19 Month Old Falls While Walking

S.,

Ask the doctor for a physical therapy and speech therapy evaluation. They are professionals expert in this area.

L. :)

S., I am glad you decided to make the appointment. Even if there is nothing wrong, at least you will know.

It may have nothing to do with it but does he have a lot of earaches? I noticed a huge difference in one of my children whe he had tubes put in his ears for continual ear problems. His speech jumped and he really took off. It may be something else entirely. Just a thought.

Hi S.,
Have you had your sons ears checked? With delay in speech he may not be able to hear and that's why he is talking as well as not being able to walk. Your hearing has something to do with your balance, if you can't hear as well out of one ear then you can really be off balance and "tip over". I'd have his ears checked out if I were you. I know in our area (Lansing MI) that we have an Earlyon program that will come out and evaluate your child and his eyes and ears for free. You may want to check if there is one in your area or at least call your Doctor. Good Luck.

Have you checked into Early Intervention? The state will test him for free and if he qualifies, he can get free services in speech and possibly motor. I am a special education preschool teacher and it is amazing how much a little help early on in life can help! Some kids just need a little more help and catch up very fast! I don't know much about motor, but a occupational therapist would have some great ideas...and free services are even better!

As a mother of three children that have all had ear tubes, I would suggest that following up for the hearing test and evaluation by a well known ENT Dr. would be a good next step. If you trust your Pediatric Dr., ask him to recommend one that is well known for dealing with Pediatric cases. Ask lots of questions and try not to worry! I never noticed a balance issue with my 3, but the late talking was common with all of them. Even though he responds to noise, if he has too much fluid in his middle and inner ear, everything will sound muffled as if someone is covering his ears with their hands and talking to him. Thus, he can hear the noise (if this is the problem) but repeats it the way he hears it, so he is not learing to speak words properly. I am not a Dr., but I have learned alot with the 3 (+ one stepdaughter) that I have through the several trips to the Dr. we have had over the years. Also, when I was young I had similar problems and my mother had to take me to several different Dr.'s before one suggested going to a ENT. By that time I had 85% hearing loss and was almost 4 by the time I got ear tubes and learned to talk correctly. So don't wait-if anything you can get these issues ruled out and move on. If, GOD FORBID, there is something else wrong, you at least will feel better that he is hearing correctly. Good luck and God Bless!
E.

S. - I would take him to be evaluated by a podiatrist. If you are certain that he can hear, than I would have his feelt checked out. It might be something as simple as orthotics in the shoe or corrective shoes. Good Luck

Take him to your local AEA (Area Education Agency) and they will test him for a variety of issues for FREE.

Not to scare you, but have you checked with the Dr. regarding Autism?
i received an email that Autism is on the rise, more than Aids and Cancer. Also it is 4X more likely for boys than girls. and if caught EARLY- they can do alot of therapy to help his future. Luckily my son is 16 months and he's been walking for 8 months already, since he was about 10 months old, and he is always on the Go, so he is little. he weighed only 6lbs 11 oz when he was born and has never had a huge growth spurt. he now weighs 22 1/2 lbs. he tries to talk alot. He gets some words out, like da,da, mama, assy for kassy and EEA for Olivia- his sisters...and ei,ei ooo for old mac donald. he also says get up and get down, because he climbs alot. so he is told that alot!! baa for bath...uck for truck, boon, for balloon... and other words are getting better. best wishes to you!!!
i would definatly ask at least so you can rule that out. Some babies - especially bigger babies are just slower and less coordinated. My niece weighed 12 lbs when she was born and she is now 13 and she is still very uncoordinated to this day. But very intelligent and smart!!

There are several different things that could be going on. An inner ear issue is possible since it can throw off balance and hearing, which will effect speech. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that controls movement, balance, and posture, so you might want to do some research on that and see if your son has any of the signs of a problem in that area of the brain. The thalamus and basal ganglia are also involved in movement so you might want to read up on those too so that you can be prepared with some medical facts when you go see the doctor. As for the speech, there is an area of the brain in the left hemisphere that is called Broca's Area. When this part of the brain is damaged the symptoms include the prevention of the production of speech, the person can understand speech, and the words that are spoken, if any, are slurred and slow or not properly formed. By no means am I saying that your son has brain damage, I just wanted to let you know what part of the brain controls the functions that you are seeing a delay in so that you can do more research on your own and be better informed as to where these fuctions happen. More than likely it's something small like something that has to do with his inner ear and can be easily corrected, but I'm the type to find all the information possible so that I actually can understand the doctor instead of just sitting there nodding my head ;) Hope this helps and you find what you are looking for. Good luck with the doc!

S.,

You might want to have him checked out for a touching syndrome, I can't remember the exact name at this time. Basically it means that his brain and nerves are not coordinated completely. The "cure" is actually non-invasive, easy, and basically free...it is called body brushing. The parent uses a a special small brush on the child in a specific pattern.

Your county health services will have more information. You can also give your local school system a call and talk with the physical therapist. The therapist can test your child and give you the exact instructions for the brushing technique.

Good luck!

Hi S.,

I am currently an LPN finishing my RN degree and working in a hospital setting. If his ears are fine and the problem persists you may be referred to a neurologist. You can always ask your physician about this option or in the event that you feel it is necessary, you are entitled to a second opinion (which insurace companies will normally cover). The fact that his speech and motor development is delayed may warrant a neurological exam and possibly an MRI. I am not specalized in pediatrics but I do have a basic understanding of physiology a general knowledge of growth and developmentsl stages. I have three children of my own as well 4,2,14mo.

S., your son may have just enough blockage in his ear canals that it may be preventing him from hearing all sounds necessary to learn to speak. My 18 month old just had tubes put in his ears and is now jabbering all day everyday after not speaking at all. The hearing specialist determined there was just enough fluid there to prevent hearing what he needed to. He is the only one of my 6 kids to have tubes and its made all the difference. He also told me about a little boy he helped who had your same problem that went away with tubes because he had an inner ear problem. Check with your local school district, with the Early Intervention program they may offer free hearing screenings and can offer suggestions and help. I have a little boy who is now 6 who almost didn't get the help he needed because we thought he would talk eventually and it ended up he had a developmental delay that would have affected his entire life! It may "just" be speech, but if it's his ears don't wait! They are all connected! Good luck!

Get this checked out!!! It sounds like his equal libreum (sp?) is off. This could be as simple as an ear problem or as serious as a brain tumor. Don't want to scare you, but it could be more than you think. Hope you get it figured out and it is nothing major!

Hi S.,
An inner problem could be the cause of both of these things. I would have it checked. :)

My daughter when she started walking and running had the cutest little waddle, she would swing her arms. She had numerous ear infections. So when she was 14 months old we took her to an ear nose throat doctor and he placed tubes in her ears. (It is a very simply surgery in and out in about 20 minutes.) When we got her home that day she no longer had her cute little running and walking swinging her arms any more. We felt bad for thinking of her cute little waddle was her style, but instead that was the way she was balancing herself. We were so thankful for the surgery for more than one reson.

I know this is a very late response but I felt like maybe I should at least say something. Does your son have any other times when he's sitting or crawling that his upper body seems to fall forward even for a split second and then is fine? The way you said that he sometimes just flat out falls to the ground reminded me of my son and his seizures. It took us months from the time he started to "collapse" or fall forward or just jerk a little when lying on his back, to realize that these were seizures. That was when he was 8 months old and just scooting and crawling. The seizures have caused him to be very delayed in everything from gross motor skills to speech. It seems more likely to me that it is an ear problem but I just thought I'd mention seizures in case there may be more symptoms that you haven't even really thought about, assuming that they were just little quirky things. (like we did unfortunately) Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

I would have the doctor review this developmental delay. It could be too many things.

I would do the hearing test in a heartbeat. It is an easy test.

If you find he needs an ENT, I also highly reccommend Jill Beck and SWIENT. While my son never had ear issues, he had a hemangioma on his nose and needed to have two moles removed from his scalp before the age of 3. Dr. Beck took care of both and I was so pleased with how everything went.

M.

My son was a late walker too, actually a late crawler also. I would say, yes, check w/ your doctor about his ears, but dont rule out a chiropractor. my sons atlas was out (the bone at the base of your skull) and after he was adjusted, big difference. i know when he is out cause he gets the trippies and fallies. His speach just "came". all of a sudden (it seemed) he just talked more. He didnt say alot at first.
Your spine is you lifeline!!!
goodluck
kim

I have an 18 month foster daughter who has had similar issues. She walks fine now, for the most part, but still has the occassional wipeout for no apparent reason.

She has a speech delay and other cognitive concerns, but her biggest problem is her hearing. She has had and failed several hearing screenings and we are on a waiting list to see an ENT to determine if she has permanent hearing loss/needs tubes or hearing aids. I would recommend you follow up with the ENT. Though our daughter also "hears" ok, she has partial hearing loss in the middle ear that is drastically affecting her speech delay.

Hang in there! Your concern is the first step in the right direction! Praying you get the answers you need!

My youngest daughter was the same way. We discovered at the age of 4 1/2 years that she had a hearing impairment called EVA (enlarged vestibular aqueduct). This is the part of the ear that controls balance. She has wore hearing aids since she was 5, after exploratory surgery on her ears, and leads a normal active life for a soon to 16 year old. She didn't walk until she was about 15 months and even then she would stumble quite often.

I know that with our daughter it was a sign of ear infection. I always knew when she had one because she would be falling all over. We recently had a hearing test done and the hearing test checks for an "echo" but if there is fluid in the ear then the echo will not be there. This happened with our daughter she failed the hearing test on the left side because of the fluid. She is getting tubes next week. I recommend seeing an ENT specialist. Its best to have it checked before it can affect his hearing.

I am by no means a doctor, but i sense some develomental delays. I would encourage following through with the hearing test for your son. I worked for an organization that assited families and children with disabilities and delays and i understand how difficult it is for families. what you percieve as hearing ok, my be that you and your son have a developed communication that works and has been successful for you both and is meeting your needs for communication.His hearing may also be just fine. Dont hesistate for second opinions, and remember that there are organzations out there that will help with the testing, diagnosis, and develomental therapy to get your son on track for when he starts school. He may just be taking his own time and with your patience, love and compassion, along with looking into what resources are available and using them to your sons advantage. Good luck, just dont wait till kindegarten screening to do something about it.

My granddaughter fell quite a bit when she started walking. She still does. She has a bit of a problem with her feet turning in (pigeon toed) which we are correcting. I would check his hearing anyway, since there is different tones that they can hear and others they can't. They also will check for inner ear problems. If these problems are ruled out, then maybe he just needs a bit more practice. If he seems to walk on his tippy toes, the doctor needs to know that also.

S.,

I am an aunt to a wonderful boy who had alot of the same things you have mentioned. I was wondering, did your Dr. even suggest checking for Cerebral Palsy? There are many levels and my nephew was a bit older than your son before the diagonsis came. He still has speach issues at 21, but is a great guy! I would ask the Dr about that as the speach can be helped and the walking will come with time and patience. I don't want to scare you as it could be something else, but as I read your post that is what came to mind.
Good Luck with everything!!

K.

Yes, it could be. I'd talk to your Dr., if nothing shows up ask about having him evaluated by a physical therapist if you are still concerned, this will let you know if something is wrong or ease your mind.

I do hope all is well.

GL:)

Hi, My name is T.. When I read your story it sounded identical to my son. Well both my sons. My first boy was a late walker, about 15 mo. He also had a speach delay. When I requested his hearing be tested, all they had to do is a Tempanagram (sp) and it showed that his ear drum wasn't moving at all. He had no ear infections as a baby at all. My second son did everything on track developmentally except for speach. I again asked for his hearing to be tested,same results!Ethan (second son) had many ear infections as a baby. Christian's (first son) ears cleared up at around 2 1/2- 3 years and he started to talk like crazy! He's 5 now and is talking and walking/running the same as all the other kids his age. Ethan had to have tubes in his ears at almost 2 yrs old. He's now 3 and 1/2 and still has one tube. He is hearing alot better, everything is "too loud" to him because he heard like he was under water before. He's in preschool through the school distict that is specifically designed for kids w/ speach delays. He's increasing his vocabulary by the day!
I know it seems like your son can hear but he may not be able to hear clearly enough to learn how to say things. Ethan could understand and follow directions well but couldn't reproduce what he heard. It's amazing how they adapt!
I would love to lend an ear and advise. I know your frustration!
As far as the falling, it could be that his equalibrium is way off!

Be sure to get his vision checked!!! He could have poor vision/depth perception. Tell your doctor you insist on it!

Have you tried a credible chiropractor? I have heard TONS of wonderful stories for everything from ear problems to turn-in and/or out feet, etc. My family has always gone to one before the MD, and I NEVER had a doctors visit other than well-child and a nasty bout of the chicken pox. Our kids seem to be thriving, too!

Oh can I relate to this... first of all, my son is 23 months old. He ALWAYS tripped and fell and still, isn't speaking full words. He signs, mostly. We have him in speech therapy, now, but his doctor (and two others) say he falls a lot because he's so tall (he's as tall as the average three/four year old; my hubby's 6'5!). Either way, it could be an inner ear thing... you won't know til he's evaluated. Our son came out "fine" in that department. He has 100% comprehension, just no speech. Signing with your son could really help him understand and give him another outlet to let you know his needs. I truly hope you find the "source" and keep us all posted. :)

Hi Stehpanie,
Since you have older children, you know what typical development looks like. I think you already suspect in your heart that there might be a problem. Get the hearing test done first to rule out a hearing difficulty. The next step would be to ask your pediatrician to do a developmental screening test. He/she will ask about your pregnancy and delivery all the other developmental milestones in your youngest son's life.If his development has been typical up until now and suddenly he's having these balance and speaking problems, then it really does sound like an inner ear problem. If his developmental milestones have all been a little later than his same age peers, I would suspect a bit of developmental delay. Good early intervention will really benefit him. Good luck!
B.

Every state should have an Early Intervention Program that would be totally free for your family to access. They would evaluate your son's development in all areas and if there was a need, come in to your home weekly and help you catch your son up. In our state, we use a "coaching" method and believe that intervention happens between visits. Early Intervention is very family centered. A good thing. It is very important to have his hearing tested as well. If he has a history of ear infections, he may have fluid that is interfering with his ability to hear all the sounds. Language should explode in the next few months and by two he should have 200 +words and be stringing at least 2 together most of the time. Don't wait another day.

I am a pediatric Physical Therapist. If there are any concerns regarding safety and balance, ask your pediatrician for a referral to a pediatric physical therapist--they will be able to take an objective look at your son's movement patterns and determine if he falls within the normal ranges or not. It could be an inner ear issue, but it could also be a coordination and/or balance issue unrelated to the inner ear. Often kids who are "clumsy" with walking are GREAT climbers because they can use their arms to help them move around, giving them more stability. As for the delay in speech, do NOT wait--get an evaluation from a pediatric speech therapist--they have excellent strategies that can help you and your family. Yes, every child develops differently, but at 19 months a child should have a very rapidly expanding vocabulary of spoken words. Early intervention is the key! Many times, my co-workers and I have seen kids "catch up" before they are 3 years old when they get services early. Hope that helps!

A family friend who has a little girl who did not start to walk until 18months. I think it takes a lot of practice to master this skill. Even though she finally began to walk she chose to crawl for quite a while. She is now a bright and fully charged four year old. I would not worry about it for a little while. Don't let others affect your thinking. As long as your ped is aware of what's going on....all little ones develop at a different pace. Walking and developing those skills take many a while to get.

Hi S. -- If your son was a late walker maybe he just needs more practice to get better! If you have an order to take him to an ear specialist I'd use it. There may be something wrong with his balance (inner ear) that a specialist could spot. Also, if he doesn't show any signs of improving -- even if slowly -- you might want to take him to a pediatric neurologist.

Good luck!

please get his ears checked. My son who is now 10 years old he talked late, walked like a drunk, then when he did start talking he slured his words. We finally got him tubes and he improved

If your pediatrician is requesting a hearing test done, you may also want to get a referral to see Dr. B at SWIENT ###-###-####). She's a pediatric ear nose and throat doctor and could tell you if there was a problem or who to see if she couldn't help. You may also look into seeing one of the developmental pediatricians ###-###-####)...Dr. L is pretty good at figuring out what may be going on as well as which dr's to recommend. It may be normal, but there may also be an issue that needs to be addressed. Have you talked about a referral for an evaluation for physical therapy? SLIERS is a good group to work with, and I've also heard good things about STARS. If you and your pediatrician are concerned, it would be a good idea to look into things like this (even the hearing test is good if it can rule something out). Good luck!

Our daughter, when she was 18 months old, started experiencing balance problems and the few words she did know suddenly were gone. It took years of specialists, tests, doctors, learning centers, etc. for anyone to understand what was wrong with her. She wasn't autistic - she just lacked large motor skill coordination and effective communication. Finally, four years later she was diagnosed with childhood aphasia and auditory processing disorder. For our daughter, these disorders were caused from her eighteen mo. immunizations. After a ton of research I found that there are thousands of kids country-wide who experience the exact same disorders caused from immunizations. I don't know if this is the case with you or not, but anytime I can share our experience with another mother - I jump at the chance to keep others from going through the same frustrating years-long diagnosis problems.

Hi S., I would definately get this hear checked. He may not have a large hearing loss, but it could be a possibility. I know that when my daughter was starting to walk she had some balance issues...and still does at times (she's now 9). With the speach delay too. That just makes me wonder. Get the hearing test and go from there. I know this is a hard thing to handle. I went through the same things with my daughter. When we found out that she was deaf, it was not an easy thing to handle. Let me know what happens and good luck.

I went through much the same thing with my son- he didn't walk hardly at all until 20 months. Ask your pediatrician if your state offers any programs for children with disabilities under age 3. My son- because he walked late is all- qualified for a great program that provided him with a physical therapist to rule out any problems with his legs or feet- pigeon toed, etc. There are many things that he said parents don't recognize because they don't know the small symptoms or signs. This program also offered gymnastics and great activities that helped him practice his coordination in a fun environment where he forgot to fall down. They also offered great speech therapy- and you may even get it for free! Sometimes it's also nice to know that you are not alone!

Hi S.,

I would follow the recommendation of the pediatrician to have his ear checked. He maybe hearing "ok", but that doesn't mean his hearing as well as he should be.

I would also check with the health department. They may offer a free developmental screening. Along with immunization by 2 yrs, its a good idea to have a developmental screening done by 2 yrs old as well. If a problem is discovered at this stage there are alot more options and programs to get him back on track and elimate and delays by the time he reaches kindergarden.

I found the info below, with a quick search.
http://www.utahbabywatch.org/
http://members.tripod.com/Caroline_Bowen/devel1.htm
If you do have any concerns please give the Utah Department of Health's Baby Watch staff a call at:
1-800-961-4226. They will put you in touch with an early intervention program near you.

Kind Regards,
TRUDI