- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Toddlers: 12 - 24 Months
MikesFavoriteWife
member
Ok mamas. My DS isn't walking yet. Advice please.
MikesFavoriteWife
member
Now I know you shouldn't compare babies, but I can't help in seeing the huge difference between my DD at my DS's age (He will be 15 months 6/8) and my ds. At almost 15 months, my DD was walking and feeding herself. Her coordination was very good also. My DS however, can't get more than two steps without falling. He has trouble feeding himself so for the most part I'm doing it for him. I find it strange because when he plays with his "pretend" kitchen stuff his coordination seems to be better then when he is trying to do it for real. My pedi seems to think he has low muscle tone in his legs but doesn't think I should worry about it until his 15 month appointment. He says that if he still isn't walking by then that we could have him evaluated and that he may just need some PT. I had my boss look at him today (I work for a chiropractor) and he seems to think I should get him to a pediatric orthopedist asap. He also thinks a work up with a neurologist would be a good idea. He says it may be a problem with his joints or his hips but we also need to rule out muscle problems also.
Here is the thing.. I'm freakin nervous, but I also feel like in my gut there is something up (whether it be a big or small issue) and it is more than me just being a "nervous mom". My DH seems to think we should wait the 3 weeks until his 15 month appointment but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that. I really don't think there will be any change with him in 3 weeks, so why wait? WWYD?
This discussion has been closed.
Re: Ok mamas. My DS isn't walking yet. Advice please.
The walking wouldn't bother me. 18 months is about the point when most doctors start to get concerned if they're not walking.
By not feeding himself, do you mean he can't use utensils very well, or he can't pick food up with his hands and put it in his mouth? If you mean the utensils thing, I think you're freaking out over nothing. My 2 year olds still have a little bit of difficulty with spoons and forks, and it's normal. If you mean he isn't capable of picking up a piece of food with his hand, and then putting it in his mouth, then I think you may have a problem. Even then it could be a case of, "well why should I feed myself if Mom will do it for me," but I would have it checked out anyway.
I would wait the three weeks. My LO didn't walk until almost 19m. Yea, I know it's tough. I am not at all knocking chiropractor's and I know this is stuff they know about, but I would wait for the pedi appt. It sounds like they are willing to work with you and not just blow you off as a worried Mom. Like you said, you don't think there will be a change in him in 3 weeks, so I see no harm in waiting.
Go Phils!!
Is your son pulling up and cruising on furniture?
My daughter is 17 months old and not walking yet! I just talked to her ped the other day because I was concerned, but she said the fact that she pulls up, cruises, walks with push toys, can walk holding our finger and once in a while takes 4 to 5 steps on her own is great. She said she'd only be worried if she wasn't doing those things. And my other 2 walked at 12 and 13 months, so Ruby is REALLY late.
15 months is early to be using utensils too.
The Dr thinks Ruby has the opposite problem of your son and is a little high tone in her legs (which is probably so why her walking is so late). We have been going to physical therapy since about 9 months, but I don't really know if it's helped all that much but it is nice to have someone monitoring her and making sure she's progressing and staying on track.
Good luck and I know it's so hard not to worry!
My Ds is 15 months next week and not walking. I try to not worry. He cruises on things and has started to try and let go to stand.
If your pedi isn't worried or you are not worried about a specific physical issue.... then let it be.
FWIW...I have to tell myself that all the time! I know how you feel.
Click here for my blog!
My mom says I didn't start walkiing until 18 months! My two brothers were also late walkers. We all turned out okay. But if your gut is telling you that something is wrong, it can't hurt to get him checked out. I don't think 3 weeks is going to make much of a difference though. Not being able to walk isn't a life threatening situation. Just wait til the 15 month appointment. Don't freak out though. Even if something isn't quite right with him, it's probably not anything major. He just might need a little PT, like you said.
This.
If it were just that he was a late walker, that would be one thing. But it sounds like you're noticing a lot of small things that could potentially add up to something bigger. He's probably fine but if you're going to have him checked in three weeks anyway, why not just do it now? Like you said, it's not like anything is going to drastically change in three weeks. If your gut is telling you something's up, you should listen.
I was chatting with a mum of 4 girls at the park the other day. Her second to last girl didn't start walking until 18 months.
But, if you are concerned, do what you have to to alleviate those fears. Trust yourself and your intuition. Worse case scenario is all is well and you son is simply a late walker.
DS didn't start walking till he was 16months. He didn't like feeding himself, he didn't say anything more than mama or dada.
My DD is almost 10 months and is trying to walk already.
My advice is to play games with him like holding his toy of choice up then having daddy help him walk to it. Our son really enjoyed it and he wanted to do it after he started to walk.
Well, there does seem to be a difference between girls and boys (girls develop faster). Older children also seem to develop faster than the younger ones. My little brother had the "big sister" factor, all of us older sisters kept doing everything for him so he never had to do for himself. He didn't walk until 18 months, and didn't talk until 2 years, (he did have a therapist visit every other day for 3 months, which really helped), and I promise you, he is now 25 years old and is fine.
Also, I took care of twins in college- the girl walked and talked at 11 months, the boy didn't start walking until 19 months (and they were TWINS!) The Mom was a social worker and the Dad was a grad student- neither seemed to worried (doc told them not to worry).
Kids develop differently, and like I said before- it could be because he is a boy. If his coordination when playing is good, I wouldn't worry too much about it.
Here's the thing -- you're his mama -- if you feel like he needs to be evaluated, or if you think there may be an issue, pursue it. There's a huge chance they'll just say, he's developing normally and don't worry. If there is an issue, usually the sooner physical therapy starts the better.
Just my $.02 But I'm a worrier!
I have to disagree with most of the previous posters. The issue does not seem to be the fact that he is a late walker. If his hand/eye coordination is not good and a doctor has told you that the muscle tone in his legs is not good, then that is not going to just magically change in 3 weeks. Sounds like he needs some physical therapy. You might as well start the evaluation process with Early Intervention now because its going to take a few weeks before he will begin receiving services.