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Questions & Answers - Motor Concerns
My Son is 14 months and 2 two weeks and he doesn't walk yet; he
doesn't even try. Can he get some help?
Let me first say that since your son is only 14 months old, he is
still well within typical development, even though he is not yet
walking by himself. You may read that babies typically walk at 12
months, but walking anywhere between 9-18 months can all be
considered within average development. You didn't mention if your
son was pulling to stand or cruising along furniture, but if he is,
then he is well on his way to independent walking.
You may want to refer to this recent "Ask
A Therapist" question, which details some ways to work on
independent walking skills.
My daughter is 19 month old. She is not walking independently.
She is mostly walking by kneeling down but a couple times I have
seen her take a few steps but still reluctant to walk independently;
otherwise she holds my finger and walks. Hip x-rays were taken. All
seems fine according to her pediatrician. Otherwise, her vocabulary
is great. She knows a lot of words. Her memory is also great! Please
let me know what might be the reason.
Most children walk by age 18 months, but there are still plenty
of children who are late walkers who for some reason don't begin to
fully walk independently until closer to age two. Some of these
children are knee walkers or very fast crawlers and for them it
seems like "why walk when I can get there faster this way.
Some of these children are carried a lot by caregivers. I am glad
you checked with your pediatrician first and had your daughter's
hips checked. If she is walking with one hand held, that is a good
sign that she will soon take off on her own, she may just need to
gain that extra confidence to let go of your hand. I would recommend
carrying her as little as possible when at home and encouraging her
to walk pushing toys or holding your one finger as you mentioned.
You can also have her walk behind a large ball (like an exercise
ball) pushing it across the floor. You can try little tricks like
dressing her in overalls, so that you can hang onto the back straps
of the overalls while she walks (since you'll be behind her, she
won't notice as much when you are holding on or letting go) and
much like riding a bike "let go" when you feel she has her balance
so that hopefully she will take a few steps on her own. Some parents
even attach an extra little strap to the back of the overalls so
they don't have to bend down as far while their child is practicing
walking. You can also have her stand with her back to a couch so she
has her balance and then give her a small ball or stuffed toy to
hold so that she has to use both hands to carry it and encourage her
to come show the toy to you.
I would also suggest not using walkers or exersaucers with her
right now, or if you do, limit it to very short time periods since
she needs to develop strength and balance on her own. You can play
squatting games with her to help strengthen her quadriceps muscles
which she needs for walking, have her hold your hands and squat down
and then pop back up. If you continue to have concerns and your
daughter is not progressing with independent walking within the next
month I would suggest calling your local early intervention provider
for a physical therapy evaluation to rule out that any other factors
(such as low muscle tone) are contributing to her inability to walk
on her own.
Also check out our link for Gross Motor Skill Development for
ages 9-12 months, as this section would also apply to a 14 month
old child.
If you continue to have concerns, or your son is not yet pulling
to stand, cruising along furniture or walking with both hands held,
you may want to contact your local early intervention provider for a
physical therapy evaluation. This is a
local
link I found for your area.
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Questions & Answers - Motor Concerns
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