16 month old been trying to walk for 1 month

[Elizdia]

Hi all

My LO took he's first steps with no holding on to mummies hands at 15 months and here we are a month later and he is still only doing a few steps unaided. He's very wobbly and un-steady, he can go from one end of the room to the other and then he just collapses. He's not confident in walking and always rushes and falls over at the end. I feel like he's never going to get the hang of it. Is anyone else in this position? Or did your LO do that same thing. Does it normally take this long to learn to walk.

 

[LeannieB]

Hi my little boy is exactly the Same. He has only just started getting more confident and walking about a lot more but he still prefers to Crawl. He is also 16 months. Xx

 

[Elizdia]

Hi my little boy is exactly the Same. He has only just started getting more confident and walking about a lot more but he still prefers to Crawl. He is also 16 months. Xx

Thats good to know that your LO is the same, i was starting to worry. I think it might be a confidence issue. I see all other kids he's age walking and so i started to worry.

 

[LeannieB]

I know I try not to worry as well but I know with my LO its a confidence thing. I have two older boy's and my now 7 year old didnt walk until he was around 16/17 months and my 5 year old was 11 months so a big difference. Most of our friends at our toddler groups we go too have been late walkers xx

 

[LeannieB]

My Friends niece didnt walk until she was 19 months she just prefered to crawl everywhere super fast and then she suddenly decided to walk. She is fine xx

 

[Elizdia]

Yes i suppose they all walk at their own time when they feel confident. I try my hardest to praise him when he walks a few steps and also walk holding his hand everywhere with him so he gets used to it but he does;t like to let go of my hand. Thank you for your reassurance

 

[LeannieB]

Aah bless him. He will do it when he is ready. Xx

 

[MindUtopia]

Yes, that sounds perfectly normal. My daughter took her first steps at 15 months, just like your LO, but for the next month, she still mostly crawled to get long distances and just walked from here to there while still crawling if she needed to. After about a month, she just took off and stopped crawling and preferred to walk everywhere. I think it often does take a month or even a little more for them to really get going. Sounds like it will be happening in no time. 15 months is the average age for starting to walk, so he's actually right on time. I felt like my daughter was the last one to walk as well when friend's babies were walking from 12 months, but that's perfectly normal. He'll be walking everywhere before you know it.

 

[Elizdia]

Yes, that sounds perfectly normal. My daughter took her first steps at 15 months, just like your LO, but for the next month, she still mostly crawled to get long distances and just walked from here to there while still crawling if she needed to. After about a month, she just took off and stopped crawling and preferred to walk everywhere. I think it often does take a month or even a little more for them to really get going. Sounds like it will be happening in no time. 15 months is the average age for starting to walk, so he's actually right on time. I felt like my daughter was the last one to walk as well when friend's babies were walking from 12 months, but that's perfectly normal. He'll be walking everywhere before you know it.

Thank you, i actually can't wait for him to start walking properly as he sucks his thumb and so his hands are always on the floor and then straight in his mouth Plus my back is hurting me trying to hold him when we are out, not to mention the fight he puts up to be independent and crawl everywhere rather than be held.

 

[Button#]

My DS was a bit younger but it took 2 months between first steps and walking. 16 months is perfectly normal though.

 

[_Meep_]

Mine walked at 12 months and took her first steps around 10 months.

She is 19 months now and STILL relatively unstable and clumsy - she was seen by a physio at 13.5 months for an unrelated issue (which turned out to be nothing) and the physio said she had a large range of movement in her hip sockets and knees - far beyond what is average.

In short, she is hypermobile, or as some refer to it, 'double-jointed'.

Does your LO seem very flexible and loose? Hypermobility can be severe and seriously delay children in getting up on their feet, or they can merely be towards the later end of the normal range, or not delayed at all.

It's nothing to worry about, unless severe, and improves as a child grows older and stronger (I have it myself and am absolutely fine). However, these children have to work harder to move their muscles and keep their balance, so can be clumsy for a while.

I wonder if this could be the case for your little one?

 

[Elizdia]

Mine walked at 12 months and took her first stepas around 10 months.

She is 19 months now and STILL relatively unstable and clumsy - she was seen by a physio at 13.5 months for an unrelated issue (which turned out to be nothing) and the physio said she had a large range of movement in her hip sockets and knees - far beyond what is average.

In short, she is hypermobile, or as some refer to it, 'double-jointed'.

Does your LO seem very flexible and loose? Hypermobility can be severe and seriously delay children in getting up on their feet, or they can merely be towards the later end of the normal range, or not delayed at all.

It's nothing to worry about, unless severe, and improves as a child grows older and stronger (I have it myself and am absolutely fine). However, these children have to work harder to move their muscles and keep their balance, so can be clumsy for a while.

I wonder if this could be the case for your little one?

Yes we have often thought that he is very loose, he literally wobbles all over the place, he is not stable at all...maybe i should go have him checked out. he can't even stand without holding onto something. Thanks for your response

 

[_Meep_]

The physio laid my daughter on the floor, took her by the ankles with legs straightened and gently twisted clockwise and anti-clockwise - both legs turned right right round each way so that each side of both feet could be placed flat against the floor if that makes sense.

She also has knees that hyperextend, so her legs look curved backwards at the knee rather than straight when she stands still, like a flamingo!

If you notice this, it's highly likely he has loose joints in his legs.

LO perfectly fine and is running about now, albeit in a very uncoordinated and graceless fashion!

 

[Elizdia]

The physio laid my daughter on the floor, took her by the ankles with legs straightened and gently twisted clockwise and anti-clockwise - both legs turned right right round each way so that each side of both feet could be placed flat against the floor if that makes sense.

She also has knees that hyperextend, so her legs look curved backwards at the knee rather than straight when she stands still, like a flamingo!

If you notice this, it's highly likely he has loose joints in his legs.

LO perfectly fine and is running about now, albeit in a very uncoordinated and graceless fashion!

I'm going to try and see if i can do that with him myself. Funny that you say that about the knees that curve backwards as i have always done that as a child and still do now, so if you look at my legs from the side when i stand, they are bent backwards. i wonder if he is the same.

 

[_Meep_]

Yes! Here are mine (excuse the flabby belly and stretch marks, it was a post partum comparison picture! But a good example of my freaky legs!) - it sounds like you are hypermobile too.

I never sit comfortably with my feet on the floor and would much rather tuck them up to the side or under me or my chin lol.

My daughter inherited my legs - your son has probably got yours too!

 

[_Meep_]

And here are my kid's.

 

[Elizdia]

And here are my kid's.

How funny! I've had this all my life and never knew there was a name for it! I'm exactly the same, in fact mine probably go back further

I'll have to check out my LO's legs as i've not noticed, probably because its so normal to me.