Hi ladies, I have posted on here before about my lo who is 16 months old and not walking yet, up until now I havent really been worried about it and put it down to the fact that he has older brothers and sisters to do it all for him, I spoke to my hv who said that as he was walking on tiptoes (when he walks round the furniture) and he cannot yet balance to stand on his own there could be an underlying problem. the trouble is, now i have all sorts of horrible thoughts going through my head, she has referred him for physio therapy but this could take a couple of months to come through, so stupidly I googled delay in walking and it came up with all sorts of things like cerebal palsy ( which I really dont think he has) and muscular dystrophy, it says that all children with this have delayed walking and always walk on their tiptoes, I wishI hadnt looked now as I just feel sick with worry. Has anyone else had a child who walked late and on tiptoes who can offer some advice please.
Thanks xx

My daughter didn't start walking until she was nearly 18 months old, she was forward in other things though, she never had any tests, mum said babies do things in their own time, she used to tiptoe around the sofa's (sofa surfing) she was a late crawler too. (I was waking at 10 months, but never learned to crawl !! So every baby is different)

Developmentally she is fine, there is nothing wrong with her, she is 3 in Sept and is running around like any other toddler.

Hope my advice has helped you hun, and good luck with the Dr's appointment.

Dolina xx xx

hi
joseph didnt walk until a week ago he is 15 months old. he wasnt walking on his tiptoes but he couldnt balance enough to walk. then one daay he just went for it and hasnt looked bak. i didnt walk until i was 15 months either. try not to worry hun i know eaier said than done but boys are slower than girls and i know a few boys who havent walked before 16 months. xxx

hi my son is 14 months old he has only just pulled himself up he doesnt even attempt to try and walk even with furniture i have lots of friends and family who tell me not to worry my sister was 18 months id go with the flow and try not to worry so much you know what they say everyone is different X

hiya,
i replied to post last time. i said to you that my little one was the same.
a few days after he started walking flat footed. if he's pushing his trolley, he's still on tip toes though.
i just changed a few things in the way i was teaching him to walk like not holding my hand up so high when he's walking next to me so he doesn't have to stretch.
what i'm trying to say is, don't worry. i know it's easy for me to say now cos as you know i was worried.
the internet is great for information but it can also worry the hell out of you, as it did me.
does your lo put he's feet flat when stopping/starting to walk?

My little sister didn't walk until she was 18 months, there is a big (7 years) age gap between me and her and my mum thinks that she just didn't realise that little people were supposed to walk as there was always someone to carry her. One day mum took her to toddler group for the first time and she saw all the other babies walking, apparantly she just got up and joined in!! Please try not to worry, I'm sure that your lo is fine and just doing things in his own time.
xx

hi ladies, thanks for your replys, I am trying really hard not to worry and I know that there is probably nothing really wrong apart from the fact that he has no desire to walk when everyone else will do it for him, it just doesnt help looking on the internet (big mistake I know) and also the insensitive comments from people about oooh isnt he walking yet, arent you worried. I'm sure he will just get up and do it in his own time.
D14N4, I do remember reading your reply last time, Isaac doesnt really put his feet flat at all, he doesnt even want to walk round holding my hands any more he just lifts his feet up and bends his legs to sit down. I guess I will just have to be patient and bite my tongue when people like his mother say things. xx

Hi hayley know how you feel about other peoples remarks. My eldest didnt walk until 16months although didnt walk on toes, so dont have much advice about that and my youngest is almost 1and doesnt even crawl yet, i just put it down to laziness as theyre perfectly healthy. I really cant imagine it being anything serious as no doubt conditions such as C P and M D would have been picked up in developmental checks before now so try not to worry, its probably nothing to worry about. Good luck with everything x

Hi hayley know how you feel about other peoples remarks. My eldest didnt walk until 16months although didnt walk on toes, so dont have much advice about that and my youngest is almost 1and doesnt even crawl yet, i just put it down to laziness as theyre perfectly healthy. I really cant imagine it being anything serious as no doubt conditions such as C P and M D would have been picked up in developmental checks before now so try not to worry, its probably nothing to worry about. Good luck with everything x

sorry posted twice by mistake

Hello I just wanted to say I used to childmind a little girl who did the same thing as you are describing with your son. She started walking really late about 22 months. She's eight now and sincerely there isn't a thing wrong with her. She just had her own kind of funny way of walking tip toe like to "sofa surf" and it took her a while to kind accept that that way of walking wasn't as steady as putting her feet flat. She did eventually of her own accord but it really didn't delay her at all in any other way. She swims well, and does dance lessons and keeps up with all her friends. I remember her mum being concerned because she felt the muscles in the bottom of her daughters feet were a bit tight and thought it might feel a bit sore to stretch them out to stand flat footed. Nothing ever came of that as everything worked out fine. Best of luck...

xx

aww thanx again, I am feeling much happier now, I have managed to see that looking on the internet was probably the most stupid thing to do as you always get the worst case scenario (I really should know that by now lol) Anyway I went to buy my older 3 shoes today £138 it cost so actually I am relieved I didnt have to get any for Isaac as well, the lady in the shop was really sweet, she asked if he was walking yet and I felt like crying, she knows me well as we have been going there since my eldest was 1 and he is now 12, they are a brilliant shop and deal with all sorts of problem feet and she said that he is very tall for his age but he has quite little feet which could be why he cant balance as his feet arent big enough to support him yet. It made alot of sense and the fact that she said there is obviously nothing wrong made me feel loads better xx

Hi Hayely

Glad you are feeling more positive about this. I hope things turn out ok for Isaac and you. Try not to worry (easier said than done!!) and enjoy having fun with him. Hopefully when they finally get round to giving you an appointment they will be able to put your mind at rest. I think it's pants tho that they can't get you an appt sooner - don't they know how worrying it is?!!! Grrrr!

Take care,
Juliette

Hi I thought I would let you know that Isaac has been referred to the physiotherapist and has today seen a paediatrician (who was very yummy ) He had a really long chat with us and watched Isaac and examined him, the appointment lasted an hour!! He said that he has exceptionally hypermobile joints and it is therefore difficult for him to balance, the reason he walks on his toes is because apparantly when we stand on tip toes it immediately makes up more aware of where our feet are and as he is wobbly it is almost like a reflex, he is going to see him again in 3-6 months as he wants to keep an eye on him in case it causes him any problems but in the mean time suggested that I get him a good well fitted sturdy pair of boots and keep him in them as much as possible to support his ankles and help his feet stay flat on the floor.

I am sooooo relieved it is nothing serious and am going to love buying those first cute lil shoes tomorrow. xx

I'm really glad you've been reffered. I'm an osteopath and, as I was reading the replies, I was going to suggest you find a physio to see privately. This would put your mind at rest. The hypermobility is fairly easy to remedy with simple muscle strengthening excersises and, as he uses his legs more, this should al become a distant memory. Good luck and I hope you found some really cute first shoes.

Thats great news at least its something that can be easily corrected - aaww bless him. Have fun buying the boots!!

Elaine xx

hi nessellis, my older daughter also has hypermobility but Isaacs is much more profound, she was walking by just after her first birthday although she does now have to have the insoles in her shoes from orthotics and her knees are really turned inwards, the paediatrician was so nice, he was asking about family history and said next time I take Isaac to see him to bring Megan along too and he will have a look at her to see if she needs referring back to the orthopaedics as usually children grow out of it by the age of 5 (trust my child to be different lol) he also said next time I take Meg to orthotics which will be October time to take Isaac too and tell them he said it was ok, feel a bit cheeky doing it but he said people do it all the time and if they think he needs the special shoes then they will see him quicker.

Elaine his little boots are gorgeous and he looks so sweet in them although they did set me back £42!!!!! Still thats the price you pay for having children with awkward feet. x