17 Month not interest in independent walking

[TarrynJenk]

Hi there,
My little boy is now 17 months. He took his first steps at 15 months, he would stand up and take a few steps and was improving. He has now suddenly stopped, refusing to take any steps independently and will only cruise or walk with a push walker. I have taken him to a paed, OT and physio and they don't see anything wrong. Anyone else had a situation like this?

Did the medical professionals not give you any advice? You seem to have spent a lot of time consulting with various experts yet you've come away with nothing!

They really can't explain why, and it is really frustrating. He can climb up onto things, jump on a trampoline, he can do everything a toddler at his age "should" be doing but just not wanting to walk on his own.

My DS started waking independently the week before he was 18 months. He could cruise and would walk if we held his hands but refused to be independent x

Had he taken any independent steps before that? and at what age did he crawl?

Nope none! He was crawling at 11 months, he just took longer than everyone else's baby and it was soooo hard not to compare! X

I think you might be best to get this moved to a different topic?

Fwiw one of mine didn't walk til 21 months. No interest at all before that but then once they took off there was no stopping them.

DS took some steps at about 15 months then didn’t walk again until 22 months. He’s 7 now and is very adept at walking / running / etc!

My youngest was almost identifical - she took her first independent steps at 15 months, lost interest within a couple of days and then would only walk holding onto something. She's just about to turn 19 months and about 2 weeks ago started walking everywhere. Hope it will be something similar for your son, we were also starting to worry!

@mileenderr This gives me so much hope. Thank you xx

@scrufffy what do you mean I need to take it to another topic?

Glad to hear your bub set off quickly after 21 months. Gives me hope x

Childcare is usually for things like berserkers and childminders. Not health queries. There's a child health topic? Maybe there?

It isn't unusual that he isn't walking at 17 months but slightly more unusual that he can walk but doesn't feel the need to. You have ruled out medical causes and can't really teach him as such so it is down to encouragement.Does he go to nursery? One stimulus for my DC in all areas of development was watching other DC doing things so nursery or the park might help. Massive cheers when he walks might make him feel good about being upright. Putting objects and toys slightly out of reach? Would he like some new 'shoes' for being a walking boy ?, I realise these are likely still to be soft ones but some are quite shoe like .

@scrufffy there was not a suitable option for this question and didn't think it had anything to do with health, as his health is great. Never heard of the work berserkers before haha

My phone 😂😂😂😂 nurseries 😂😂😂😂

@yikesanotherbooboo he stays at home with his nanny, but we do go to a mommy and me class every week and I try and set up lots of play dates.
I don't think being at home with a nanny has stopped him from wanting to walk, as a few other friends of mine have nannies for their kids and they are walking. I let him wear shoes, just soft sole ones for now, and also barefoot which is what is recommended. Maybe I should take him with me to look for new shoes cause he loves shoes so it may be encouragement for him :)

Both mine didn't walk until 16/17 months. That in itself is fine. They were both very verbal quite early.

Some children learn a skill and almost 'tick it off' and not bother with it again for a while.

He'll do it in his own time. Neither of mine crawled until they were over 12 months and then both were over 18 months before they walked independently.

They're 13 and 9 now. Fit, healthy and active. 9 year old was top goal scorer for his football team last season

Try not to panic, nothing you've said sounds alarming

You have seen 3 professionals (4? As you would have seen the GP before any of those) and they have no advice at all?

Yes, I am quite laid back and certainly wouldn't worry about this. Two of mine were late walkers and the main thing that I found frustrating was that they were constantly filthy crawling around the garden , the park, municipal buildings etc.My youngest had a nanny, yours could spend lots of time at the park or going to church type toddler groups where the DC toddle about playing freely and walking would be modelled.

My son was 18 months before he even started to walk at all. My daughter is now 16 months old and although, like your son, she has taken some steps there's still a strong preference for crawling or cruising. It makes sense as she wants to be independent and crawling is still so much quicker for her! I suspect it's the same for your DS, I wouldn't worry at this stage and especially as professionals don't seem to he worried either. (I know this is easier said than done!) x

Hi OP, would you like us to move this thread to the children's health board where you might get more responses, help, and advice? If so just use the report function and request us to move it.
MNHQ

Is your child a very fast crawler?

DD1 walked much slower than I expected - months after first steps - but she was a demon crawler and I think found walking too slow. She didn't seem to want to take wobbly steps but would stand to see where she wanted to go and then dropped down and crawled at high speed

My DD crawled for the first time at 14 months (she literally didn't move from a sitting position before then - not even a bum shuffle). She stood up for the first time at 20 months and took her first steps at 22 months. She was a very happy, smiley and talkative baby, but just a bit lazy and couldn't see the point in standing up. Sometimes I'd put a favourite toy at the back of the sofa to try and encourage her to stand up to reach it, but she'd just point at her brother and say 'Sam get it' (and he always did get it for her ).The health visitor was quite concerned about her not bearing any weight on her legs at her 8 month check and made me promise to bring her back if she still wasn't bearing weight by 9 months. She wasn't (I think she was a year old before she did), but I didn't ever take her back to the baby clinic as I just knew she was fine and that they'd worry unnecessarily. She's now 15 and has been an elite gymnast since she was 7.

DS is 17 months older than DD and he was only just walking when she was born. He's always been very active and sporty too, and both DC think it's funny that they were lazy babies.

It's absolutely normal.
I'm a childminder, one of the kids is the same age as yours and is EXACTLY the same with his walking ability- he can bum shuffle very fast though😂
Another 17 month old boy who has just left was walking from age 1.
All kids are different, and reach different milestones at different times,
Try not to worry,,,when he's walking and running everywhere you'll look back at this time with fondness, because when they can run they are QUICK! 😂
Sending love xx