

However, I would say delay the shoes if you can anyway - it's a big expense when they grow out of them every 4-6 weeks!

MilkyWay · 24/11/2004 13:35

Bit late in my response but dd didn't walk until she was 17 months and didn't even start cruising until about 13/14 months.

The HV tried to scare me at her annual check too.

Tinker · 24/11/2004 13:37

Agree HV sounds silly but I suppose nowadays, health professionals can sometimes be a little overcautious about missing something so tend to tell you about all the possibilities of every minor "problem". I had 2 weeks of unnecessary stress when I was told newborn daughter had "floppy wrists"

prettycandles · 24/11/2004 13:40

I once asked my physio what the big deal was about babies walking on tiptoe (this was before my first was crawling, let alone walking, but the HV had already mentioned it! ). She said that too much tiptoeing at a young age could shorten the tendons at the back of the leg, but that this was months of tiptoeing, not occasional tiptoeing, which is good for the arch. Occasionally, she said, a child is born with short tendons, but then you generally see it as soon as they cruise because they don't tend to put their feet flat. Tiptoeing tends to happen in young girls, when the adults praise them for tiptoeing and say things like 'Ooo, what a pretty little fairy princess' which obviously encourages htem.

Anyway, the not walking yet is really not a big deal (barely 12m, FGS - give Fimbo a break! ) and while you might want to get the tiptoeing checked out, I'm sure you could leave it for a few weeks and see how things develop.

yurtgirl · 24/11/2004 13:47

Message withdrawn

throckenholt · 24/11/2004 13:51

sounds normal to me - I thought they all start out on tiptoes until they learn to walk with flat feet. I am fairly sure none of mine were totally flat footed at 11 months, but they all walked independently at bout 14 months.

Bozza · 24/11/2004 13:59

Fimbo - really nothing to worry about like everyone says.

One question though. Does your DS use a baby walker? I ask this because my friend's DD does and she seems to always stand on her toes (she's 10 months and not cruising or anything yet) whereas my DD doesn't use one and tends to stand flatfooted (she's 6 months and obsessed with being vertical ).

Of course both our DDs have 3yo brothers who can walk and run etc and one used the baby walker and one didn't. So I am not suggesting that a baby walker is an issue in this case.

SantaFio2 · 24/11/2004 14:09

she is being daft. he is only nearly 1 ffs, souns like he is doing well

Mirage · 24/11/2004 14:26

What on earth is your HV on about?

dd IS 15 months & can't walk on her own yet.She also does the tiptoe thing & it is VERY common according to the other mums I've spoken to.She can put her feet flat on the floor,but just chooses not to.

I think HV'S love to panic you sometimes.

strawberry · 24/11/2004 14:35

Haven't read other posts but ds didn't put his feet flat and walk until 16 months when it finally dawned on him what to do! We kept him barefoot as much as possible so he could feel the ground easier. Don't worry!

northstar · 24/11/2004 14:52

Ds was 16 and a half months when he started to walk, he was far too good at his army manouevers(sp?) to bother. The good thing is that the later they learn the less accidents they seem to have because they're sturdier maybe.

Uwila · 24/11/2004 15:10

Hmmm... I know I'm going to offend someone here. But, to be honest, the more of these posts I read the less time I have for HVs. If ever I have a real question, I think I'll ring up a real doctor.

Walks on toes at 12 months? Whatever! Gonna have nice strong calf muscles (with which to kick the HV).

motherinferior · 24/11/2004 15:12

Good grief, Uwila, that's twice today we have agreed.

Uwila · 24/11/2004 15:16

Oh God, don't advertise these things MI.

berries · 24/11/2004 15:35

DD2 walked on tiptoes until she was about 4.5. We were told that if she didn't stop of her own accord then she would have to have weighted shoes to ensure she kept her feet on the ground. Spent most of her first 4 yrs calling 'heels down dd2' whenever we walked anywhere. Eventually she started using flat feet more, & now she hardly ever goes on tip toes at all (she's 7 now). Apparently, the bones in their legs grow before the tendons so when they've had a growth spurt they do have to 'stretch' the tendons a bit before they catch up - some kids don't like this so develop the habit of walking on tiptoe (don't know how true that is BTW, was told it by GP and seems plausible). Anyway, don't really think this has any relevance to your ds, just though I'd tell you what may happen if he doesn't put his heels down - nothing disastrous (just many years of shouting 'heels down')

Original poster

Fimbo · 24/11/2004 15:45

I love this place, it makes you feel so much better. Uwila you made me lol. Bozza-yes he did use a baby walker although he hates it now and refuses to go in it, so perhaps all these health professionals are right that you shouldn't use them, but in my defence I had to do something because he was so bored because he couldn't move around, he is still very very active and does not sit still for 5 minutes albeit cruising round on tip toe. All the HV's and GP's in the world cannot give the advice this site does!

OP posts:

joash · 24/11/2004 15:51

Grandson didn't walk until 15 months - showed no interest at all, then walked once and didn't repeat until four or five weeks later - doesn't stop now.

Third the HV=Silly woman!!! (although I wouldn't have put it so politely.

Twiglett · 24/11/2004 15:53

Stop seeing Health visitors

well you did ask for advice

Bozza · 24/11/2004 15:55

Well Fimbo if he's getting so much practice it probably won't be long before he's off. Often it seems to be a confidence thing. As long as he's now happy and got past that frustrated stage thats the main thing.

Grommit · 24/11/2004 15:59

My dd started walking at 12 months and walked on her tiptoes for months afterwards - seems normal to me

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