Anything to do to get my baby walking??? At wits end

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amother

Magenta

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 5:29 pm

He's almost 17 mos and crawls all over. Very heavy to carry and I want him to walk! All my kids walked by 16 mo. He does stand on his own and can make a few steps!! But other than that no. What can I do to encourage him??

tweety1

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 5:30 pm

Maybe get him a pair of pedi peds

mha3484

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 5:32 pm

We have a similar situation but mine gets PT. We do walking bootcamp. He has shoes and any where that he would be carried he has to walk holding hands. To and from the car, inside stores etc. Also anytime you see him crawling pick him up and hold his hands and make him walk. Mine has become too comfortable crawling and is a little timid and lazy. These were some of the suggestions of the PT.

pesek zman

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 5:40 pm

Mine started walking at 17 months. Wasn't a big deal

FranticFrummie

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 6:00 pm

You mentioned that he is a very heavy child. What does the doctor say about his weight? Larger children have a harder time walking. Has he been tested for low muscle tone?

animeme

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 6:30 pm

I would do a PT eval. He may have low muscle tone and need a structured program. If he needs, you'll get it. If not, the therapist will give you pointers.

amother

Magenta

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 6:38 pm

He's not exceptionally heavy. No. I'm just weak and early pregnant to carry him. Hes a full baby keh. Not a dr concern. I like the idea of holding his hands whenever possible. I do that a lot. I even walked around the shabbos candles 7 times! As a segulu! But like someone said he's more comfortable crawling. I don't want him to be comfortable. Should I put him on shoes??

gp2.0

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 6:40 pm

Mine started walking at 18 months. Totally wasn't a big deal. She was just really good at crawling, she crawled for a full year (she started crawling at 6 months old) until one day she realized that walking was faster and boom, she started walking overnight bh.

amother

Tan

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 6:47 pm

Get a PT evaluation for him.

LiLIsraeli

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 6:52 pm

amother wrote:

Sorry to hijack, but how is this a segula?

Rubber Ducky

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 7:02 pm

I walked at 18 months. Not heavy, no other delays, and they didn't even have pediatric PTs back then. But I was very cautious.

The story in my family goes that my grandfather came to visit from out of state and opened up a suitcase full of toys. I forgot to be afraid and walked across the room to see the treasures inside.

smile12345

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 7:12 pm

I wouldn't do anything at 17 months, especially if he is already taking a few steps on his own. As long as everything else seems regular, I think it's best to give them their space to develop in their own time.

One of my siblings only started walking just before they turned two and didn't require any following intervention.

amother

Magenta

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 7:16 pm

LiLIsraeli wrote:

Sorry to hijack, but how is this a segula?

Oh don't ask me!! I heard about it years ago! Did it with all children. walked around with a doll carriage or with 2 adults. Sometimes it helped.

3232

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 7:41 pm

Had similar situation. Baby finally started walking at 16 month old. The last push was a doll carriage. Which he enjoyed pushing all around the house. By that time he was already well supported and was able to push carriage all over. Not realizing he by mistake started walking with out carriage.

amother

Gray

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 7:56 pm

I also would get the PT evaluation. IY"H it's nothing and in a month or so you'll be chasing him as he runs but as a mother of a kid who needed help, early intervention is so important. Better you should do the eval and feel you wasted your time and money than to wish you had done one earlier.

yogabird

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 8:24 pm

Honestly, I would just leave it alone and let him develop at his own pace. Can you get him a walking toy and a pair of soft soled shoes? But if you're really worried, you may want to have his vision checked. My oldest started walking at 19 months and we later discovered that she has a lazy eye, and that many kids with vision issues are late walkers.

gp2.0

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 9:17 pm

Don't get him shoes. Bare feet are best for learning how to walk. Kids should only wear shoes once they've been walking for several weeks.

You can encourage him to pull up and stand and take a few steps in fun, subtle ways - place a toy on a low table, couch or chair so he has to pull up to access it, get him one of those sturdy doll carriages or walkers that are made for this, etc.

Honestly it sounds to me like he'll be walking within a month. Once they've begun pulling up and taking a few steps walking follows quickly.

A PT eval is ludicrous for a 17 month old who is actively crawling, pulling up, walking with assistance and taking several unassisted steps on his own.

amother

Magenta

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 9:29 pm

Thank you gp2. You're saying sturdy doll carriage. He walks around with a flimsy one, and balances himself to perfection! But he refuses to take more steps on his own. Like if I put a toy on a chair, he'll only walk to it if it's not more than 2 steps away. If it is he'll crawl to it. Just finds it easier to crawl I guess and I need to be more patient. (And stop dreaming about his new pair of shoes for rosh hashana)

granolamom

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 9:44 pm

gp2.0 wrote:

as a PT, I agree with you, gp2.0

aside from the last part, if a mother is deeply concerned, then a PT eval is not ludicrous. but if the mother is just dreaming about shoes for YT, then the problem is probably not a developmental one, just a mismatch of mothers expectations and babys developmental pattern.
babies have an innate DESIRE to walk. I do not believe that any healthy, otherwise typically developing child chooses not walk out of laziness. think about it...walking is so much more efficient than crawling! absent any physical/neurological signs, its just a matter of readiness. keep giving baby plenty of opportunities (meaning dont keep him in stroller for hours at a time, or in any seat for that matter) and keep his feet out of shoes, which dont help (they add weight and limit sensory feedback to the feet).

amother

Sapphire

Thu, Sep 22 2016, 9:54 pm

amother wrote:

Young children entrain with the parents' nervous system, so the child may possibly be picking up the mother's eagerness to have him/her walk (for her benefit) and this may possibly set up unconscious resistance in the child.

I would shift my attention to other matters and let go of this for a while. Child may sense you've shifted your attention and are no longer expecting this of him/her and may then begin to walk for his own benefit- rather than to make you happy.

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