5 year old keeps walking on tiptoes - suggestions please

[QueenFeastAtChristmas]

Not sure what to do really she keep walking on her tiptoes and most of the time she is oblivious to the fact she is doing it. She has done it for a couple of years but it used to be only occasionally now she seems to do it whenever she walks round the house.
Should I take her to the dr or will she just grow out of it? Will it cause her any long term harm?
Any help with her chat back and cheek would be gratefully received too but then that would be a whole new topic

Definitely see the GP and get referral, if necessary. It could be a condition where the tendons at the back of her legs are too short. A friend's son had this, and had to have it corrected - he's fine now.

Better to have it checked out.....

No suggestions but my 2y old ds does this too. He has done it sporadically since he strated walking at about 15m but he is doing it more and more now - also doesnt seem to know he is doing it. Think he only does it in socks/bare feet. I was also thinking of getting it checked. Could it just be habit?

My male friend has the tendon thing and needed treatment as a child.He is a fit athletic adult.
It also can be one of the myriad of possible autism indicators (my aspergers ds1 who's 7 does it), but if you have no concerns re her social development I wouldn't worry about that.

It's very common amongst children who are Dyspraxic. But if motor skills are fine, and you know that she can walk normally without discomfort then it's probably a habit she's got into, and may well drop just as quickly.

tip toe walking also a very common trait in kids with ASD.

my son,now 18 still walks on his toes. he has aspergers.

Did your baby use a baby walker, these can encourage a habit of the toddler pushing themselves around using their toes. Was your baby a bottom shuffler, crawling especially bear crawling on hands and feet is one way that babies learn to co-ordinate and develop the heel toe walking gait. There maybe neurological reasons for toe walking ,such as increased tone in the muscles of the leg. This is more than your GP can help you with and a referral to a paediatrician would be advisable as early intervention works.

She never had a baby walker as she walked at 9 months so never needed one- maybe this is a factor?
She has been assessed by an Ed Pysch due to a speach delay which has now corrected itself and nothing has ever been mentioned regarding ASD.
Thanks for your responses though as I think I may take her to be checked by dr just in case there is something physical as opposed to just a bad habit.

My DD used to do this as a toddler. She was diagnosed with flat feet in reception.
She is now 13 and has had no problems.
She did used to complain of pains in her legs as a toddler and never liked walking anywhere.

I always walked on my tip-toes and still feel more comfortable doing so today (over 40!)especially when in bare feet. I was only made aware of it in secondary school when a friend started taking the micky. It hasn't done me any harm. I have no foot or leg problems at all and it didn't cause me any problems growing up.

This sounds like the mildest form of cerebral palsy and is so mild can go unnoticed for years. Its not at all serious and not progressive so please dont panic. was DD a bit prem or problems at birth or a twin? These are the commonest reasons. Has she had a recent growth spurt? As another MN says the tendons in the ankles can get a bit tight especially when growth spurt (tendon length cannot keep up with bone length) and in effect shorten - hence having to go onto tip toes as putting foot flat to ground is uncomfortable. It is very easily remedied and will never cause her major problems if this is the cause. No matter what the cause it doesnt sound serious, but get it checked of course. Hope this is useful

I used to walk a lot on tiptoes as a child, I don't have any conditions. Some times it just feels nice.

Please don't worry about stuff like cerabral palsy or ASD. Having a child who toewalks is not the end of the world.

Provided that your five year old can actually get her heels to the ground then there is nothing you can do medically. If the tendons are too tight to get the heel to the floor then your child will need to see a child physio. My son had 18 months of child physio so that he had the choice whether to walk on tiptoes or not.

He still walks on tiptoes at eight years old, but it does not stop him enjoying life and living. He can enjoy normal playground games and has a zest for life.

There is no point in putting a child through horrible proceedures for cosmetic reasons. It is important to ask yourself whether walking on tiptoes is a problem for the child or a problem for the parent.

One of the mothers of a child in my son's swimming class paid for her daughter to have all kinds of horrible things like botox and plaster casts privately. (Treatment was refused on the NHS) The mother was worried her child would be bullied, but I couldn't help thinking the mother was bullying her child by putting her through painful proceedures.

Just make sure you remind her to walk flat on her feet. Ds' cousin walked on his tiptoes so often that in the end his achillies tendons shortened and he physically could walk properally until he had surgery. He was then able to walk much flatter but it doesnt seem to have fixed the problem and will have to go back for another round. He was 7 before there was an issue but it is important to try to remind her not to do it. It was the same treatment as above but was done on the NHS it was that bad.

If you nag her to walk on flat feet she will walk on tiptoes to annoy you. Lots of childen walk on tiptoes and its really common.

As a parent I accept that my son walking on tiptoe is part of him. I love him unconditionally. If he decides he wants treatment then I will support him otherwise its no different to having a birthmark.

Could it be a sensory thing? You say it is mostly around the house so may be to do with the feel of the floor/carpet if she is barefoot. My dd always crawled with her hands in fists - her physio thought it was a sensory issue and she didn't like the feel of the floor!

what does it matter anyway?

whatever the cause - its not likely to be life threatening so if she wants to tip toe walk then let her. cant really see the problem.

if you want to find out why then ask for a referral to OT. if you dont then forget it.