25 Month old still not walking - Twin

[MauveQuoter]

Hi,

our little girl is now 25 months old. She’s a twin born at 37 weeks + 5 days. She is 99% in height and weight but you wouldn’t think she was big just tall. She still not walking. We’re in the UK and we have been seen by a consultant and she is currently in Physio. She is also scheduled for an MRI but they’re is an 18 month waiting list. She’s an excellent speaker, knows her colours can count to 10, can sing the alphabet, feed herself.

physically she can cruise, climb on the sofa cautiously, bend and pick things, get herself up and down holding onto something, she can walk forward while holding my hands but cautiously and her toes do inward walking but the physio are not worried and do not say her legs scissor. She can also crawl and get herself up from the sit position holding my fingers. Her balance is a bit off for example she can stand for maximum so far of 28 seconds but then it will go down to 6-9 seconds and then she will need a rest. We practice everyday and never practice so much she gets annoyed. I always make it fun and play and the physio is also good at doing that. She only started to stand independently at 18 months and since then has achieved the above. She’s very clever and is good at puzzles and loves scribbling.

the only thing she can’t do is walk and it really starting to upset me. When I see an 11 month old walk it gets to me, I feel like it’s something I’ve done. She had RSV at 3-4 weeks old and she went blue on me. The doctors did all the test and she recovered fine afterwards but I feel like that’s what has caused the late walking. The physio doesn’t believe she has celebral palsay due her talking and all the progress she is making in the past 7 months but of course they wouldn’t be able to confirm it properly until the MRI. I just feel so down and I depressed as I feel sorry for her and I’m sick of seeing people shocked faces when I say she can’t walk yet. Has anyone else experienced this? I love her to bits and having twins was the best thing in the world. Her and her brother have made me love life again. I just feel so sorry for her.

I don’t have any experience but just wanted to say you sound like an awesome mum and doing everything right by seeking support and doing all the physio exercises.

Try not to worry if the medical team feel everything’s going ok from there side but I can understand how worrying it is.

My twins were like this. They didn’t really walk or talk until they were well over 2. But then they progressed quickly to catch up with their peers.

Has she been tested for hyper mobility? This can delay walking and make it hard work too. I can remember the physio bending my daughter’s feet up to her shins and they could easily touch. She was recommended to wear supportive boots rather than shoes. At first she walked with inward pointed toes that curled under to help with her balance.

If it helps i
56 and didn’t walk until I was 2.5 yrs old.

Please dont worry, they all do things in their own time. My eldest singleton was 2 when she first walked but both my twins walked within 2 weeks of their first birthday. It sounds like she's on the right track & will get there when she's ready. I think if they can get around without actually walking then they can get around, it makes no difference to them how they do it along as they're doing it. Your doing a fantastic job, dont stress x

Please don’t feel down or worse, feel
sorry or pity for her,

I had twins at 33 weeks and one walked at 13 months and the other at 18 months. The later walker did attend physio and occupational therapy due to hypermobility and to help with clumsiness. These helped to improve coordination, balance, and gait.
After about a year, it was as if it never happened and twin2 caught up with twin1.

You are doing all the correct things and working to put things in place for your child.

I was going to suggest hypermobility too - my dd was diagnosed at 4, walked at about 19 months, tired easily, hated climbing/climbing frames but loved the swimming pool. All hypermobility symptoms.

ETA also had constipation, and barely moved in her sleep

My daughter was the polar opposite - started walking at 7 months, couldn't talk properly until she was about 3 & still required a translator at times when she started school. We're now almost 2 decades in and she barely stops talking. Ever. 😂 I would have preferred for her to have been a talker rather than a walker, though - I needed eyes in the back of my head!!
I suspect by the time you get to the front of the queue for the tests, your little lady will run into the doctor's office, just to make you feel like a fool! I would just let her do her thing. Put stuff she wants out of her reach. She'll soon get hacked off enough to get up and walk over to get it! Make sure she's not using her brother as her personal butler when you're not watching!

You're doing all the right things and she sounds like a clever little girl. I understand the worry about developing as my 3.2 year old is non verbal and I worry so much for him. Just keep doing the exercises your physio gives and she will get there in time

Sounds like dgd who started walking last month aged 18 months. She can't climb at all eg can't get on or off sofa or go up the stairs. Has managed to stand up from sitting twice. She's very bright, speaks in sentences, knows her colours, can sing the alphabet, loves scribbling and playdoh. Dd3 has hypermobility and adhd. I'll mention it to dd1.

I’m so sorry you’re going through this but please don’t feel down and don’t feel sorry for her.
I completely understand what you are going through, my daughter is 2.5 and does not walk nor stand independently but she has a very rare genetic condition. They do start to get there and she is making all of the right progress. Forward progress, however slow is still progress. You’re doing absolutely everything right and it will just come one day. People who are shocked are quite frankly idiots because all babies/children are different and different isn’t a bad thing. Don’t feel sorry for her as she sounds like a very happy little girl and she doesn’t know life any different. Personally from my experience if they were really concerned they would do the MRI as urgent and not put you on a long waiting list so I would take that as a positive. Try (as hard as it is) to avoid Google, I always searched Google for answers and you don’t find them it just makes you feel worse. Perhaps speak to your physio about getting a walker if they haven’t already suggested it. Please feel free to message me if you ever need to talk or just to vent, sometimes in these situations (especially when you have peoples shocked reactions to deal with) you can feel quite lonely and your not so please don’t hesitate. I almost cried at a two year olds birthday party seeing my daughter around her peers and realising how behind she was and it is hard but she will get there ❤️

Both my twins walked at about 23 months when i was told to get them boots instead of early walker shoes. The lady in clarkes argued with me but allowed it when I said it was medical advice. They had ultamobile ankles.

Twins with hyper mobile joints here, they were very premature (26+6) and only learnt to crawl at a year old. Walking was a few months later. They both tiptoed and had physio as there were questions about if they had cerebral palsy (they don’t).
Both boys wore boots rather than shoes as they were more supportive for their hyper mobile joints. They’re in their late twenties now and both still tiptoe at times; it’s all to do with balance.

you sound like a brilliant Mum with all the physio etc.

My youngest son was proper lazy with his walking. Very bright but also entertained by watching his big brother. He was so heavy to carry around. I hope you soon get the scans needed to put your mind at rest or to move things along.

I know it's OT but don't give up yet. One of my DC didn't talk until he was 4 years old. Then never shut up.
OP @MauveQuoter I've mentioned this before on MN I think, but try putting a piece of Duplo in each hand once they are up and standing. This got 2 of mine walking. I regretted it immediately! Best wishes.

Honestly, all the people telling you everything is likely to fine are probably right. But as a parent who found out my child had SEN late, I'd advise you to be pushy.

In my experience, the NHS is far too willing to 'wait and see' with milestone delays and shrug about unacceptable waits for testing.

I was in your shoes a couple of years ago whilst waiting for a diagnostic test. Eventually, I took to ringing every day and pestering every person possible until they agreed to see my son urgently (and it was lucky I did, he was already at a disadvantage because of late diagnosis).

I know it is hard to feel like you're being demanding, but sometimes that's what is needed to get the best for our children.

Sounds like you're doing all the right things and people are right about kids concentrating on talking learn walking later. My boy walked very cautiously at 18months, clearly risk averse even then. But he had a 100 word vocabulary and could count when his nursery peers were still grunting.

That's my dgd! She's so cautious but at nursery they sent dd1 a video of all the children doing an action song and at then 17 months she was the only one saying all the words and doing all the actions.

Another who suggests hyper mobility.

Hi sorry to jump on someone else’s post but what signs made you think your daughter was hyper mobile? My dd is 4 and was a late walker. She’s extremely clumsy too. I’ve always had suspicions.

OP I know it’s easy for people to tell you not to worry but honestly my twins were delayed and didn’t walk until late and I remember feeling exactly as you are now. Have you tried using a hula hoop stand you little lady up with the hula hoop round her have her hold each side and you hold the front of it I have seen this done at physio groups when my two were little and it was amazing to see the little ones walk with it good luck OP hope your DC is up and walking soon

A bit earlier but I walked at 22 months. I was in hospital as a newborn for a long time so that probably had a bearing on it as well.
It’s good that you’ve got the ball rolling with investigations though.

My friends child has hyper mobility and he’s just started standing properly and taking steps now at about 28 months and he’s so proud of himself! He had an MRI but that came back fine so you may find she is similar ❤️

I was also recommended by a physio to put my daughter in boots due to her having bendy ankles. I bought her some really cute pink ‘Kickers’ boots which she wore for about 6
months and they really seemed to help

Couple of things to consider - was she breech position and did she have a hip scan?
id also agree it could be hypermobility or dyspraxia (DCD) - you could ask to be referred to occupational therapist?