20 Mo Old Tip-toeing... Just a Phase???

K., like the other mom's said, it's just a phase! All three of my children did it, including my son who now has very nice muscular calves...tell dad to consider it a great way to build his leg muscles for sports!

My daughter did this and my brother in law who is a pediatrician pointed it out to me. He told me to get her a pair of stiff-soled house shoes and keep them on at all times as kids are more likely to go on their tip toes when they are barefoot. The only concern was something about the muscles getting shorter.

Both of my children went through this and it is just a phase. He is just experimenting with his balance. I think it shows his intelligence and grace.

I walked on my tip toes - it wasn't a phase. It is one of the symptoms of my disease: CMT (which is a neurological disorder that involves foot drop and short achilles tendons).

I know you mentioned that you didn't want to hear from people who have experience with these ailments but I thought I might have a useful perspective. When I walked on my toes, it definitely WAS a symptom of a medical condition. But, unlike your son, I was physically incapable of doing anything OTHER than walk on my toes! It wasn't a phase and it wasn't a fun, new way for me to walk. That was literally the only way I could get around. (And I was up on my toes from the moment I first started walking.)

I'd tell your husband to relax. Your son obviously CAN walk normally. If he goes up on his toes all the time and for every step he takes, THEN you can get concerned and take him to the doctor. But, as of right now, he's just being a normal kid!

It's just a phase!!! One symptom doesn't equate to a diagnosis of anything. My son tip-toed around and around and around. He walked on tip-toes, he ran on tip-toes, heclimbed on his tip-toes. We used to call him twinkle toes! He's 18 now, with no achilles tendon trouble, cp, autism or any other problem to speak of. Well, he does suffer from, "Idon'twanttogetajobitis" hee hee. As long as your little twinkle toes can place his feet on the ground, flex his toes up towards him and his feet don't look like they're constantly pointed. I would say, "it's a phase". Your husband is so very sweet and his love for his baby is very evident. Maybe he could try to stay away from the symptom web surfing? It's hard...I try not to do it all the time with my daughter. I've found my anxieties and fears are put to rest once I speak to our pediatrician, she's my voice of reason and has some serious medical education.

Good Luck!
K.

My now 3 year old very very healthy son, started tip toeing about that age. He still does it occassionally. He definately does not have either of the afore mentioned disorders.

K.,

Relax, it's just a phase. My son is 4 1/2, is "normal" and tip toed for a short time. My daughter is 15 months and is starting to tip toe now and then. It is a totally normal stage of growing up for kids.

Hope this helps,
Melissa

My son has cp. He ALWAYS walked on his toes. It wasn't now and then or when he wanted to take his time. Plus it was really only one foot, he fell over a lot and we thought he might not walk. He now plays Ice Hockey.
Tell your husband not to worry, he's just trying out something new.
My oldest boy didn't crawl until after he walked. Kids do what is interesting at the time.
Good luck!

My son did this, it was just a phase.

My son went through that stage too. It is just something new to do. I thought it was cute. It lasted about a month. He does not do it anymore. He is now 27 months old.

Tell you husband not to worry.

D.

My son (who'll be 3 next month) has done this off and on since he got comfortable walking. It never worried me.

He walks with his feet firmly on the floor, runs, and does all kinds of other stuff, too. I think he either just finds it fun, or maybe he's stretching....??

He's been to every well-child visit with our pediatrician, and always passes with flying colors, everything "normal", healthy, wonderful, etc.

In my opinion, as a mom/observer, it seems like they enjoy doing stuff they discover, and "can" do, like standing on their heads, walking on tip toes, crawling after they don't need to anymore, and all the other things kids discover that are brand new to them, and fun just for that reason, because it's new and/or different.

this is a very normal phase & it will go away on it's own or you can play on it & tell him he is walking like a gymnist /ballarina . which will either help him to stop or encourage this balancing act. My daughter is 24 months & is doing this cute phase -we are playing on it & encouraging the whole ballarina thing & it is just as cool / impressive when guys do ballet or gymnastics (we have to have guys in order to have the Nutcraker suite) :) .

My daughter started doing this too about 2 years old and still does on occasion, don't worry! I think it's just fun for them as they're discovering the many things their body can do.

K., There are alot ofchildren, I own a daycare and have nine grandkids, three of which i am raising. The granddaughter that I am going to tell you about is a healthy, great student and going into education after she graduates next year, but she walked on her tiptoes and was doing it past the age that she should have. we took her into a specialist and the only thing he did was say that he thoughtit was getting to be moreof a habit so he sent us to a motorskills specialist that had her walk up and down a slanted ramp that required her to walk flat footed.Then we had to remind her allthe time to walk flatfooted. He also had ushave her putone foot in front ofthe other and walk on a chalk line that we put on the ground.
The main reason for doing this was sothat she would not develope overdeveloped calves that she would hate. Other than that she was perfectly normaland had just developed a habit that needed to bebroken. The teatment really helped her to be more co-ordinated andgraceful...
But it is nothing to worry about ...your child has found something new to do...Savannah was four and still doing it that is why we stopped her. She was broke of it by kindergarten..but when we saw her doing it we remindedher to putherheelon the ground...plus we put her in heavier shoes. Something that it was not as easy to do it in. But it sounds like you have a very adventuresome healthy child that is experimenting with fun things to do. L.

Hi K.,

My oldest, who is now 17, started walking on her tip toes when she was little--I don't even remember what age. She didn't do it all the time when she was little, and she doesn't do it all the time now, but she has, from time to time, done it quite often for many many years.

I once asked a doctor about it, but he said that it was no big concern so we didn't worry about it again. She has never seemed to exhibit any other signs of trouble either mentally or physically that were worrisome, so I just figured the walking on the toes thing is a quirk of hers.

If you and your hubs are concerned, take your son in to be seen by his doctor to set your minds at ease. If he he has a problem, you're catching it early, and if not, well there's no harm in making sure all was right in the first place.

Hope this helps.

K. W

This behavior can be totally normal but also can be a sign of autism if it is linked with other autism like behaviors. (Head banging, rocking, speech delays, not turning to you when his name is called, poor eye contact, non-interest in social behavior.) Usually kids with autism ONLY walk on their toes. I would give it some time...and if your worried ask your doctor. Chances are he is just going through a little phase.

Hi K.~
I know for sure at least one of my children did this and it seems like it was just a phase and without getting out the baby books, I can't remember all the details. That's why I'm thinking it was just a phase. I do, however, remember talking to the pediatrician about it and he assured me she would stop-and she (or they) did. One thing he said was tall, early walkers-which all of mine were-have somewhat of a tendency to do this because now that they're getting up and around more, they want to see and explore more, (especially the more curious ones) so being on your tip-toes makes you that much more taller, which made sense to me. They did it at a much younger age than your son is-I think under a year old-they were all walking by ten months. I also know that if it turns into a constant habit, it can shorten the calf muscle, which you can see why that might happen. When we noticed the child(ren) doing it, we would just say, "Heels!" If you choose that route, make sure he knows what 'heels' are.
It may be that it just feels good, especially if they're in a growth spurt. He could have had a slight charlie horse in the middle of the that he doesn't remember and wasn't severe enough to wake anyone...just a thought.

Yes, this is a phase so tell hubby to RELAX! :) Our daughter did that for quite sometime also but she got to the point where she would run like that...Ohhhhh Ouch! If it really bothers you or if it gets to be happening too often or a lot more, just find some stiff shoes or boots and make him wear them everyday. Pretty soon, he'll forget all about tip-toeing completely. Oh and Expanding your family would be the Best thing for hubby as he wouldn't have so much time to worry about every little thing. :) Just a hint from an older Mom.

My daughter did this for a while too! Turns out it was just like when she discovered she could walk backwards. She did it for a couple weeks straight and now only does it occasionally. I think your son probably just discovered a new skill and is having fun with it.

I wouold not worry, They are just exploring learning what there body can do!!

ha ha ha, it's a phase. So many kids do this. Don't worry

One of my nephews is what we call a "toe walker". He's walked on and off on his toes since he was about 15 months old. He is just fine, no problems, just likes to walk on his toes. Hang in there, I know that having a child who does something that isn't "normal" can be a real challenge. Relax, you're doing a great job!

My son who will be 2 on the 25th of June does that too....our Ped said it is a phase and it's actually a good thing 'cuz he's working on balance ~ we make a game out of it, when I see him do it I sing "tippy-toe, tippy-toe" and he does it more and faster, back and forth across the living room.....by the time I'm done singing his little muscles are tired and he stops. I think it's a concern when it's the ONLY way they get around.

I didn't read any of the other responses so I hope I'm not just repeating, but just thought I'd let you know all 3 of my children went through a tip-toe stage. And so did my sisters 3. And we have 3 girls and 3 boys between the 2 of us. Hopefully your husband will have no more worries after reading all of these! Good Luck.

Both of my children did this around that age. My daughter did it far longer than my son. Neither child has any sign of cp or autism. They also don't have any achilles problems. Those sort of problems would present in different ways. I never worried myself over it, because they didn't do it all the time and seemed to be enjoying moving in a new way. I never asked their Dr. why they do it, but maybe your husband should seek help there. The internet can be such a scary place to find information. There's more bad info than good.

My niece walked on her tiptoes for almost a year when she first started walking. She is a healthy active 6 1/2 year old now and the docs were never concerned about it. I think its just a new skill that they have learned and want try it out as much as possible. Of course if you are concerned ask your pediatrician about it and maybe have him screen for autism but I am almost willing to bet that its nothing to worry about.