19 months… not walking?

[LilacPomPom]

Hello 👋🏻

Just a quick one… my son isn’t really walking independently and he’s 19 months old. He’ll take a few steps every now and then and he’ll walk whilst holding on to the TV unit or your hand but he much prefers crawling. He can stand independently and has good balance but just slams himself back down into a crawling position.

Both my partner and I didn’t walk until we were 18+ months (apparently) so I assumed he’d be a bit later than others however he just seems very uninterested. I am hyper mobile and over extend my knees, elbows etc.. and I can see some “extra-bendy” positions he finds himself comfortable in.

Anyone else have a late walker or similar situation? I don’t want to get a HV involved or anything as they jump into referrals and things which I think may be unnecessary at the moment.

I think the NHS guidance is that if they’re not walking by 18 months you see the GP?

I thought this may be the case but I also don’t want him to undergo any unnecessary poking & prodding because he walks with aid, just not independently. Maybe I’ll speak with the HV in the new year?

I didnt walk till I was 22 months, my eldest didnt walk till he was 21 months. Both of us are hypermobile! Think its a hypermobility thing.

DD1 didn't walk until 22 months, she was hypermobile.

I thought almost instantly that he might be hypermobile when he started sitting independently because he sits in that typical “W” shape, lots of flex in his knees/legs. I was only diagnosed hypermobile about 3–4 years ago when undergoing tests of joint pain!

The advice from the NHS though isn’t to send the HV, it’s to see the GP. The GP will be better at looking at physical reasons why he may not be walking.

It might be worth filling in the 18 month Ages & Stages and seeing how he scores before you decide what to do?

DGS is the same age and also not walking independently although he holds on to things and takes a few steps like that. I don't want to say anything to DD as she is anxious enough already.

I’ll seek the GP’s advice, then, in the NY. I just don’t want to put unrealistic pressure on my child as I know some people jump to finding a problem/reason for their delays. His speech isn’t brilliant either but otherwise well and is a bouncy, bubbly 19 month old!

Most likely,hypermobility is usually genetic.

I'd check in w the GP, becos if there is something up, there will be a long list to get it sorted - and it might be hypermobility

or he might just be a chilled late walker 😎

I didn't walk alone till c 18 months and there's nothing hyper mobile about me - but I was a bum shuffler

He sounds a lovely little lad. You might find that he starts to walk more over the next week or so. Dare I suggest holding things out to him that he might want?

I don’t think anyone is going to jump to conclusions but if he is also speech delayed then I would definitely complete the Ages & Stages I linked to earlier.

Ah, he is the sweetest! His fine motor and problem solving is bloody brilliant so when I had a Quick Look at the document you suggested, he scores well on those - it’s just the “eight words +” and the gross motor but he’s been slower on his gross motor since the beginning. Thank you for suggesting that!

DS2 was a late walker. I took him to the GP when he was 12 months as he couldn’t even weight bear then, if you tried to stand him up he’d just lift his legs up. We were referred to physio and they really just kept an eye on him and gave us a few exercises but got the diagnosis of hypermobility. He walked at 22 months. He’s 7 now and still behind his peers physically I would say - can’t keep up in PE etc - but nothing “wrong” with him, he’s a very active happy little boy.

DGS's speech is slow too and he also babbles away very happily. He's had a lot of stomach upsets since beginning nursery in September and I wonder whether this may be partly the reason he seems 'slow' to walk and talk. At least his resilience and immunity is being built up!

It is possible that your son might just be a late walker. I have known children to walk at 21 or 22 months with no underlying problems detected. However, it is probably time to consult the GP to start investigations if they prove necessary. As PPs have stated, referring your son to a paediatrician could take some time.

My Son walked at 22 months. I worried and got him checked out. One day he just stood up and walked. Within a day it was as if he had been walking for years

I didn't walk till around 22 months. No issues I apparently had a willing older brother who would fetch any toy I was pointing too.

Both my DC didn't walk till around 18 months.

They started walking when they went to Nursery and saw they others kids walking.

My DC1 is hypermobile and while we waited for ‘NHS referral, we hired a private children’s physio, it really helped.

DC2 was also a late walker and walked independently as soon as she had grommets in, think it was a balance issue.

Just as I suspected there are lots of posters saying “my DC didn’t walk until they were 2 and they’re absolutely fine”.

The same thing happened to me wheb I posted about our DD not talking many moons ago.

Do not let the many posts give you a sense of security OP. The NHS is very clear, not walking by 18 months needs a trip to the GP.

DSis also wasn’t walking at 18 months, not talking and hyper mobile. She has AuDHD. Not necessarily the end of the world though. She has a lovely home and DH and a good career.

Pretty much the same situation over here! I am hypermobile too! My wee one is 20 months old and she refused to even let us stand her up! She could walk holding furniture and your hand. I phoned the health visitor two weeks after she turned 18 months to let them know. She was a really fast crawler and definitely preferred that! She walked three days before she was 19 months and has been great since! Health visitor didn't get back to me until last week anyway 😂

Why would you not want to have checks just to make sure there is nothing sinister going on?

DD1 did not walk until she was 19months and she is suspected hypermobile (weve been told we won't get an official diagnosis until around age 7). Shes 4.5y and we're having quarterly physio appointments to help build strength which were arranged through the HV service, and made school aware etc in case she has any dislocations (so far not). At 18m, we were seeing a paeds consultant for something else and we were told it would be watch and wait until 20m max and then a physio referral which would take a couple of months - if you a hypermobile, then i believe there is a genetic link so it could just be that, in which case we've found the early physio helpful. I think getting him on someone's radar (GP or HV will be useful) as even if you go on a waiting list, if he starts to walk in the meantime, then you can just come off.

My eldest was 22 months by the time he was walking but we did get him checked in the meantime. Given they tested hips, etc. and did blood tests, I’d imagine it’s important to rule out something more serious sooner rather than later. As per PPs, it was just hypermobility and he was walking by the time we got to the physio. However, they did recommend insoles which helped to avoid any potential resulting gait issues. Interesting what others have said about hearing problems and balance though, as he also had glue ear (although youngest has hearing issues and was walking at expected age).

my son was referred to physio at 4 months for delayed gross motor skills. He's just turned 17 months now, cruises everywhere and looks like he'll walk in the next month anyhow. To be honest it hasn't been much help and the OT they decided he needed actually admitted his fine motor skills were fine. Worth getting referred but I wouldn't stress about any wait, because they are unlikely to tell you to do anything to help at this stage.

It’s not that I don’t want the tests. I believe that tests are necessary but I have no other concerns about him so it seems like speaking to a HV for advice (even if they then recommend the GP) seems like a good point of call.