Should I Be Worried If My Baby Is Walking Late?

Every baby is different. Even if you have more than one child you will notice that they are often completely different. Baby milestones are important, but they are just guidelines. If your baby is walking late, it can happen for many reasons. It is not a sign that something is wrong. Some babies simply do things in their own time.

What Doctors Consider Late for a Baby Walking?

The healthy range for walking is actually very wide. Some babies will take their first steps as early as 9 months of age while others will only venture into the world of walking at around 18 months. That said, most pediatricians consider a late walker to be a child who is around 15 months old, but again this age can vary from doctor to doctor and a late walker does not mean your baby has walking problems. A child with delayed walking is not an issue if that child is reaching all of their other milestones, and is thriving and healthy.

Reasons Why Do Some Babies Walk Late?

There are a few reasons for your baby is not walking at 18 months. Some are physical reasons – your child may have a developmental problem that makes walking difficult or even painful for them. This could include conditions such as hip dysplasia, soft or weak bones, or cerebral palsy. If your baby does have one of these, you will probably know before they reach this milestone. Another reason could be your baby’s personality – some children simply take longer than others, there might be absolutely nothing wrong.

What about Crawling?

As your baby develops, each milestone helps them to reach the next one. Rolling over is one of the first milestones that help your baby push up to crawl, crawling, in turn, helps your baby start to pull themselves up to stand. Crawling also helps to develop your child’s core and allows them to practice crossing their midlines. All of these are critical skills for your child to learn, which is why it is important for them to crawl before they walk. But if they don’t, don’t stress, just encourage them to crawl, even if they can now walk.

5 Things You Can Do If Your Baby Is Late Walker

Is your baby walking late? We have put together a few things you can do to try to encourage your reluctant walker to take their first steps.

1. Encourage Moving

Through movement, your baby will build up the confidence to try to stand and ultimately walk. Create an environment that encourages movement, even if it is crawling. Play with your child, use toys that move so they have to chase them or fetch them. Take them to new spaces and encourage them to explore, the more they move the more they will want to move. Make it easy for them to move.  Remove all obstacles so that they have the freedom to explore and crawl around. Dancing is another great thing to do to encourage movement.

2. Muscle Tone

Build muscle tone. If your baby has a good strong muscle tone this will help them to walk. Movement helps to build muscle tone and you can start moving your little one from when they are a newborn. Activities like crawling build muscle tone as does pulling your little one gentle to stand. Building obstacle courses for your little one is a fun way to build muscle tone, make sure you include a few activities that encourage crossing the midline – this is also important for muscle tone. If you are certain your baby has good muscle tone but is still not walking, you might want to check in with your health care provider.

3. Box or Push Toy

Push walkers and push boxes can help to encourage your little one to start pulling themselves up. These are useful to help your baby build up the confidence to stand on their own and take those first steps. Walkers often have activities built into them which encourage your little one to pull themselves up and push the toys. If you do have a late walker then introducing a push toy can be beneficial in encouraging them to take their first steps.

4. Give Baby Support

As much as you might want to you can’t walk for your baby, you also can’t force them to do something they are not ready for. Instead, your role is to be their cheerleader. Encourage them as much as you can, praise them when they try new things, and support them constantly. With lots of positive affirmation and support, your baby will start walking, it might just take a little longer for some babies.

5. Do Not Compete with Other Parents

Comparison really is the thief of joy. It is hard to not compare your child to your friends and family. We all want our kids to be “the best” but comparing and competing with other children will just cause unnecessary heartache and pain – avoid doing it. Your child may walk a little later than others, but they might talk quicker or reach another milestone earlier. In the end it all works out, so just keep encouraging and supporting your child.

FAQs

Is it normal for a 15-month-old not to walk?

One in ten children take their steps between 15 and 18 months old. A baby not walking at 15 months is not abnormal.

Should I be worried if my 14-month-old baby doesn’t walk?

If your child is healthy, reaching other milestones, and your health care provider is not concerned, then you don’t need to worry.

Will delayed walking be a problem later on for my child?

There is no research that suggests late walkers develop problems later on in their life.

Final Words

We know it can be concerning when your child is not reaching a milestone, but it does not always mean that there is something to worry about. We hope this article has given you some peace of mind when it comes to your baby walking. If you have found it useful, please share it with your family and friends. Also, feel free to leave your comments!