20 month old still bum shuffling....any positive stories or advice?

[blondeirishmummy84]

Hi,
My son is 20.5 months and still not fully walking. He is a bum shuffler and i know they are supposed to be notoriously late walkers....Im trying not to worry and we have a physio appointment next week. Sometimes i think its a confidence thing as he will walk holding one of our hands or even a finger but when we let go he just sits down. He has taken maybe 8-10 steps unaided a few times. He pulls to stand no problem and cruises furniture/walls.
Mainly he bum shiffles/slides,elwhich he can do at quite a speed! He only realy started crawling a couple of months ago,but shuffles mainly.
Just finding it hard now coming into winter as its hard to bring him outside to parks as he just wants to explore on his bum. I have a fleece overall suit which i put on him bit his wee hands get dirty and cold. Alsp getting fed up with strange looks from people. Just feel a bit frustrated ad sorry for him.
Other than that he is a happy little boy amd meeting all other milestones.
I have an 8 month old too and getting out with both of them on my own is a bit of a struggle at times!
Does anyone have any words of reassurance/encouragement/advice?
X

Honestly I wouldn't worry. My first born didn't walk until he was 19 months. He was just really chilled and in no hurry. I remember at the time he seemed to be the last one to walk and comparing him didn't do me or him any favours. Your son will get there. It's great that you have an appointment with a physio as they might be able to offer some advice l/reassure you. X

What's he like if you give him things to hold instead of your fingers. Does he have a solid walker that he can rely on not to fall or tip

Does he have a little play table and another table that could be set up close so he can go from one to the other. Move them slowly farther apart when he is confident.

Just empathy! Mine is the same! Does he have a walker? Mine loves his and charges about with it, but just hasn't got to the independent walking yet.

Dd1 was a bum shuffler. Never crawled. Just sat until 14 months. Then bum shuffled, wasn't remotely interested in walking, never cruised, only started walking with us holding both her hands at 21 months and that was with us basically pushing her forwards.

Saw health visitor and gp, gp said not to worry until 2 because bum shufflers are always later to walk. A week after her 2nd birthday she stood up out of nowhere and walked across the room, and within a month she was walking everywhere.

It's really hard not to worry but try not to. If he is cruising and able to walk holding just one hand, he is well on the way. He'll get there!

My DD is 17m and was a bum shuffler, she started walking about a few weeks ago and we did her first (very short) outdoor walk on reins last week. My DM was a bum shuffler who didn't walk until around 2. Apparently there is some evidence to suggest it runs in families. My DD has never crawled. She even bum shuffles up the stairs, effectively - her bum shuffling was using her right leg to step forwards and then shuffle her bum, so when she 'crawls' up the stairs, she is actually stepping up the step with her right leg, and just 'crawling' with her left knee only!

He will get there, physio may be able to reassure you if nothing else. But above all do not worry about what anyone else thinks or any looks etc. Some people are absolute idiots, others are total twats, and many are both. It's got nothing to do with them, your son is great and is doing things at his own pace, and you're doing a great job too I'm sure. It's probably mostly confidence, it was with my DD. She was walking holding a finger for months before she would do it alone.

My daughter was a bum shuffler and showed no interest in practicing walking as it was so much faster to shuffle
She was able to move around very fast and only needed two fingers on the ground to support her so was also able to carry whatever she wanted
We started losing faith in her ever walking then one day when she was almost 18 months she stood up and ran across the kitchen. She's been walking ever since but does bum shuffle at home from time to time but that's mainly because she finds it funny.
I wouldn't worry if I were you. I think it can be a confidence thing and they will walk when they are ready

Thanks for replies everyone,feeling more reassured!
He has a walker and an activitiy table,however he is quite long/tall (at the top centile), so they are quite low down for him and he has to stoop to use them. However hubby bought him a toy toolbench which is perfect height for him. He does forget himself sometimes when he walks away with something in his hand.....then he wobbles and just sits down on his bum. I do find he is more confident in soft play areas so might take him more often so he can get more practice.x