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Original poster

have just looked up toe walking on the internet and scared myself

17 replies

jollyfolly · 01/01/2007 15:14

ds started walking at 13 months and now at 18 months he has started toe walking (has been for a few weeks but with increasing regularity).... all the stuff on the internet mentions autism/cerebral palsey and muscular dystrophy links. Anyone elses ds/dd toe walk..... ds also seems quite a clumsey but then i dont really know how clummsey an 18 month old should be.
any ideas???

OP posts:

AllieBeHomeForChristmas · 01/01/2007 15:17

4 of my friends kids did this, they are all fine. 3 of them had their legs in plasters to stop it (they were all aged 4+ at the time though. If you are worried see your health visitor and they can refer you to someone. It is very common though so don't be too scared

WeWishUAMerryXmasNANappyNewYr · 01/01/2007 15:17

i was very clumsy and a toe walker... i am perfectly normal. well normalish

shonaspurtle · 01/01/2007 15:22

I did this as a child. No reason (but my mum like you was worried). Am perfectly fine and just didn't like putting my heels down for some reason .

tissy · 01/01/2007 15:23

JF, it's VERY common (toewalking that is), and is usually NOT due to CP, MD or autism.

If ds had a normal birth at or around term, then it is unlikely he has CP- walking at 13 months is early and most kids with even mild CP walk late.

As for autism and MD, well they tend to show themselves much later, so if he's toe-walking at 18 months, it's not likely to be due to one of those things.

can your ds squat on his haunches? If so, he probably is toe walking out of habit.

Did he have a "baby walker" before he started to walk? These can be associated with toe walking as well.

If you're still worried ask your GP to refer him to a paediatrician

puffmummy · 01/01/2007 15:25

My DS did and still does this and is only normal toddler weird nothing autistic at all. He's just turned three. Our friend's little boy does it even more so and again, nothing autistic either.

An aside, I used to look up each odd behaviour for my two children and have convinced myself on several occasions that they suffered a range of extremely odd and always life threatening conditions. My daughter had a slightly flat head at birth (well OK, it was a precipice head but still I was utterly paranoid) and after £280 worth of paediatric assessment (the NHS told me there was nothing wrong) realised I was the one with the problem, not them! Don't read to much into things, if your boy seems happy & interactive I'm sure he's fine.

misdee · 01/01/2007 15:25

dd3 22months has just started toe walking. i know she can walk normally so not worried. my nephew started toe walking when he was started to walk, he does have CP.

if he has just started toe walking then its probably just a phase.

Original poster

jollyfolly · 01/01/2007 15:34

think my new year resolution should be not to look thhings up on the internet.... it always frightens the hell out of me!
Will check with the gp in a few weeks if he is still doing it and maybe ask for a referal to peads.
Thanks for putting my mind at rest

OP posts:

saffy202 · 01/01/2007 16:13

DS2 toe walked - a pysiotherapist (sp?)came to the house to look at them and said it was because he was up on his feet early - was cruising around the furniture at 9 months but as you can't stop them there was nothing to worry about.

He is 8 now and no longer walks on his toes but he still tends to run on them but he is fast!

WeWishUAMerryXmasNANappyNewYr · 01/01/2007 16:41

that's good your meant to run on your toes.

jalopy · 01/01/2007 17:49

My son still does this at nearly 10 yrs old. He has developed normally and is a fine athlete and sportsman!

frances5 · 01/01/2007 23:19

A lot on the internet is very scary. There are loads of hideous illness associated with toe walking. I remember being in the same position as you as my son was a really extreme toewalker. When we first saw the physio not even the child physio could get his feet into a normal position.

My son has always toe walked. He is one of the most extreme toe walkers that our physio had ever seen. Andrew didnt take his first steps until he was almost 20 months old and wasnt confident walking until he was two years old. His toe walking was treated with a home exercise programme and orthorics. Andrew was discharged from physio at three and half years old. Andrew is now five years olds and only toe walks when barefoot.

I definately think you should ask for a referal to a community paediatrian. If there is a problem they can help and if there is nothing to worry about they can put your mind at rest.

hunkermunker · 01/01/2007 23:24

DS1 does it - he's 2.8yo.

I still do it.

Don't worry.

frances5 · 02/01/2007 12:51

My son is one of the happiest little boys I know. He still toe walks, but I am happy because he can run about the playground and climb.

I was scared when he started school that he would be teased, but it hasnt happened.

Tinker · 02/01/2007 12:54

My 20-month old has recently started doing it. Just assumed she's discovered she could and was enjoying a new skill

FioFio · 02/01/2007 12:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

SparklyGothKat · 02/01/2007 12:57

My DS and Dd1 both have CP and both toewalk, DS walked at 18 months but toewalked from the start as did Dd1 when she started walking at 26 months.
Toewalking is very common and isn;t always a sign that something is wrong. It might be a silly reason, like maybe you have wooden flooring and its cold on his feet...

frances5 · 02/01/2007 17:35

Having a strange walking gait isnt the end of the world. My son still walks on his toes at five years old inspite of 18 months of physio. However I am happy because he walk where he wants to even if his walking gait too strange.

The treatments for toe walking can sometimes be worst the problem. I dont think that Andrew would thank me if he was given botox and put in plaster casts for three months.

Andrew isnt going to have any treatment for toewalking until he is old enough to decide. (Ie. seven or eight years old)

My son is still under the child development centre. They have been fanastic.

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