16-month old can't stand alone or walk

[PfizerFan]

At what point do I panic?

Can crawl, pull to stand and cruise well. But can't stand without holding on and if I hold her hands she tries to walk but is v wobbly on her feet. Can walk (awkwardly!) while holding onto her walker.

Normal at this age? Or..not? Last one in the NCT group to walk (also last to crawl etc!). And panic is once again beginning to set in...

Normal. My DS didn't walk till he was 18 months although was crawling and, maybe, pulling himself up. Just normal. His development was absolutely fine, he was just a bit slow to establish some things but by the time he was 2 or 3 you honestly wouldn't know - slightly slower does NOT mean they are not within the normal spectrum, which is pretty broad.

My DD was 21 months old when she started standing independently and walking.

My 3 year old doesn't walk at all so ...

I'm sure your little one will get there, I'd only really start worrying if they're not walking at 2.

Normal, NICE guidelines say to seek review if not independently walking when they hit 18 months. Try to relax for now. If they're still not walking at that age, make an appointment with your GP or health visitor for review.

My older two children didn't walk until 16 months and about 21 months, but once they were up and off you wouldn't have known the difference between them and a child who had been walking for 6 months. My youngest walked at 10 months, I'd have preferred later!

Normal. It sounds as if she’s just about to.

Thanks all. Getting nervous for that 18-month mark. She's been soooo slow on all gross motor milestones (couldn't crawl on all fours til almost 14 months) but got there in the end so hopefully this will be the same and there's no underlying issues...

Crawling is really good for the brain. Because using opposite limbs at the same time. Apparently the longer you crawl the neater your hand writing!

I'd just provide lots of places for cruising, maybe with tiny gaps in between. Lots of balancing games. Standing, holding on with one hand etc.

Is she quite big? Sometimes bigger babies can be a bit slower. I'd maybe look at getting a paeds physio appointment if she still wasn't walking by 18months.

Mine walked really early, it was a nightmare tbh!

She's about 75th percentile so a bit bigger than average but not a huge toddler!

Thanks, I'll bide my time until 18 months...

It’s fine. My youngest was exactly like this and started walking at 18 months. He actually was crawling from 5.5 months so he crawled for an entire year before he walked. They’re all different. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My dd was late to stand and walk as she was hypermobile. Her ankles and hips were very unstable. We had a referral to paediatrics who told us to get her wear

Oops, sorry.

Get her to wear ankle boots to support the ankles and when she stood up at something to hold her hips in place to give stability. She eventually walked at 16 months.

I'm in same boat with 17 month old, she has just started to stand independently so can tell she's making progress but I've seen other toddlers her age running around so have started to panic a bit too.

Let me know how she gets on!

I know two lovely happy healthy kids who were very similar at that age. It's easy to say don't worry but can be harder to do. You're definitely still in the normal range though.

Don’t worry OP, it’s toward the end of the normal range but not unusual,I know how it feels to see other kids hit these milestones sooner but try not to worry too much, it sounds like she is close! my DD didn’t walk properly until 18-19 months. Now there is no stopping her.

My little one will be 16 months next week and is the same except he's only just started cruising a little bit. He saw the physio last week and she said there's nothing wrong physically he just doesn't want to yet and will do it in his own time. She said they don't start thinking anything is wrong until they get to 2 and aren't walking, in which case they'd refer to paediatrics. She's seeing him again in 3 months to check his progress but I'm not worrying any more.

I think as long as they're happy standing with support and making progress I wouldn't worry yet. My little one is also big, 90th %ile and lots of people have said to me bigger babies tend to be later with movement as they need longer for their muscles to be strong enough to support them.

That's reassuring! I thought it was 18 months. That said, I do know one child who didn't walk til 2 and he's fine (doesnt stop me worrying though). Was your little one slow on other physical milestones eg to crawl/sit etc? Mine was...

Dd1 didn't walk until 19months - infact she was late with all her gross motor skills. She was still under the neonatal outpatients service at this point and at her 18month check, they said they would wait another 6 weeks and if no progress, refer her to physio. Because she walked at 19months no further action was taken. She has actually been referred to physio now at 3yrs, due to suspected hypermobility (the other week she was sat with a big toe in each ear 🙈) and have been advised it's a 3month wait. So at 18months, it's probably worth getting referred in case you have a wait anyway.

My friends have a daughter 8 months older than mine. Friends daughter didn’t really crawl or stand much, eventually shuffled round on her bottom whilst mine was crawling fast at 6 months and walking at 10 months. However, she took her first steps at my daughter’s first birthday party (so she was 20 months by then) and within a week was running. It happened fast!

I wouldn't worry too much if she can pull to stand and cruise as thats great progress towards walking. She will likely get there in her own time. My DD wasn't doing either of those things at 18 months and we still had to fight for the physio referral. My DD has made progress since then but is still not walking independently at over 2 so I can certainly understand the worry. All the others in our NCT group walked just after one while my DD was still a potato at that age and basically just sitting. No harm in asking for a referral to physio if she is still not walking at 18 months but you probably won't need it.

The physio would likely encourage lots of time spent standing and cruising (eg by placing toys out of reach) in order to buildup the muscles as well as practicing transitions (sitting to standing etc).

My sister was a big baby and didn't walk until 18 months but she is the most physically able of us as an adult.

Thanks. Did they find a reason why your DD isn't walking yet, or is she just taking her own time?

There’s a huge range in when kids start walking . My elder one walked at 9 months which was an absolute nightmare , younger exactly on his first birthday , best friends son though was 18 months but was shuffling about on his bottom quite happily for a long time .Sounds like your DD is going through the normal initial stages which can last quite a while - I’d not worry yet

One of my twins didn't crawl on all 4s until 13 months or so or stand until 15 months - she didn't walk really until 18-20 months

The other half of the twins was walking at 12 months

Kids reach their milestones at different points and I would say at this age don't panic too much they will get there in their own time

We are still not sure so I’m still in the worrying stage myself. We were referred to paediatrics at around 2 years but are still waiting for the appointment 3 months later.

Yeah he has been behind with all his gross motor skills but fine with everything else. Always hated tummy time, sat up at 6 months but couldn't roll at all until 9 months 1 way and 10 months the other, crawled the week after his birthday but wouldn't stand up at all until he started pulling to stand a few weeks ago. Got referred to physio because of the lack of rolling. He's very strong willed and won't do anything until he's ready in his own time no matter how much I try to coax him!

If your little one isn't walking by 18 months you could ask the health visitor for a referral to physio just to check her joints are OK etc but they didn't actually do anything else. Didn't even give us any exercises to do, just monitoring his progress.