DELAYED WALKING

[emab]

MY 2 YEAR OLD SON IS STILL OT WALKING OR WEIGHT BEARING, HE HAS BEEN SEEN BY CONSULTANTS WHO HAVE FOUND NO CAUSE FOR THIS, IS ANYONE ELSE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS, CAN ANYONE GIVE ME AN ADVICE, THANKYOU

[jeenz]

hi steph
just wondering is she a bum shufler or crawler? as you dont say in your comment?
i know its difficult waiting on the results, but do try keep your chin up

[dizzysteph]

Thanks Jeenz. She is a crawler though she has recently graduated to shuffling along on her knees. The physio says its good as she is building up her core strength.

[jeenz]

my dd is a bum shuffler, we were told she would never crawl!! however she started doing this weird bunny hopping movement on her hands and knees and has crawled but only did this a couple of times she has also started putting one of her feet flat underneath her and pushing up with her hands although not to a standing position still on all fours. we have now restarted physio and she says its all good progress towards getting up.. still waiting to see consultant again at end of month though.
please let me know the results of your dd mri steph

[Zep]

I'm so glad I've found this site.

My son is 18 months and not standing alone or walking. He has isolated gross motor delay. The paediatrician found his lower limbs to be hypotonic and she couldn't get any knee or ankle reflexes. He will be having blood tests and is being referred for physiotherapy.

She scared me half to death though because she mentioned cerebral palsy or a muscle disease. I've since been looking up muscular dystrophy and keep reading about Duchennes which sounds terrible.

[dizzysteph]

Jeenz, the results are in and its what we thought it might be. Mild celebral palsy. her cousin has the same thing and they were both born prematurely. It seems to be just affecting her right side and its a waiting game to see how its going to affect her overall. Good news though, the physio thinks she is bearing more weight on her right foot and she is getting steadier all the time.

Still no walking yet though.

[MABS]

my ds has mild left hemiplegic cp, walked at 3,he was a 27 weeker. He's now 7 and came 3rd in a race at sports day last week,says it all really! Never give up hope x

[Flissrose]

Hi everyone, it's great to see I'm not the only one with a late walker. My daughter is 22 months old and still not walking. She bottom shuffles and will pull herself up on one knee. If I try to get her to stand she will for a second and then drops down onto her bottom. She has been checked at hospital and had blood tests and they have found nothing wrong thankfully. They say it is famial as I bottom shuffled, my other daughter did and my husband didn't walk till he was two, my other daughter 18 months. It doesn't stop me worrying though or my back aching from lifting her all the time.I give her cushions to jump about on and roll and take her swimming, she has shoes and I get her to bounce to music on the bed, but don't know what else to do.At the back Of my mind I'm always worried there is someting wrong. has anyone got any suggestions??

[dizzysteph]

Mabs, thank you so much for your message, its just what I needed to hear.

Looks like I'll be using that pushchair for another year

[katedan]

Hi Flissrose.

Just wanted to let you know ou are not alone. My DD is 19 months and not walking, her ID twin has walked for the last couple of months. She crawled at 10mths and pulled up and walked holding on by 11 months but has not progressed. We have an appt at the ospiartl at the end of the month but I really don't know what to think. Mt DS did not walk untill 18 mths but he was a bum shuffler and we were told this can lead to late walking. I was determined to not worry but I never thought we would get to summer and she would not walk. It is very hard and I guess we will have to see what the hospital appt brings up. It seems to be so rare for a child to not walk past 16 mths and there is not much written about it.

[asteamedpoater]

katedan, I think you will find it isn't very unusual for a child to walk later than 16 months. More rare later than 18 months, and very rare indeed later than 2 years if there is nothing wrong.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with my younger son, who walked at 17 months - he's actually rather physically able. My other son walked just before 23 months and he has low muscle tone (no diagnosed cause - there frequently isn't...), but his grandfather walked after the age of 2 and had no motor problems whatsoever in later life - he was, in fact, a very good tennis player and no-one could beat him at billiards...

Did your DD have trouble with her other gross motor skills? Apart from being a bit on the late side with the early ones, my younger son didn't, but it was just so obvious to me from a very early age that his older brother did have a problem - he was obviously bright in all other ways, but couldn't even roll over at 15 months, let alone get himself from lying to sitting, bottom shuffle, crawl, pull to standing, etc. Even with that rather troublesome start on the gross motor skills front, my DS, now 4, can skip and jump and run - the only things he still finds a bit of an effort are cycling up a slope and climbing stairs without the help of bannisters.

So, please try not to worry about the more serious possibilities (I know it's difficult - I used to cry myself to sleep, worrying about my eldest DS and why he couldn't get about, despite his obvious desire to). Usually, it turns out to be something that in the long term doesn't add up to anything that serious.

[gidigal]

wow, i can't believe there are other people going through what i am going through. my younger son is 25 months old and still requires assistance when walking. he won't even stand on his own. he'll bend at the knees when he thinks we are about to let go, and as soon as we let go, he drops. he's stood on his own a few times, although he gets quite upset or is too preoccupied to know that he is standing on is own. he is unable to stand up on his own, which concerned his pediatrician (who, btw, did not walk until he was past the age of 2). we have to see a neurologist in a month's time. i just hate having to explain to people when they see him crawling around (and boy, does he move fast!) it's always the same speech.. "yes, he's 2 years old and no, he isn't walking yet." i just want him to have a happy, healthy life, and i am such a worrier as it is...does anyone have any good exercises for me to try with him while we wait for his appointments? any ideas would be helpful. thank you to everyone who has posted on tis website...i feel less alone, and certainly know how you feel. we all just want the best for our children...

[Zep]

Hello gidigal

My son has hypotonia (low muscle tone in his legs) and isn't standing alone without holding onto something or walking.

He is having physio and I have exercises to do with him. I can post them if you like.

[DRAGON30]

Hi Gidigal. Have you tried walking with reins on, and letting him push the buggy? That way, he's supported, has something to concentrate on, and is not walking with one hand stretched above his head - NOT a good idea for balance/ posture etc. I have a daughter with Hypermobility, and I posted on the other recent 'walking' thread about exercises etc. DD1 started walking by either holding the buggy, or the curved handle on a folding umbrella -I had the other end! This kept her hands lower, and gave her confidence.

[Symesy]

Hi to all, I just wanted to add my support to all mums out there with late walkers. My son didn't start to walk alone until he was 21 months and, like others on this page, I was worried, wondered what was wrong. He'd had all the tests UK hospitals can offer, scans, x-rays, blood tests. My son was able to do the splits (I think he probably still can), and had hypotonia in his hips. Also his muscle tone was poor in his legs, ankles and hip areas. A few weeks before he started to walk, he hurt his foot - pulled muscles in one of his feet, which held us back again. Eventually he did it, but he can be stubborn, and sometimes refuse to walk, even though he can do it. Since his walking has started, he's found new independence and with that the Terrible Two's have well and truly started - tantrums!! My doctor told us that his kids didn't walk until 22 months old - wish he'd told me that at the start of our investigations, would've made me feel much better!

[Flissrose]

Hi,great not to feel so alone, would love to recieve the exercises, could you post them on this website? Many thanks fliss

[scattyspice]

Emab (and others) my dd didn't walk at all (unaided) until 2.3 and didn't walk regularly (ie still preferred to bumshuffle) until 2.6. We saw Peads who said there was no reason and it would happen by itself (which it did). Late walkers tend to be bumshfflers.

She is now 3.4 and still abit unsteady (especially steps) but has recently started running and is gradually walking further.

Try not to worry, it will happen.

[Flissrose]

Hi,just wanted to say mt daughter has started to walk she is 2yrs 2 months, a long wait but worth it, she is a bottom shuffler and still shuffles if she's tired. So just to say really try not to worry too much they do walk when they are ready.

[terib]

hi, im new i hope someone can help my two year old daughter who has downs will not weightbear she never has im becoming very worried she has lots of physio but still nothing

[wrinklytum]

Hi terib might be worth posting in Special Needs section of this site.

My dd couldn't walk or crawl at 2 but after physio and having a mobility aid (Kaye walker) she took her first independent steps at 3 sO DON'T GIVE UP HOPE,

(She doesn't have ds but other sn)

The little girl at dd SN group with Downs but is not yet weightbearing or walking,I am sure it will come it just feels like forever when you see all their peers running around and your child is stillrooted to the floor

Welcome to Mumsnet

[devientenigma]

Hi terib, my son is also downs. He has severe hypotonia and more. He didn't stand or start to walk until he was nearly 5 years old. Average for downs is around 2yrs. He is now nearly 8 and still hates walking. He only goes about 10 yds before he sits down. Don't worry it will come. I always thought it wouldn't. Mind the physios had only ever known one more who didn't walk before 4. Have you got the blue badge, parking for disabled. If not you can get this at 2 year old. I literally just carried him in and plonked him on the floor, the half an hour or so that we were there he didn't move so it was issued instantly. LOL. Hope this helps.

[msupa]

What a relief to find so many mums whose kids do not walk either. My son is 19 months old - started to bottomshuffle at 16 month, crawling (badly) even later than that. He can bear his weight and cruise ok and occasionally can even pull himself up. He also just learned to climb up the stairs. All fine otherwise.
It is so awful watching (what seems like) every child on the planet walking and running around, while my son is still shuffling on his bottom.
Is there anyone in London's SW6 who has the same problem? If so, please let me know - I am dying to talk to someone with a similar issue and not to hear: do you make sure he has lots of opportunity to walk/climb/run!

[moomoomalarky]

My dd walked at 20 months and was crawling from 15 months so another late starter. I wish I'd seen a thread like this when we were going through all the stress of 'will she ever walk or won't she'. It must be reassuring you I hope, EMAB to find so many others in the same boat.

My dd has low muscle tone in her trunk and had physio almost from birth as she was starved of oxygen. She is very, very determined though and now at 2.5 walks ok most of the time, is running (albeit strangely!) and is just about able to jump! We've been told she probably won't be a ballerina when she grows up but hey ho!

[marj8]

Hi Msupa
I am in sw5, have an 18 month son who is not walking. Crawled late, is cruising but not interested in walking. Sees physios and has had lots of tests but so far we have just been told he has "muscle imbalance"
am just round the corner so do get in touch if you want to talk more. Am glad that i found this thread as completely understand how you feel - so frustrating seeing everyone else's kids running around.

[Phoenix4725]

i to have a ds who did not walk till 3 but does still struggle now , he uses a wheelcahir most of the time .But he is and was always way behind physically he has hypermoblity and low muscle tone and as yet undx disablity !!

The main key is to get as much support as you can ot/physio and mumsnet to blow steam of and get support for yourself

[yomellamoHelly]

My first ds walked 6 weeks shy of his 2nd birthday. Always v behind on the curve developmentally. Aged 6 he is fine - still behind emotionally I think.
Thought ds2 (now 3 1/4) was same. Was always SO chilled, laid back and happy. At 3 he doesn't walk either and needs a lot of support to weight-bear. We were told at 18 months he has cerebal palsy.
In your situation I think I'd be looking for a second opinion on the physio front privately. Our experience has been that the NHS service lacks decent therapists with relevant experience who will come off the fence and tell us where ds2 is struggling and what, if anything, we can do about it. Wouldn't be without the help we found - though obviously everyone is different.