Four Year Old Who Walks on His Tip Toes

My mom works with Spec. Ed. kids a lot and says this is almost always a sign on Cerebal Palsy or something similar. Sensory Integration issues is another possibility like has been already mentioned. Unfortunately, most peds pay no attention to this unless the parents have other concerns. Early Childhood Connections or Child Find may be able to give you some information or other contacts. They both only work with 0-3, but could tell you who to talk to for older kids. Those are free resources.

Pay resources are Children's Hospital who would make him a very high priority, or a good friend of my mom's started the Kid Foundation. They are excellent, but expensive. It will be the best care available. The website for the applications, etc., is www.starcenter.us We actually are getting our son in over there for OT and PT as well.

Maybe you can encourage the mom to take some action on her own. My nephew never got help for this, and it's so easily helped. It's hard to see a kid struggle so much that could have had so much help! We have great resources here! GL!

I agree with Susan W. Leave it alone and don't call attention to it. I have had 4 different children in my daycare do the same thing and the only thing it did was give them stronger leg muscles.

You are correct that when a child walks primarily on their toes it can be a warning sign for several things--but you have done what you can in pointing it out to the parent. As far as the other kids mimicking the behavior--it is not going to harm them. It is just that--a mimic behavior. The worst that will happen is they will learn more balance! It is unlikely they continue doing it once that child is no longer around them.

If you really are concerned the most I would say to the parent it this "One of the things I would mention to (child's name) pediatrician the next time he has a checkup is how much he walks on his tip toes. That is a developmental milestone that the Dr may want to be aware of." If the parent asks why Just respond by saying "I just know that is one of the things I have been told is something Pediatricians look for in a child's development."

For us it meant sensory issues.. Kind of depends on the child. Here is a great book to help with SID
http://www.out-of-sync-child.com/publications.htm

Hi A.,
Has this boy been evaluated by his a pediatrican or orthopedic. This could also be more then just a habit, it could be a sign of a neuromuscular problem. Also, I have a son with Sensory Integration Disorder. He doesn't like certain textures that he walks on or the feel of certain shoes. He will walk on his toes so he doesn't have his foot touch that what ever it is he is walking on, be it grass, sand, cold floor. Some times if he starts his day with something that bothers him, he will just continue with walking on his toes for the day, this way he is protecting himself for anything further.

Don't do anything about it and stop giving it attention at school. Eventually the game will die off all on it's own. I worked at a preschool, too.

My daughter walked on her tiptoes for quite some time. The doc even put her in those hard bottomed shoes from the old days and it didn't stop her, she simply tiptoed in the shoes until they soles cracked! She's now 11, walks using her entire foot, in the advanced programs at school and she's an avid rock climber so I wouldn't be too worried about any developmental issues:-)

I watched a girl at church that "tippy toed" until she was 5yrs old. She had no developmental delays, no birth defects, nothing like that. She just stopped doing it at one point. My own son, 7 months old, is doing this. I have had him checked, repeatedly. Again, no problems other than he just does it. I agree with suggestion to stop putting attention on it. If the mother has ever taken him to doctor for anything, and the pediatrician was concerned, something would have been done. Leave it alone.

Some kids are just toe walkers, I hear your frustration though, mom may not be concerned cause there is nothing to be concerned about, as to the kids copying him, thats all it is they won't just suddenly become toe walkers, leave it alone and just use gentle reminders during the day.