My son is 16 months old and he is not walking on his own yet. He does pull up and cruise around holding on to things. He always asks to walk, but he has to hold one of my fingers. I wasn't worried about it because I had read books that said some kids walk late, but at his 15 month check up the Dr. worried me. She said that if he wasn't walking by 18 months to 2 years she would recommend a specialist. Noah's head is kind of big too, but his father's head is big so I thought it was just genetic. He is talking up a storm, but his motor skills have always been delayed. He didn't crawl until he was 10 1/2 months. I guess I just wondered if there were other mothers out there who had slow to walk children and if I should really be concerned about this. Thanks!
Thanks so much for everyone's reassurance. It has only been a week since I posted and Noah has taken his first steps just yesterday at 16 1/2 months. He walked all the way across the living room and I was sooo proud of him!! I should've stuck with my first instinct and realized that each child develops at a different rate. Thanks again everybody. :)
C.,
Kids develope at different rates, besides, even if there is some rare condition involved, would it really matter? Children and parents grow and learn through love...as long as he's smiling when you play with him, than don't worry too much about the walking thing. Worry about him if you must but don't let him worry about it:) He'll be walking in no time!
hey my son is now 3 1/2 year old and he started walking when he was 16 months old and he is just now starting to talk and he is almost 4. Try not to worry to much I think that is just how some boys are, and he will walk when ever he gets ready to. That is how my son did. good luck to you with this.
Hi C.,
Head size does not really matter in what i am about to suggest to you. I would suggest that you have your son assessed for (what seems to be little known) DYSPRAXIA My son has this disability and it involves the delayment of BOTH fine and gross motor skill abilities, it can also affect memory, sometimes it will affect speech. Dyspraxic children can also be quite LITERAL but on the bright side, Dyspraxics are almost across the board above average or higher in intelligence. So it really comes down to a childs mind not processing the info to it's body in the manner necessary. Depending on the degree of motor skill deficiency, occupational therapy may become necessary, I in no way intend to worry or discourage you, but if it turns out that i led you toward the correct path, let me reassure you, my Dyspraxic son is 11 now and managing in this world just fine, so, no worries!
B.
My Neice did not start walking until the week before she turned 19 months. She was the same as Noah about holding on and not letting go. I think that is a big thing in this situation. In my opinion (and I'm certainly no expert) I would only be worried if he wouldn't "cruise" or walk holding your hand. It may just be an issue that he's timid about "letting go". Like another poster said, don't worry until you have something to be worried about! :)
I just wanted to let you know, I have a friend whose daughter was about the same way. The doctors kept saying she was a lazy baby and finally they sent her to a specialist. She had some kind of neurological disorder, but she was able to do physical therapy and now she is doing good. I think she is still a little behind what she should be doing, but nothing major. It had something to do with the fact that she couldn't use her muscles right. Not sure if this will help you, but I wouldn't worry. Just have the doctor go ahead and send you to the specialist and see what they have to say. I wish you the best and hope all is well.
Knew of a baby boy who had ear trouble....messed with his balance, messed with his walking! You might keep a good check on that.....
My oldest daughter didn't walk until she was 19 months old. She just wasn't ready until then. Don't let the doctor alarm you. I am sure your son will be walking before he is 2. It seems alarming at the time but soon he will be running everywhere and you will forget there was a time he didn't walk!
Hi C..... best friends daughter is 16 months old 2 and she is still not walking either..... she does the same as your son. holds on to things and walks.. i wouldnt worry about it good luck!
My son didn't start walking until 16 months either and once he started I wished that he went back to crawling. He took off running and never stopped!! Trust your gut feelings. Nobody knows your child as well as you do.
C.,
My son, now almost 7 years, did not walk until 2 weeks before his 18 month check-up! That was the milestone our pediatrician gave before he would need to have testing for delays--I was so worried. As it turns out, now that his true personality has revealed itself, he is a very cautious child. Once he did begin to walk, he never fell down--he walked very well and went almost immediately to running. He simply is NOT a "daredevil" kind of child. This may be the case with your son as well. If he is not walking by 19 months or so, then I would check with the Dr. and rule out any other problems just in case there is an issue then you can deal with it early on. Good luck & be prepared to seriously childproof when that day comes!
K.
Well my son didn't walk until he was 15 months old and that is because he was the first grandson, and boy in a long time so he was always being held. he started exploring early so i thought for sure he would walk early but no. then just one day my family and I were in the kitchen and he stood up and we just started cheering him on to walk but instead of walking he tried to run and he kept falling down and getting back up. People and his doctor were critical of me and him for not being able to walk but he started when he was ready.
my only advise to you is to keep encouraging him and let him explore by himself as much as he can and you are able to as far as safety is concerned. don't be quick to pick him up if he stumbles or falls. And if he doesnt begin walking and he needs to go to a specialist than thats not a bad thing.
Hope that helps.
N.
C.,
I only have a 5 month old daughter, but I feel for you. We just had to put her in a sling for her hip socket to develop properly. She will have to stay in it 24 hours a day until 1 year old. She may get to go part-time with it if things go well. We are hoping she will learn to crawl in her sling, but there is no way she can even try to walk in it. We are staying optimistic because if she gets to go part-time we can work on walking down the road.
If the doctors have not said there is anything physically wrong with him I would stay positive. It is very hard when you see all of the other children do it, but your son is unique. Even if he does need to go to a specialist at least you will be helping him progress with all of the resources available to you. You can feel good in that you are doing everything possible. You are a great mom to be concerned, but an even better mom to do anything it takes. :) I'm sure Noah will be a start athlete in no time.
Hey, C.~
My son is will be 16 months old tomorrow and he is not yet walking either. My pediatrician wasn't at all concerned when I spoke to her about this at his 15 month checkup. He pulls up and "cruises" and will walk sometimes holding our finger(s), but just WILL NOT walk on his own and cries if we try to make him. Our doctor played with him a little bit and observed what he was capable of doing and told us that it was merely a confidence issue. He was a late crawler too (about 10 months) and now that he can crawl really quickly, he seems satisfied with getting around that way. Anyway, I'm told not to worry, he will walk when he is ready, and to encourage him but not to push the issue.
Hope that helps!
H.
My neice is 18 months old and not walking yet, either. She pulls up and holds on to things all the time so my sister-in-law got her a walker that she likes to cruise around with but she just won't walk on her own. I think some kids just walk later than others and I wouldn't worry too much. He will get there when he is ready!
I wouldn't worry about it too much. My son, now 7, is perfectly fine and actually he never even crawled. He was a very lazy baby. Didn't even walk until about 16 or 17 months. I think it was because he was my baby and he was used to me always holding him. If your son, physically, is fine and growing at the rate he is supposed to be, I really wouldn't worry too much. He'll walk when he's ready to.
My nephew was 17 months when he started walking. Do not worry until you have something to worry about.
When I read your concerns it was like a flashback. My son didn't start crawling until he was nearly a year old, and didn't walk till 16 months. He also has a big head, but it really is genetic. His older brother was walking by the time he was a year old. Our doctor never said anything to worry me, but of course I did anyway. Then suddenly one day he just let go of the furniture. I think some kids just have to be ready to let go. As long as your son is cruising around the furniture, I wouldn't worry too much about it for now.
18mths to 2 years is a huge time frame for the doctor to give you. I certainly would not worry. If he is already able to walk just holding on to one finger, I am sure that he will get the confidence to let go and walk by himself soon.
My daughter didn't walk until she was 18 1/2 months old. She cruised everywhere. She would take a few steps from a piece of furniture to her dad or me. Then, on January 13, 2005, she just got up and walked. We decided that she wanted to do it perfectly without all of that falling down stuff.
Hope this helps.
