DS walking on tip-toes

[misspollysdolly]

He's 2.7 and has walked on tiptoes for as long as I can remember - not exclusively. He CAN walk flat footed, but generally walks up on his toes. He also doesn't seem to do this when he's wearing shoes, only when bare footed.

CM keeps mentioning it, but she often fusses about things I've not been too bothered by and that always makes me feel like I'm being a bit TOO laid back!! (She also fusses that he doesn't jump for her, but he certainly can do that at home!!!)

I know tip toe walking can be a sign of some problems, but should I be worried??! His large and small motor skills are fine/good apart from the odd walking thing.

Anyone else had this...?

Why not make an appointment with your GP? It may be nothing but can, as you say, be an early sign of a problem.

My dd is 18 months and frequently walks on her tiptoes. i just thought she would grow out of it?

What underlying problems??

My friends dd did this. I think she had slight hypermobility of the joints and it was just easier for her to walk this way. She was referred to the hospital and they observed her for few years and then she was discharged with on action taken.

Some children with autism toe-walk - it can be a sensory 'thing'. My friend's dd toe-walked from about 2yrs to date and had a referral to a physio. My friend was given some exercises for her dd (such as walking backwards) but she is not autistic.

It can be a sign of aspergers but if there is no other underlying problems THEN DONT PANIC ! However it can cause shortening of the tendons , best to get it checked out if it persists .

Misspolly - what are Ds social and emotional skills like ? If he is with c hild minder I would say that he sounds as though he is happy to be separted from you ? Does he mix and play well with the other children ? Does he repsond to other peoples emotions ?

I have a friend/acquaintance whose ds is about 9 years old and he still walks on tiptoes. I'm sure he hasn't got any aspergers or other conditions but if it were my child I wouldn't be that happy about him walking like this as surely it can't be right. Are there any things though - like shortening of the tendons - that will cause problems later on?

Er - have read this with horror as I always walked on tiptoes as a child if at all possible. No underlying problems here! DD does this too if barefooted, I wasn't going to worry about it TBH.

My gut feeling - and I find I go by that more often than not - is that it is nothing to be concerned about. You know how it is though when someone else seems concerned, you start to question things yourself ...!

My neice does have a hypermobility problem though so I will store that in a bback pocket of my brain for a while - thanx Elk.

Morespamthanglam - it can also be a sign of early muscular dystrophy though this only affects boys so no worries for your DD! Guess that would be my worse case scenario though... However he has always done it, rather than it being a gradual change in behaviour/development.

CaptainU - as far as social and emotional skills, he's fine. V articulate, seems very chilled and settled and - dare I usa the 'n' word - normal. Bright, happy, nothing alarming of note, but thanx for your thoughts.

He also goes to pre-school playgroup twice a week, frequently takes his shoes and socks off there and yet they have made no comment let alone raised it as a concern. I might mention it to them myself and see what they think.

CM is lovely - has had DS1 since 6 months old and knows us well - but sometimes mentions or notices things I would've totally let pass unnoticed.

(Muscular dystrophy does affect girls too).

Nah, don't worry about it my ds used to do this at that age - is 5 now with no problems.

Sorry Scubaduba - I've only heard of tiptoe walking as an early indicator of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy - which only affects boys - my mistake - should've been more specific. Apologies.

Obv if your worried see a gp, but like Onlyaphase I tip toes walking most of my childhood. I don't have any probs as far as I know.... I just liked it!

My dd(8) walks on tiptoes and has done so since she was a toddler, my neice and nephew have also done this- just thought it was a family trait. Incidentaly her elbows bend further back than most people I know so maybe it's connected?

Those who tiptoed later - did you just grow out of it and, if so, when? If not, do you still tiptoe now

Btw, I'm told my grandmother had Duchenne's muscular dystrophy as a young woman, but then lived to her 80's.

Keep an eye on it, my dd did this and by the time she started school could not put her heels down at all. We got a hospital appointment for her and she ended up in plaster for 6 weeks to relax her tendons. It worked and she didnt do it after that, but I feel guilty that if I had gone to the doctors earlier she could have had some exercises or something to do which may have prevented it getting so bad.

My son walks on tiptoes and still does at 6 years old.

My son was the most extreme toe walker our physio ever met. In fact he did not walk until he was nearly 20 months and had 18 months of physio because he could not put his heels to the ground. He was lucky that it was caught early and he only had to wear orthoric inserts and do stretching exercises.

My son still toewalks, but can put his feet to the ground. There is not a lot you can do to stop your child toe walking. All that physio does is give the child the ablity to put their heel to ground if they want to.

If you are concerned then I suggest you buy your son some bog standard clarks or startrite boots.

Most children outgrow toewalking without treatment. The heavier a child is the harder it is for them to toewalk.

My son is not autisic and is heathy. Being a toewalker has not impacted in anyway on his life.