Tippy toes boy... should I be concerned?

[HatonHatoff]

My DS has always seemed to like walking on his toes when indoors and he's doing it more and more. Lots of people have commented on it and I really felt it was just something he enjoyed doing... my MIL was concerned and has mentioned again recently that maybe he needed supports to encourage him to walk on the soles of his feet more. Has anyone had experience of this? I'm thinking perhaps I should ask our doctor but it would just be really helpful to know if other toddlers do this...

mine still does this and he is 5, but he also does hand flapping too sometimes, and i am taking him to the GP soon.

My DD does this now.

When she first started walking she walked normally and when she has shoes on she walks normally, but when she's barefooted she seems to like to talk on her toes.

She's 19 months and one of her friends is exactly the same.

TBH I wasn't worried as I know that she can/does walk normally sometimes (even in bare feet) but I will watch this thread with interest

My ds did this all the time and I mentioned it to our HV when he was about 3. I seem to remember she said sometime the tendons at the back of the ankles can be a bit 'tight' or short but that he would probably just grow out of it. He's now 6 and I just began to stop noticing that he did it so it must have been a gradual thing on his part.

I have a 9 year old Dyspraxic son who still tiptoe walks constantly. It is quite a common feature of Dyspraxia. There are a lot of other reasons why children tip toe walk, and a lot of toddlers do just grow out of it, but if it persists or of you have other concerns re co-ordination then I would get it checked out.

HoHo- you don't say how old your son is. Does he walk with his feet flat outside? Do his shoes show wear on the heels? If so, all is well, and it may just be that he doesn't like the feel of the floor on his feet inside. If he is tiptoe walking all the time, there may be some tightness of his heel cords. You should see your doctor,as in a young child physio can usually sort it out.

A boy at school (nearly 5) wore special supports on his feet/ankles for about 3 weeks. they're off now and his mum is really pleased with the difference.

He has just turned 20 months. Gosh that's really good to hear from you... other people found it very funny and it is rather sweet - like he's practising ballet. I did work as a temp ages ago in a podiatry clinic and they did a lot of specialist work for young children and physiotherapy. What concerned me was that a lot of the children if they had diffictulty walking or an unusual gait got a lot of remarks from other kids and it knocked their confidence big time. So this made me all the more aware to pay close attention to it. I might mention it to the doctor who is really nice at our practice and see what she says. I have to say our HVs never really seem that helpful on such matters. wish they were though. yep elfsmummy - very similar age so I guess we should keep an eye out and see what happens. I will let you know what my doctor says. I wondered about Dyspraxia too... we shall see.

He has just turned 20 months. Gosh that's really good to hear from you... other people found it very funny and it is rather sweet - like he's practising ballet. I did work as a temp ages ago in a podiatry clinic and they did a lot of specialist work for young children and physiotherapy. What concerned me was that a lot of the children if they had diffictulty walking or an unusual gait got a lot of remarks from other kids and it knocked their confidence big time. So this made me all the more aware to pay close attention to it. I might mention it to the doctor who is really nice at our practice and see what she says. I have to say our HVs never really seem that helpful on such matters. wish they were though. yep elfsmummy - very similar age so I guess we should keep an eye out and see what happens. I will let you know what my doctor says. I wondered about Dyspraxia too... we shall see.

My ds is 21 months and has been tiptoeing a lot lately too, although not when he's wearing shoes and is outside. I read somewhere recently that it's very common, and that you should only start being concerned once they get to about 3 and still do it a lot.
I remember my little sister doing it as a toddler (seem to remember my granny being worried about it) and she grew out of it.

DS 19 months does it all the time... seems quite comon then at this age?

How do you and ds' dad walk?

My friend's little boy did this and has grown out of it.
But, if you watch how he puts his foot down, he barely uses the heel - just like his dad.

We went to the doc and they want us to come back next week to have another look and check. My lo kicked like a mule and they just about managed to check out his very strong legs! Will let you know what they say.
I think I may be the culprit Goldenhand. I walk a bit toe to heel and apparently was a bit pigeon toed as a kid! I seem to remember when people told me to walk with stright feet to find it very annoying but have out grown it somehow (coo coo

My brother did this as a child, and he had shortened tendons in his legs. A surgery later corrected it.

My little boy was a very extreme toe walker. He didn't walk until he was nearly 20 months old and ONLY could walk on his toes. His tendons were very tight.

He had 18 months of physio and wore orthorics. He was discharged from physio at 3 and half years old. Now at the age of nearly 6 you would not know he ever had a problem. He still toewalks when bare foot, but it does not stop him enjoying life.

Toewalking is really common. Most children out grow toewalking with out any professional help.

If you little boy can put his heels to the ground then there is very little a physio can do. Ultimately if a child chooses to toe walk then there is nothing any body can do.

As children get bigger and heavier it becomes harder for them to toe walk.

hey cocobear and reallytired. thanks for your posts... we are taking him back to the doctor as they requested but I think you are right - he chooses to do it - he can put his heels on the ground when standing and I guess he just likes the sensation. I guess the thing is to keep and eye and see what happens...

It'll give him wonderfully strong calves and arches for dancing.