Advice for 18 monther non walker

[jadavi]

Hi my new mindee is not walking but has developed a very fast locomotive style of using one foot to step and pulling the rest of the body with other leg tucked under.
Her feet are only size three which mum says are very small for age. Mum is not worried but I feel she she should see a physio to see if we can help.
She will walk with hands held but slowly and is reluctant.
I have a sense that all is not right maybe with one hip- she limps or stumbles a bit.
I'm wondering how to broach it with the mum.
The physios around here are bril.
I'd happily try and walk her a lot if needed. I need their advice. But don't want to alarm mum who surprises me by being not at all concerned.
Advice appreciated!

[Bridey]

My instinct was that at 18 months I wouldn't worry too much either, especially if she was mobile in other ways and not in pain while she did so. So I had a quick google ... pages and pages of 18 month olds not walking! I think I would give her a few more months to find her feet in her own time before getting too concerned.

[sarah707]

If you have already mentioned it to mum and mum is not worried then you maybe need to tell her again in a different way.

Do you take little one to any Sure Start groups where your development officer or a passing physio might see the little one moving around and make a passing comment which you can share with mum?

As you know, we are not allowed to ask for support / go to other agencies without parents written permission - unless it's a safeguarding issue which I do not feel this is yet.

However if the child is seen out with you and comments are made, you have to pass them on because you are putting the child's needs first.

Hth :D

[Daftbat]

I personally wouldn't be too worried. A friend of mines son walked at 22 months and is at Uni now! Generally children will do what they need to do to get what they want and it sounds like this little one is managing fine. Give it a few weeks and see what happens. I would bet that the problem is resolved by then.

[QualityCare]

She has found a fast and effective way of getting around lots of children bum shuffle its better, in their eyes, as they can see around them and so have no need to get up and walk yet, give her time if she sees the other children up and moving and has the opportunity to pull herself up she will when she's ready at 18mths l wouldn't be looking for problems unless something obvious was presenting its self in which case parents would have noticed.

[VeggieSausage]

I feel if you think there is a problem then there may be. I had a child that turned out to have hypermobility (double jointedness) and he had trouble with walking, dragging one leg/foot etc. He needed insoles and exercise - worth encouraging them to get it checked out I think.

[Tealady]

I feel if you think there is a problem then there may be. I had a child that turned out to have hypermobility (double jointedness) and he had trouble with walking, dragging one leg/foot etc. He needed insoles and exercise - worth encouraging them to get it checked out I think.

Was about to say the same... My friends little girl is just out of spica cast after having a late diagnosed Dislocated Hip and they have since found out she has Hypermobility too. She was a late walker (with a fantastic bum shuffle move) and when she finally did walk had a strange gait and would collapse after several paces.