Walking - Conroe, TX

My son is also 17 months and started walking right at 10 months. I don't know if this helped my son, but I bought one of those sit and push toys. You can convert the riding toy into a pushing toy and my son would walk with it. Initialy I would hold the front of the toy and guide it (so it would not give out in front of him) and let him push and walk with it. Good Luck. Every child is different.

Hi K.,
My son started walking at 19 mos of age. He is now 4 and
very healthy. My son was obese when he was a toddler and
that was why he was a little late walking.

Good luck,
Elisa M

18 months is when the pediatrician will start looking for reasons that a child isn't walking yet. It could be that the health issues you mentioned are causing the delay. The pediatrician should be able to discuss that with you at your upcoming 18 month well check.

Hi K.,
If he is crawling that is good. You did not mention what health issues you were dealing with but I would not be too concerned. Some children just take a little longer than others- Just be sure your Pedi is aware and he /she will know how to guide you.
good luck and blessings

My daughter didn't actually walk until 15 months, but she would cruise around (holding onto furniture and the coffee table) starting around 11 or 12 months. Took her a while to let go. I bought a Fisher Price walking toy... The one that converts between a little car and an upright walker. That really helped build her confidence. I have a friend whose son wasn't walking very much (due to low muscle tone issues) and loaned her the same toy... It helped him get upright also. (Let me know if you want me to find you a link of the walker toy.)

My son didn't start walking until 14 mths. I believe after 15 mths and not walking is where "they" actually draw a line and say it's delayed. My daughter has Down's, and we're working with her through ECI (Early Childhood Intervention). They are a federally and state funded program and they come to you. They have been WONDERFUL! Google "Early Childhood Intervention" and put in your location and you can look up their contact information. Call them and request services. It was so easy and doesn't break the bank. I can't recommend it highly enough. They showed me such little tricks that made the world of difference. She is only 6 mths now, and I am not mortified of her development. Not that I really ever was, outside of the diagnosis and prognosis of it itself, but where she was behind, she caught up in like a week or two. They can really, really help. Looking back, I wish I'd have known these things with my son.

My first child walked at 10 months. My second child just turned a year today and she is not walking yet at all. I think they say that most children walk sometime between 12-14 months, but it can take until 18 or 19 months and that does not mean there is any kind of delay at all. Also, I've heard that girls often develop a little faster than boys, but I don't know how true that is.
I think you really don't need to stress about the walking unless he's getting close to age 2 and still shows no signs of wanting to walk.

My friend's 3rd daughter was 18 months old, not walking and due for her check-up. Her oldest daughter walked just after she turned 18 months, so my friend, not wanting to have to deal with the pediatrician's concerns about her youngest not walking yet, called and postponed the 18 month checkup by one month. Sure enough, when they went to the checkup when she was 19 months, she was walking! Her 2nd child walked at around 12 months, very average. They all have their own timetables! FYI, my friend's oldest is exceptionally brilliant, was reading at age 4, but was just a late walker. I'm sure your son will be fine! :-)

Usually boys are later than girls but he should already start holding things and start walking. I kept walking mine around and around. Good luck.

Don't get discouraged. Every child is different. If he's crawling then he's also working on different parts of his brain that will help with learning. When children crawl they are working on their reading ability and the longer they crawl the easier it is for them to learn to read later. So don't get discouraged.

My daughter started crawling at 11 months and walking at 17 months. As a first time mom it was sometimes hard not to compare her with other babies who were walking sooner. Looking back, it doesn't seem like a big deal. She was always a big girl for her age, not sure if that had anything to do with it. Definitely check with your pediatrician though.

My son started at 13 months. He walked holding on to fruniture at about 11 months. The books say to be consirned if he is not walking at 16 months. But if he has health issues ( causing the delay ) it might be something you could give one on one attention too. Help and encourage him to walk. There are walking toys that you could get too. Good luck. Also our floor is tile and slick he walked better on carpet at our neighbors house.

18 months is considered w/in the norm. Discuss it with your pediatrician at the 18 month checkup.

My oldest son started walking at 9 months. The baby boy, who would later become his best friend, began walking the same week-however that boy was 18 months old. They were both up and running at the same time, my son early and my friend's son later. She worried a lot about him. I can tell you that by the time they started Kindergarten (in different school years), you could not tell who had walked first, potty trained first (the other boy), etc. I had 4 children who all started walking at different ages, the youngest at 16 months, so I worried even though I knew that I needn't. I want to say "don't worry", but it never helps me to hear that either. As mothers part of our job is worry, but let me assure you that today those 2 boys are 25 years old and have very successful careers and maintained their sweet personalities--that's what's important.

My son did not walk until he was 17 1/2 months. That being said, if you have any concerns whatsoever, have your pediatrician check him out and ask about a referral to see a developmental pediatrician. My friend who is a developmental pediatrician, says that she would be interested in examining a child who is 18 months and not walking. BUT, that it can be perfectly normal for an 18 month old to be completely healthy and not walking. Some kids just take longer. She told me that she would be very concerned about a 2 year old who appears otherwise normal and is not walking. Her advice to me was...check out a child who is not walking by 18 months, just to be sure there are no previously undiagnosed skeletal, muscle, or neurological issues. Give them time to decide to walk if everything checks out okay. If they don't walk by 24 months, start really looking for issues that would prevent walking and start physical therapy.

Both of my kiddos started walking shortly after their first birthday.

If your son isn't pulling himself up to a standing position, or able to take a couple steps holding on to something, I would get him checked out. Better safe than sorry, and if there is a motor delay early intervention can work wonders.

You could talk to your pediatrician about a referral, or have your son evaluated for free through the state's Early Childhood Intervention. 1-800-628-5115
http://www.dars.state.tx.us/ecis/

Hi K.!

Don't fret! These kids will walk when they're good and ready. I have 3 and the two older ones started walking at different ages (17 mos and 9 mos). It all depends on their developmental rate. If they're not walking by the time they're 2 (24 mos) then I would definitely seek the guidance of the Ped Dr. It just depends on you and what you're comfortable with. If you have concerns about her motor skills, then definitely address them.

Hope that helps! Good luck and God Bless! :)
A. S

My daughter started walking at 17 months; she's currently 18.5 months now. We were starting to get a little worried but; we figured she could walk and just didn't want to. (She's been cruising since 9/10 months old.)

My daughter goes to daycare and all the other babies there (except one) have been walking since 12 months and earlier and I started wondering if something was wrong... I always reminded myself that you can't make them walk and they'll do it when there ready; in addition my doctor wasn't concerned. So - after walking for 1.5 months; she's just as good (if not better) at walking than her playmates.

My god daughter who now has three children of her own, was very slow to walk, slow to talk, slow to read. About her sophomore year in high school something snapped and she became head of her class, etc.
Hopefully your son is like Dena.

Hello K.! This is one of those questions that is going to vary so much and there is not a normal time.. it will all depend on the child..

That being said, I walked after I turned 1 years old. My mom says I never really crawled, I scooted on my bottom. She said she was really upset cause everybody else's children seemed to be walking by the age of 1, but I would not do it. She mentioned this to my grandfather and he picked me up, put me on my feet and placed me facing my mom. My mother said, I just took off running towards her!

My mother in law had always told me that my husband walked at 6 months old. I of course thought she was just remembering incorrectly.. The moment our daughter was born and they placed her on my stomach, I spoke to her calling her name. She lifted her head and looked at me and stretched her legs and pushed her legs.. I knew right then that this was going to be an early walking child.

Sure enough each time we held her, she would push her legs against what ever she could push against. She refused to sleep on her back and would roll over at about 3 weeks. She could always lift her head up. She scooted at about 3 months, and demanded to be placed on the floor standing on her feet! My mother and mother in law told me this was not a good idea. She "needed to learn to crawl." "She will hurt herself." At 6 months she was walking on her own.. It was pretty wild and her caregiver was not pleased, because she had other children to watch and was worried our daughter would get hurt. Our daughter spent lots of time in a walker and and a door way jumpy thing. We could not keep her in the swing, cause she would grab hold of the legs and try to climb out.. Our daughter also spoke in full sentences very early with a pretty amazing vocabulary. She understood different feelings, when we would give her the words. She was about 1 when she told me she was "frightened, because" she "did not feel good". I had to go to work that day, so my MIL was sitting for us. MIL really got after me and told me our daughter "did not know what she was saying". That night our daughter ended up in the hospital with pneumonia.. She was there for 5 days she was so ill.

Some children will not walk till 14 to 16 months, some children with developmental issues will walk even later. As long as your child is figuring a way to get around and showing progress, they are considered on track, but your Pedi will always rate the child based on what is "average". It is so hard to compare kids. Our daughter was one of the last to be fully potty trained, but I did not care. I did not want to stress her and knew she would not end up in school in diapers. She also was a late reader compared to other kids.. it seemed to me...And it wasn't till mid year in kinder she learned to tie her shoes, most of the kids in her class were able to tie their shoes when school started.. It is all so individual.. .