"Late" Walker

My 3rd son was exactly the same. He had NO desire to walk. Finally, when he was 15 months, I bought one of those toy lawn mowers. He wanted to push it so badly, that by the end of 3 days, he was walking.

My youngest son started pulling himself up to walk at 6 months. That was as far as it went. He suffered from a lot of ear infections. I think that he must have had water in his ears because as soon as we got the tubes put in his ears he was walking. My other kids never walked until they were 15 months. I think we all hear those stories about how other peoples' kids were walking at 7 months. She will walk when she gets all the coordination together. I was in a car accident and had to learn to walk again and there are many muscles involved in walking. We all just tend to take things for granted. when she starts you will wish that she would just sit still.

Hi Jackie - my first didnt walk until he was over 15 months, he rarely even cruised preferring to crawl. He took his first steps around 12-13 months but preferred crawling.

My husband actually coaxed him into walking - at first my son would cruise from thing to thing and finally Dad led him to bigger and bigger spaces where he had to take a step or two.

Continue working with your little gal and offering her lots of praise when she takes a step. My doc said 18 months is the point where they would take a look if he wasnt walking by then.

If you're concerned about a hip issue with her foot sticking out, have her checked out. My chiropractor treated both of my kids since they were 1 month old. I have a feeling she's just fine and perfect and wanting to do things in her own time.

Good luck,
C.

I have 4 children. Two of them walked at 13 mos., but my other 2, both girls, didn't walk until almost 18 months. They were both cruisers, and got around very easily (and quickly), but they had no interest in just "letting" go and walking. I did have my older daughter evaluated by the pediatrician, and he said she was really flexible, and said there was nothing to worry about. The funny thing is, when both my late walkers did start walking, they just took off---very little stumbling or falling. It's like they went from crawling to running with no "in between". I wouldn't worry too much, but you can always ask your pediatrician.
By the way, babies with slower large motor skills may often display other opposite traits (usually a great vocabulary is evident), while babies with great large motor skills may have a less developed vocabulary. It's nothing to be concerned with, it just seems that one trait develops before the other---it all eventually evens out!

My 1st child wasn't a late walker, but she was encouraged to take steps alone using an interesting technique.

Some friends of mine and my now husband held food in front of her and walked backward. She, loving food, followed them and thus took off walking. She has never stopped since then.

Good luck & have a GREAT day!

S.

I agree with the other lady, take something she loves, and walk backwards from her. As of the foot, my kids never did that, and I've heard of some doing that, but it turned out to be a problem. But for you it may be nothing. My first never walked until she was about 2 and half years old. My son was walking by the time he was 7 months, so every child is different, and just gotta give it time, she will walk when she is ready.

Have you tried squeaky shoes? They squeak with every step your child takes. I got some for my son and he loves them. They really helped him learn to walk, that along with the fisher price walker to wagon. Good luck and try not to worry she will walk when she is ready.

My oldest daughter learned to dance first. We would turn on the music and she would then start bouncing to the beat. Pretty soon she would start to run from one person to the next...but only while the music was running. My last one was 20 months before he started to walk. He does not do anything unless he knows for sure that he can really do it. It was a matter of self confidence for him. But he is that way with everything. He will even lick his food to make sure he is going to like it before he starts to eat.
Encourage her by putting toys she can stand up to just inside of her reach from the couch. Then over the next few days, push them farther away so she has to stretch and then actually take a step to get to the toy. As others have mentioned using food...use what ever your child loves. My 3rd child it was cars! I have 4 kids and they are all different in when and why they learned to walk.

My DD started walking at 18 mos and DS at 17 mos. The way late end of the spectrum, but still in "normal" limits. And they did the same things, cruising, walking with a walker, etc, just not on their own until they were good n ready.

Get used to your child being in charge of their body. You can't force them to crawl, walk, talk, eat, or potty train. Just be patient, she'll get there.

Hi Jackie, I would not be worried at all. My daughter did not walk until she was 16 months as she was slow on all her large motor skills but once she started walking she was almost running. One thing a friend told me is that all kids can do it all by the time they are 5, walking, running, talking and all the rest. All kids go at there own pace and it is best in my opinion to support them where ever they are at and encourage them always. Just let her do her own thing and she will be walking before you know it. Also I always enjoyed my daughters slowness because now she is all over the place. Good luck.

B.

I haven't read the other responses you have recieved but any push toy ( my son had a push toywhich encouraged him to walk because he was a late walker). Or since she is a girl maybe a little baby stroller will work

My son started walking on his own at 16 months. It is normal for kids to start walking between 9 to 18 months. Our son was the same way and he eventually just started to focus and decided to walk on his own. Her feet could be an issue as well. Our son walked on his tip toes for quite some time. He now walks on one foot flat and the other tip toe! So we are trying to stretch out his foot! If by 18 months or so she is not walking I would just check with her doctor. My mom said my brother did they same thing (feet inward though) and they just had him wear special shoes. Good luck! R.

I believe that she's well within the range of "normal" on her walking development. I was never under the impression that this type of development could be hurried along. That's an interesting idea.

Of course, you want to check with your doctor about the foot business, to see if it's anything of concern. Otherwise, don't worry unless your doctor does. Children do things on different time schedules, and it doesn't have anything to do with intelligence - it's just them! My younger daughter took her time when it came to crawling and standing, and finally decided to walk when she was about sixteen months old (two weeks before her younger brother was born. I bought a double stroller and was very thankful for it!) She was - and still is - very bright and is now an award-winning schoolteacher. She just wasn't in a hurry to walk when she was little.

I got a good walker at Walmart, for like $17. It is a walker that they can also use to sit on. That was a good mental breakthrough in that my son didn't need US to walk, but could do it himself. There was much falling and the walker going to fast, and pulling it down on himself, but he was determined.
Don't be discouraged, a girl at my son's daycare (almost 2 months younger than him) was walking really early, but she was a very methodical learner and would test and try everything. My son just plows through it. My son has been walking for a much shorter time, and I would say that he is now more confident with it than she is.

Also, make sure that she is barefoot, don't put any shoes on her unless it is necessary. No socks if possible, and if shoes are necessary use something Robeez like, nothing solid.

Good luck

A push toy is a great insentive it worked for my son. I don't think it matters which on my son had a fish price lion that played music that he loved. After investing in the push toy he discoved a clothes basket turned upside down was just as much fun to push around. It was only a couple weeks and he took his first solo steps.

My son inherited from his cousin a 2 in one toy, it's a car he can sit on and ride and it also turns into like a push toy. He loved it, he got in on his 2nd birthday and within a week he was walking.

does she hang out with other kids her age who walk? that has been a big motivator for my son.

My daughter did the same thing. We were actually house-sitting for a friend when she found a play baby stroller (one for a baby doll). She was obsessed with putting toys in it and pushing it around the house. Because it was so flimsy, she fell quit a bit. But I soon noticed her balance improving and by the end of the week she was confident enough to walk without it. We would put it further and further away from her to see how far she would go. It was so much fun to watch her confidence soar. It was right after she turned 15 months. Hang in there. You're daughter will be walking in no time and soon running!

we got a push toy that i think is called a "walker" (not the kind they sit in). just a simple thing on wheels with a handle that is just the right height for that age to push around. it was very helpful for when my boys were at the stage that they seemed to want to walk but still needed our help. and as much as we'd like to just play with the baby, we couldn't spend as much time as the baby wanted holding their hands so they could walk. eventually our backs got tired or some other task needed to be done. i can't remember what brand ours is, but i loved that it could be folded in half for storage. we used to take it to the laundromat with us. anyway, if she enjoys walking holding onto your hands, she may love a push toy. and then walking on her own can come quite quickly after that.