Im at a Loss....

Hi M., I agree with the others. Unless you see other (significant) delays, there is nothing especially unusual about a 14 month old still just cruising.

Soon enough he'll be toddling around at the speed of light and you'll wish for the cruising days back!

Enjoy him.

:)

Trust me, he might start walking tomorrow. Cruising at 14 months is perfectly normal. My first child was the same way...she didn't try until she could be successful and all of a sudden, one day, she just walked.

He'll walk when he's ready, don't worry. Then you'll be like "WHY did I want him walking! Now I have to chase him!"

Hi M.,
Both my boys (now ages 5 and 7) started walking/running at 14 months....and they have not stopped since. I would guess that your son is right on track, but as Purple Mom mentioned, only a pedi would know for sure.

Enjoy these days of limited mobility, which sounds like will be ending soon! :)

Take care,
A.

We all want our kids to walk. Then, soon after they do walk, we wish they weren't able to get into so many things.

Relax and enjoy your child's development. He'll walk soon enough. My first walked whe he was about 13-14 months. But he helped my second all the time, and my second walked at 10 months.

Good luck to you and yours.

First of all, every child is different and progresses at their own rate. Sounds to me like he's doing just fine!!

What does your pediatrician say? As long as everything checks out fine physically, I wouldn't worry. He'll walk when he's ready.

Good luck!!

Patience is a virtue. He'll walk when he's ready.

Things that 'might' help, is having someone sit across from you on the floor and have the 'baby' walk between the 2 of you. Even if it's just a matter of taking 1 step w/o physically holding onto a hand or anything. 1 step is a start. But bottom line is, he's still scared he'll fall, so don't ask for more than a step or 2 to start with.

Plus of course, if you have toys that are designed to walk with/push that also helps.

Don't worry... he'll pick it up soon enough.

Perfectly NORMAL!!!! My son didn't start walking until 14 months. He walked holding on to something for the LONGEST time but just wasn't ready to let go yet!

I am sure others have said this - I don't have time to peek through everyone's answers...but push toys are a great start! Otherwise, with my son, we held both his hands, but then eventually we just held one hand and he did that for a while.

Think of it this way - he KNOWS crawling will get him where he needs to go and it will get him there FASTER than toddling on his feet. So, right now, he is going with what he is comfortable doing and that is okay! He will walk, don't worry!! :-) Pretty soon you won't be able to catch him! :-)

Great advise so far. The only suggestion I have is stop encouraging him. You said, " ... if he lets go of the sides and stands for awhile Ill try to encourage him to walk but he drops to his hand and knees and crawls ... " I would say, if he lets go of the sides and stands for awhile, bite your tongue and sit on your hands if you have to, but be silent. By encouraging him,you are making him aware of the fact that he could fall. He doesn't want to fall, so he drops down. Let him be. He'll explore or hover or maybe even take a step. Give him a chance to do that at his own pace. He'll get there.

Its normal. My daughter did not walk on her own until just before 18 months. I dont think Docs become concerened until after 18 months.

Get a push toy, but know that walking anytime before 18 mo. is normal. My DD was 14-15 months old when she finally decided to walk. She walked on her knees before that. I let her practice falling on my bed so she wasn't so afraid of falling down. It sounds like he'll be walking solo soon enough.

it's normal. HE's just not ready yet. I had one walk at 10 month, one at 11 months, one at 13 months and one at 14.5 month. My cousin's kid didn't walk until 19 months.

If he is well, then don't be worried. Kids move when they're ready. I know that it's not easy to live it, though. Do you take him by the hand (or both hands) and encourage him to walk that way? Maybe you can help him do some fun leg stretches or other exercises that might make his legs feel stronger to him. Sometimes when my son is lying down, I encourage him to use his legs and feet to push my hands away. Essentially leg presses, with me as resistance. We make a game of it. Don't focus specifically on the walking, just more on the strengthening of his legs, and don't pressure him.

When he is ready he will take off. Then you will say "what was I thinking" lol. They all develop i their own time. He just is not ready to take the plunge!

You're wasting your time, encouraging him. Act like you don't care & ignore him when he's standing there, holding on to nothing. He's sensing your anxiety. He will be walking, before you know it!

My cousin and his wife ALWAYS helped their firstborn. At 18 months she was not walking and they would not listen to the doctor that she was behind. Soon they won a weekend getaway and Grandma babysat for the first time. There were a lot of tears, but that child walked by Sunday because Grandma would not pick her up and made her.
I could not do it cold turkey myself. I would set objects he wanted on the couch or across the room. Make him go get them. Or maybe walk across the room and everyone have fun and dance and make him come to you to get attention.

Don't worry. It's a good thing. In my child development classes, we found out that crawling has mental benefits for him. My daughter did not walk until she was almost 15 months. You would never know that it took her so long. Your son just needs some time.

Kids will do things on their own time. My son didnt walk until about 15months old. My daughter however is almost 11months and has been walking for a little over a week. Just keep playing with him and he will when he's ready.

My son finally starting crawling at about 10 or 11 months and then started walking right at 1 year. My daughter didn't crawl until about 1 year and finally started walking at around 15 months. Every child is different and it really just has to happen at his/her own pace. Of course you can encourage him to try to walk to you or use the ride on/push toys to help, but if either of you become frustrated then it is time to stop. Same goes for potty training. Some are potty trained as early as 18 months and others not until 4. At any rate, once he figures it out there will be no stopping him and you will never sit again either! LOL!
Good luck!
A.

My youngest is 13 months and she's doing the same thing! Her sister was walking at 10 months! All kids are different. As long as your son is learning and developing other skills, and not complaining of discomfort or pain, then I'd think he's fine.

If I were you I would contact Early Childhood Intervention and speak to the pediatritian. Obviously you are concerned, it is time to address them.

How is his overall development? Any words/gestures? How is his core strength? Overall muscle tone? Are you carrying him a lot? If so, stop. My son was considered developmentally delayed. He did not walk until about 17 months. When we stopped carrying him and made him get around on his own, he got to walking quickly. There were times we had to let him cry. We did seek early childhood intervention services. The OT helped us to develop his core strength. He required speech therapy too. Now at age 7 you would never know. OT stopped within 6 months and speech was over before he entered kindergarten. Don't wait, see if you can get an evaluation. It never hurts to get information. Be your child's advocate. Be proactive not reactive.

Most babies will walk sideways at first because it's easier to balance that way. He will go forward when he feels more secure and steady and practice makes perfect. Let him out of the play yard when you can watch him and have him try to come to you from a short distance so he feels secure. Don't do it all day but try it once in awhile and he'll get steady and try it one day. Age is nothing but a guide to go by. Of course if he was over 18 months maybe the doctor should check him but even then some kids are cautious and some aren't. I had one actually take steps at 8 months old and one at 13 months and others in between. They are different like we adults are different. Crawling is great so let him have fun with that for awhile too. Enjoy your little one. They grow up so fast.

Your son is still in the normal timeframe. I wouldn't worry until he is 17 or 18 months. My daughter walked at 15 months. She took her time getting there, but once she finally walked, there was no stopping her.

hes just not quite ready yet.. my fiances friends daughter, also 14 months is the exact same way.. she walks great holding on to something but as soon as theres nothing to grab onto she crawls... is your son a big boy?? my friends daughter is on the bigger side and he thinks thats why its taking her a little longer to walk on her own without holding on.. just keep the encouragement going .. he'll do it eventually

My daughter didn't walk until 21 months...she was developmentally fine...she just found crawling much easier and faster than that walking business.

I had her evaluated and they gave me some things to work with her to help get her up and moving...but there was no real "reason" she didn't want to walk other than stubbornness.

Wait until your 18 month check up and if he still isn't walking let your pediatrician give you some advice or schedule you for an evaluation.

Why are you worried about this? His time schedule for walking shouldn't be for anyone but him, M.. You are looking at it as something for YOU in regards to him walking. It has nothing to do with you.

He is not ready in his brain yet. This is developmental and he will walk when he is ready. Don't push him.

Dawn

I think you got all the answers you need, but I thought I'd chime in anyway:) My daughter is almost 17 months old and she still doesn't walk much. Just this last week was the first time she walked across the living room on her own. Before that she wouldn't take more than 5 steps and that was with us coaching her. Instead, the little rascal walks on her knees! She walks on her knees even more than she crawls. I've come to the conclusion that there is absolutely nothing wrong with her besides pure stubbornness! My son didn't walk until 13 months, but once he started there was no stopping him. My daughter has more of the "I'll do what I want, when I want" type of personality. Help me, Lord!!!