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Will my 2 year old ever walk?

13 replies

SpeechieE · 27/07/2021 19:52

My gorgeous 24 month old DD is so desperate to walk, but she is so so wobbly. She can walk holding onto our fingers with both hands, but she is so unsteady it breaks my heart. She has been waiting since January to be seen by physiotherapy and orthotics for her significant hypermobility and pronated ankles, but their waiting lists are ridiculous, still no word on when we're likely to see an appointment come through. I have chased. The developmental paediatrician said my DD is one of the most hypermobile children she had seen in her career (she even called in another doctor's medical student to come and take a look, "you don't see many this bendy!" ) she has said she will need special orthotic boots and a lot of physio to build her strength and correct her posture and hypotonia. This waiting is just so unfair on her... She needs the help. She needed it months ago. Private costs are too prohibitive for us... The GP still keeps just saying that she will "get up and walk in her own time".... She's two years old and hypermobile!! They've fobbed me off with that since I first raised concerns about her walking at 16 months.

Have you had very late walkers? Any advice? When/if the day comes that she walks I will be crying a flood of happy tears.

We do have some other concerns about my DDs development, and she's potentially being referred on the autism pathway if things haven't improved by the next paed appointment, which I understand may have some bearing on her late walking... I just want to help her in any way I can.

OP posts:
Niffler75 · 27/07/2021 21:58

Hi! Has anyone mentioned connective tissue disorders/Ehlers Danlos Syndrome to you? If you take a look ag the Ehlers Danlos UK website and think any of the information applies to your daughter, there is a helpline you can call for advice.
I myself have EDS and was a very slow walker.

Physiometric · 27/07/2021 22:28

DS did not walk until 27 months. It was such a miserable wait when all of the other babies were running around together. One thing I would say is that I wish I'd researched dyspraxia earlier as they kept banging on about hypermobility but the reality was that DS actually was having difficulty knowing how to walk rather than just being bendy. I'm not sure why the physio never hinted at this. However, what a day when he started to take his first little steps around the room!

SpeechieE · 28/07/2021 08:01

Thanks for your messages, I really appreciate them. I am aware of EDS and it has crossed my mind, but I've not spoken to the doctors about it. I think I will if we ever get our referral. I don't think that this fully fits the bill, but it is possible. Thank you :)

As for dyspraxia, it's only really my DD's gross motor skills that have been delayed, her fine motor skills and coordination have always been fairly advanced, she is very dextrous, for example she's been able to feed herself with cutlery for many many months, earlier than expected and can draw very delicate little circles when she wants to. Is it possible for dyspraxia to only affect gross motor? Thanks for your lovely supportive comments. It must have been wonderful when your little one finally took those steps. It has been such a long wait I almost feel like it's never going to happen.

OP posts:
LightTripper · 28/07/2021 12:57

It's rubbish that you are having to wait so long!

My DD was a late walker (didn't pull to stand until nearly 2, though got walking fairly fast after that). In her case it was possibly partly sensory but she is also hypermobile (though I would say moderate rather than extreme) and low muscle tone. Just passing on a couple of the things the physio suggested in case helpful. This was a few years ago but these are the things I remember.

  1. We were recommended this inflatable cow thing (there may be cheaper places: I think I ordered ours online at Asda): the idea was for her to sit on it and it's slightly wobbly so improves her core strength. Encourage her to bounce or pretend to ride or whatever is fun for her. If you are giving her something she wants (toy, biscuit) and she is sitting on the cow, you can hold it so she just has to reach very slightly out of her centre of gravity to get it. DD really didn't like it to start with so we used to feed her biscuits on it, which made it acceptable.

souzu.co.uk/products/cow-white?gclid=CjwKCAjwgISIBhBfEiwALE19SewN9xOpxXD5chfB1_f_uNNQfQvWbpbM6j37LzjNq41-FpEUdYi7ZxoCTwUQAvD_BwE

  1. Another idea to improve core strength was to put things DD wanted slightly under a coffee table, so she had to kind of reach under to get it (fine to do this while sitting on the floor - still improves core strength). DD was very keen on books, so we'd put books in places where she just slightly had to lean over to get them.

  2. We were told that basically anything physical that she liked doing was good. So swimming, going on the swing at the playground, anything. It all helps build muscles, and it's more important that it's something they enjoy (so they are motivated to keep going) than exactly what they do.

It's worth searching YouTube for physios as well. We found a lot of good YouTube videos for SLT and OT type stuff, but I bet there are good videos for Physio too, just to give you ideas while you are waiting.

secular39 · 28/07/2021 18:05

There is a charity that offers intensive block of physiotherapist sessions. I'll get the name in a moment..

elliejjtiny · 02/08/2021 23:51

My 13 year old has EDS and he finally walked aged 2 years 9 months. It was very weird as his talking was average for his age and I will never forget him taking his first tottering steps while shouting at me "LOOK MUMMY, I IS WALKING!"

TheStarMachine · 04/08/2021 13:26

It's awful that you are having to wait so long for some help.

We were in the same position & my son started walking soon after he was 2, but he is still very wobbly and can't run yet age 3 - it is slow progress but I remember feeling like it would never happen and it was so exciting when it did! Orthotics have helped a lot too.

If you PM me I can send you photos of some of his physio worksheets - the exercise advice above is really good and similar to what we did.

katpw · 31/01/2025 21:20

SpeechieE · 27/07/2021 19:52

My gorgeous 24 month old DD is so desperate to walk, but she is so so wobbly. She can walk holding onto our fingers with both hands, but she is so unsteady it breaks my heart. She has been waiting since January to be seen by physiotherapy and orthotics for her significant hypermobility and pronated ankles, but their waiting lists are ridiculous, still no word on when we're likely to see an appointment come through. I have chased. The developmental paediatrician said my DD is one of the most hypermobile children she had seen in her career (she even called in another doctor's medical student to come and take a look, "you don't see many this bendy!" ) she has said she will need special orthotic boots and a lot of physio to build her strength and correct her posture and hypotonia. This waiting is just so unfair on her... She needs the help. She needed it months ago. Private costs are too prohibitive for us... The GP still keeps just saying that she will "get up and walk in her own time".... She's two years old and hypermobile!! They've fobbed me off with that since I first raised concerns about her walking at 16 months.

Have you had very late walkers? Any advice? When/if the day comes that she walks I will be crying a flood of happy tears.

We do have some other concerns about my DDs development, and she's potentially being referred on the autism pathway if things haven't improved by the next paed appointment, which I understand may have some bearing on her late walking... I just want to help her in any way I can.

Hi @SpeechieE I know your post was from a few years ago but hoping to hear some positive news with your little girl? I feel like we're in a very similar position with our 23 month old and it's breaking my heart too. I rely on hearing positive stories! Thanks x

SpeechieE · 31/01/2025 22:00

katpw · 31/01/2025 21:20

Hi @SpeechieE I know your post was from a few years ago but hoping to hear some positive news with your little girl? I feel like we're in a very similar position with our 23 month old and it's breaking my heart too. I rely on hearing positive stories! Thanks x

Hi there @katpw, oh bless you, I'm sorry you're going through this as I know it is so nerve wracking! But I can share some positive news, my daughter kept me hanging for a few more months after I posted this, she finally walked at 27 months! But now you wouldn't know she ever was a late walker, she does ballet and gymnastics and is very good at them, too! She still wears specialist orthotic shoes due to being hyper mobile and does occasionally have some knee aches associated with her hypermobility, but other than that she is doing brilliantly. She is still waiting a neurodevelopmental assessment, but honestly she's doing so well in so many ways that we are less worried and much more able to just go with the flow of her quirkiness! I'm sending you all the positive vibes for the next few months with your little one, the waiting feels like a lifetime, but once they do it there will be no stopping them. Some kids just love to burn the rule book!

OP posts:
katpw · 01/02/2025 07:31

SpeechieE · 31/01/2025 22:00

Hi there @katpw, oh bless you, I'm sorry you're going through this as I know it is so nerve wracking! But I can share some positive news, my daughter kept me hanging for a few more months after I posted this, she finally walked at 27 months! But now you wouldn't know she ever was a late walker, she does ballet and gymnastics and is very good at them, too! She still wears specialist orthotic shoes due to being hyper mobile and does occasionally have some knee aches associated with her hypermobility, but other than that she is doing brilliantly. She is still waiting a neurodevelopmental assessment, but honestly she's doing so well in so many ways that we are less worried and much more able to just go with the flow of her quirkiness! I'm sending you all the positive vibes for the next few months with your little one, the waiting feels like a lifetime, but once they do it there will be no stopping them. Some kids just love to burn the rule book!

Hi @SpeechieE I am so so happy to hear this and that your girl is enjoying gymnastics and gymnastics - I've been dreaming of seeing our girl in a tutu ❤️
I hope you don't mind but I've sent you a private message. I was hoping to be able to attach a picture to see/compare the severity of my girls feet and ankles, but I can't attach in the message so will here. Hope that's ok (& assuming you can remember what they looked like around 2 years old). Thank you x

Will my 2 year old ever walk?
Will my 2 year old ever walk?
Will my 2 year old ever walk?
Will my 2 year old ever walk?
BumbleBeeeeeeee · 20/05/2025 10:41

katpw · 01/02/2025 07:31

Hi @SpeechieE I am so so happy to hear this and that your girl is enjoying gymnastics and gymnastics - I've been dreaming of seeing our girl in a tutu ❤️
I hope you don't mind but I've sent you a private message. I was hoping to be able to attach a picture to see/compare the severity of my girls feet and ankles, but I can't attach in the message so will here. Hope that's ok (& assuming you can remember what they looked like around 2 years old). Thank you x

Hiya

my 16 month old is standing the same way. How is your girl doing?

clareykb · 21/05/2025 23:17

My twins were prem and have hypermoblity they walked at just before and just gone 2 after a few months of specialist footwear they are now almost 12 and the other weekend one was in an athletics comp and one in rehersals for a big dance show so there is hope! Physio was amazing for them so hang on in there.

LocoCoco13 · 01/08/2025 02:22

katpw · 01/02/2025 07:31

Hi @SpeechieE I am so so happy to hear this and that your girl is enjoying gymnastics and gymnastics - I've been dreaming of seeing our girl in a tutu ❤️
I hope you don't mind but I've sent you a private message. I was hoping to be able to attach a picture to see/compare the severity of my girls feet and ankles, but I can't attach in the message so will here. Hope that's ok (& assuming you can remember what they looked like around 2 years old). Thank you x

Your childs ankles over pronate. Do you have physio involved? If not you need to get a referal, over pronation can be normal for children just learning to walk. In our case (daughter is 3.5years and has only just started taking steps) my daughters over pronation has gradually got worse (shes severely hypermobile, has hypotonia and weakness in lower limbs) she now has splints. You dont want to leave it and if get worse as over pronation can cause issues with knees and hips aswell, and physio waitlists can be long

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