14mo not walking or talking

[Snickers94]

Hi all, just wanted to know if anyone had been through similar. My DD is nearly 14 months and cannot walk or say words just yet. Yesterday she did sing along "quack quack quack" with 5 little ducks but that's about it. But more worryingly she's been walking holding hands since 7mo but at nearly 14 months is still cruising and can't walk independently. If we try to get her to walk now sometimes she will just pull her legs up or fall into a crawling position so as not to walk.

It's getting me down a bit seeing all her age mates starting to say their first words, and take their first steps before her when everyone thought she would walk early. It doesn't seem like she actually wants to walk.

As for other milestones, her social ones she did all at a normal time, gross motor was also fine although on the later end of normal, except walking with hands held and standing with support which she was able to do early. However she still doesn't stand by herself.

Lazy?! That's harsh, I hate comments like that! My mum is on holiday at the moment and everytime she calls she asks if DD is walking yet. It's frustrating alright!

Oh gosh, loads of great advice above. Really don't worry yet, OP. My DD is 13months 3 weeks and she has only just started standing whilst holding on. She was also a commando crawler. We see our HV regularly as DD had sepsis at birth and she is not worried at all. As for words, we have lots of babbling and some pointing with 'GAH' whenever an animal is around but that's it. And all this has only come on in the last few weeks so development happens really fast at this stage. Your DD will get there at her own pace - just keep saying that to everyone who thinks you need to hear their opinion (you dont!)

Re, the talking, is she communicating? Eg. Using sign language, or just letting you know what she wants with gestures, her own words etc? Does she understand what you’re saying to her? If she’s communicating I doubt there’s anything to worry about - she just needs a bit more time. Kids are so variable at this age.

My DS was slower to walk than many of his peers - I think 13 months - and didn’t talk in short sentences until much closer to 2, but he has his own ways of saying things. We used Makaton and he made up words for people and things and he clearly knew what we were talking about. HVs went AWOL here at around the time of the first lockdown, but we weren’t worried anyway as he did (and still does) things in his own sweet time.

Hopefully nothing to worry about 😊

My dad could walk holding my hand from 11 months but she wouldn’t unless I held her hand. This went on until she was 15 months! If I let go of her hand she would fall to the ground or steam (or both) - I knew she didn’t need my hand. Then one day we went to a new park and she was so excited she forgot and ran off!!

Oh OP, sod the other parents with their stupid questions! FWIW, this is how my boys developed:

DS1 (almost 4yo) now:
Sat unsupported at 8 months
Commando crawled at 8 months
Cruised at 11 months
Crawled at 14 months
Pulled to stand at can't remember when
Stood unsupported at 18 months exactly
Got up, let go and walked off at 19 months and 10 days.

He had 18 words at 18 months and all his teeth by 20 months. First full sentence at 2y1m. We had a referral for physio but COVID hit and by the time it came through he was walking.

DS2 (18.5 months)
Sat unsupported at 9 months
Mainly moved by rolling around, commando crawling and bum shuffling for ages.
Crawled and pulled to stand properly for the first time during the physio appointment I'd requested, at 17 months. (He was assessed to be developing normally, just late)
Stood unsupported at 17.5 months.
Walking: I've given him until the weekend to sort it out, he's getting extremely irritated and needs to get his shit together😂

He has a grand total of 4 words but all his teeth. GP is unconcerned. Seriously OP, fuck 'em!

My dd couldn’t stand until 17 months and 2 weeks. Then quickly took her first steps and was walking confidently by 18 months. (I had 18 months in my head as the time to start worrying about it so was amazed how quickly it happened when she finally started standing!)

Now aged 12 and the National Champion for her sport so not too badly affected by her early (apparent!) lack of physical ability. 😂

You always notice what other babies can do before yours, but I bet your baby can do things the other babies can't yet.

Trust me it will always be exciting when your baby takes her first steps regardless of what anybody else thinks about it :)

My son didn’t walk till he was 20 months. I was up the walls worrying and he just got one day and walked like he had been doing it for months. Don’t worry.

Good lord that would have sent my anxiety into overdrive! Close to 18 months and I'd have been going out of my mind.

14 months is still really young!! God I hate milestones.... they make parents worry!

My son walked at 18m and said his first word at 26m! He's now at a private school on a scholarship! Please, step away from milestones unless there are other reasons to worry also.

My children were 15 months and 17 months when they started to walk. And now I feel like an awful mother because I have no idea what age they were when they started saying words!

I do think it is healthy but to put it in context my eldest was talking at 1, full on conversation at 2 two way conversation but didn’t walk until 3. Very late.

youngest was up at 7 months walking and holding on walking and a year and full on running when he was 2 but didn’t talk and have a two way conversation until 3 1/2

High five! My eldest did exactly the same, had done a total of about five steps over three different occasions and then just let go and walked off one afternoon. Never stumbled or anything! I can kinda see their point: why try and fail repeatedly, when you can just wait until you know you can do it? He's still extremely risk averse at almost 4yo now, gets very anxious about trying new things.

I do wonder if this is why my DS is a bit on the slower side with walking. He didn't crawl for a while even though it was blinkingly obvious he could do it already - it's like he doesn't like to try something until he knows for sure it'll work out okay. He's a bit clingier than my eldest too, so I've noticed when we're out at softplay etc. he takes a while to assess the room and check it's all okay before he sets off to play! Maybe he's just naturally risk averse (like me!).... whereas I'm used to my whirlwind, extra-extroverted DS1 (6yo) that would run into fire and talk the back legs of a donkey!