Walking-My HV has worried Me-Advice Please!

[Fimbo]

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?

Thanks Twiglett-I dont normally bother seeing the HV but I like to get him weighed and normally the HV Assistant does that and then you go unless you specifically want to see the HV but HVA was off yesterday and the HV was doing the weighing and she brought it up!

Why do you need a HV to weigh your child? I just get on our scale while holding DD, then I get on without her. And, of course, subtract my weight frou our weight. And then I go put it in her little red book for later reference. And, I'm planning to get her growth chart for Christmas so that I start (resume actually) tracking her height too.

I haven't seen a HV in a verrrrry long time. No idea how much either inferiorette weighs or measures.

Now I find myself nodding in agreement with Uwila

Who are you? and what have you done with Uwila?

We have corrupted her, Twiggy . She's coming on the next anti-war march with me, breastfeeding as we stroll.

Have to say I don't recall dd ever being weighted past the first few weeks. She was a hefty wee soul though

WEIGHED! WEIGHED! Weighted indeed

Health Visitors. Bless.... they live on their own planet don't they. If I were to have listened to half of what they have said to me over the years I think I would be locked up. The doctor would certainly have certified me. Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure that there are some nice ones, but I couldn't eat a whole one.

Oh please, I'm considering applying for UK citizenship so that I can vote twice. Once for the Republicans in the States and Once for the Torries over here.

The war is right, and justice will prevail.

However, I bet you two like what I said about Max and Ruby on the Toddler Telly thread this morning (under Education).

@ uwila

and nope didn't agree on Max and Ruby .. sorry .. but would have, if I hadn't gone through all the paroxysms of feminist theory and toys then had DS hit 3.5 and realise that personally I believe its better to allow free reign in play

sorry, won't hijack any more .. promise .. HV's are pants

Fimbo to be honesat there are reasons why walking on tiptoe needs to be checked out (and I'm the mum of a SN kid so normally complain that HV ignore all concerns and don't refer people on fast enough). HOWEVER- and this is what the HV should have stressed in a baby so young it is 99% certain that it means nothing- it would probably have been more sensible for her to ask to see you again in 3 months (my HV did this with ds2 about various concerns I had- no problems now) - or to have referred you on (long waiting lists blah blah blah) but reassured you that it was being completely over-cautious.

yes, as always, must agree with Twig -- except on every other topic we have ever discussed.

HVs are a waste of my time and NHS resources (which are really my tax contributiuons)

the thing is Fimbo said that he could put his feet flat with no problems .. does that still need checking Jimjams?

What about when he starts to run? Won't that encourage him to put his heel down? Buy him a football for Christmas and teach him to kick it. He might quickly learn that he needs to put his heel down tokeep his balance.

Threw my scales out when I became pregnant as put on so much weight I didn't want to know, could do it in Boots I suppose. I live in a village, so HV clinic and gp in same street where I live...

p.s. Sorry to all HV's out there but don't they get paid big bucks to give us all this worry?

twiglett, well yes it would possibly still need checking if he was still walking with heels up at a later age, even if he can put both feet flat. reality the HV should've ask if she could come back to check in 6-12weeks to just keep an eye but stress she is being over cautious.

Hi Fimbo,

Just a quickie reply. I'm a health visitor and your son sounds perfectly normal to me. Okay - I know I haven't the benefit of seeing him in the flesh to see how he walks but I'm sure my ds was the same. Rarely there is a tendon problem but I've only seen this once in the last five years of seeing hundreds of children (and the child walks beautifully and normally just two years later. Your ds will walk when he's ready - if he's still doing this at 18 months then get it checked but I wouldn't worry before then.

Mandy

Absolutely silly. A girl in our local mums and toddlers didn't want till 22 months. Don't worry he'll be fine

My DS (nearly 20 mths) is only just starting to walk.

My HV is really supportive and thinks that as lond as kids show signs of movement - cruising around furniture - the walking will follow.

Some HV's have no idea.

Don't worry.

Amanda3266, welcome to Mumsnet, you are a very brave woman!

I hope that you're not a sensitive soul.... a lot of people here have "issues" with their HV .

I def. wouldn't worry about it, but feel a bit sorry for the hv to have been shot down in flames. to be fair, she didn't say it was a prob that he's not walking yet 7 of course it isn't. my ds has just turned 1, & while he pulls himself up to standing, he doesn't cruise yet. My other ds's didn't walk till 17 months so I'm not bothered.

She linked the problem to the tip toes not the 'late' walking & while you shouldn't get stressed about it you should keep an eye on it. surely she's just doing her job to highlight a possible concern to you? If there is a problem down the line you'd be annoyed no one ever picked up on it before. The point about bouncers & walkers is a good one - dunno if it's relevant to you or not.

I'd never come across it till recently, but my neighbours girl is nearly 4 and she always walkes on her tip toes. She can put her feet flat on the floor but always skips & flutters about on her tip toes. Her mum tries to make her walk as much as possible etc etc. I never got into the details (ie why she does it - habit/tendon problem etc or what the possible implications are.) I'll ask if you want.

Don't worry about it, especially as your dd did the same & presumably has no problems (you haven't mentioned any) but just keep an eye out

if the toe-walking "habit" persists, it can result in tendon shortening, and then the child finds it more comfortable to walk on tiptoes, so they do....a vicious circle. In very rare cases there is another reason for the toe walking, but if your son is only just starting to stand and walk (and nothing wrong with that!), I wouldn't be concerned (especially as your dd did the same and is presumably fine?).

Hi Mandy,
Very grateful for your advice. I don't tar all HV's with the same stick, when I had my dd who is now 6 my HV at the time was an absolute gem. My current HV is very nice but sometimes she does end up worrying you a little bit although I know it is her job to do this just incase a problem isn't picked up.
My dd still on occasion walks on her tip-toes but she now does ballet and tap and loves doing the girly dancing routine anyway.
Thanks everyone else for your advice I think this thread is finished now.
Fimbo x