Late Walkers

Mine were all slow walkers , they didn’t crawl , bum shuffled , I think the middle boy was 22 months before he took a few steps

If a professional who has seen thousands of children is not concerned then I wouldn't be, if he can walk with handholding then physically he is capable.

I have a nephew who did not walk independently until his second birthday, he was a fast crawler and pulled himself up on furniture when he needed to reach something. On his birthday he saw a gift on the table and was so focused on that that he walked to it and then never stopped.

My middle son didn’t want to walk. His 18months younger brother walked at 8 months. I had the older one in a pushchair and the younger one toddling beside me at times. No problem once he got going

I am reluctant to give advice, having retired 13 years ago. But this fits with my advice from my health visiting practice (although I wouldn't have referred to a physio)
I am presuming that there were no other concerns at his 18 month check?
So assuming all other development is normal, this is within normal range. The issue with 'late walkers' is that they often manage so well (as you have described) that they don't have quite the impetus to walk alone.
He has trained nursery staff observing him, and is 'in the system'. In my day we would get a hip Xray if not walking at 24 months (I would think they scan now) just in case.
Regarding children who were only late walkers (no other issues apparent) I never had one who didn't walk by 30 months. They all caught up and developed normally.
This is definitely a 'watch and wait', and he has people 'watching'.

I would recommend his parents to move as many of his toys as possible out of his reach. Right now he may well crawl to fetch them, but sooner or later it will dawn on him that it is easier to walk holding Teddy than to crawl.

Don't worry about this - he will get up and walk in his own good time, as there is obviously nothing physically wrong with him.

I had a niece who never crawled, she sat on her backside playing with the toys within reach or those her big sister handed her. When we stopped sister being so kind, lo and behold! The I-have-never-bothered-crawling-girl got to her FEET and WALKED,

I remember taking my DD to see the GP for exactly what you describe. She could crawl at a million mph, but flatly refused to walk. The GP checked her over, especially her hips and said that DD was very bright and knew that crawling was quicker than tottering! I took DD home, put her on the lounge floor and the little b****r got up and walked across the room! 🙄😂

My middle daughter was a late walker and they finally realised that she had a severe astigmatism..once she had glasses off she went!

Consider the possibility that he may have dyspraxia, Dyspraxia is nothing to worry about. It falls into the neural diversity bag with dyslexia, ADHD etc and it means that you tend to have poor fine motor control.

DS and I both have it. It means we were slow to walk, ride bikes, our hand writing is atrocious and we are cack handed. Unless it is very severe and if this child has it, it is unlikely to be severe, because there would be other problems. you can go through life perfectly normally, as DS and I have done, and beyond knowing that we lack the fine motor control needed to be brain or heart surgeons, it has caused us veyr few problems.

Our GD was 22 months before she walked, hey nursery were concerned and had suggested there was a physical problem.

Our daughter and husband were very concerned.

She came to stay with us for a week as her parents were both away with work, we took her to a soft play for three consecutive days, on day two she walked and day three she was running and jumping.

Our daughter cried when she received the video of her first steps!

Please try not to worry. My DDs walked at 12 months my DS was almost 20 months
He was slow to sit up and never crawled. He did pull himself up on furniture though. He was the most placid baby ever with an older sister who got him everything he needed! One afternoon he just pulled himself up and tottered across the floor - I was so pleased I rang my DH at his work to give him the good news ! He was such an easy child to care for and had a very sunny disposition. He is now mid 40s and still has that sunny disposition!! Happily married and doing well. Your GS is being monitored so that is the main thing , and in the unlikely event there is a problem I feel sure his family will deal ok with it. Bide your time and one day your lovely little GS will surprise you !! Keep us posted please and relax !

I think my DD was 19 months before she walked. She never crawled but shuffled along at speed on her bum.

I was embarrassed to see other toddlers, 6 or more months younger than her, running along!

How silly I was.

DGGD, at 16 months, is a high-speed crawler. climbs all over furniture and, if watched, up the stairs. She walks holding on to the furniture and holding an adult's hands. We saw her, one day, taking one unsupported step, but so far, no more independent walking. She's tall, strong, generally confident and apparently quite capable of walking, but is content to go on all fours.

My eldest daughter just sat on her bottom for the first fifteen months, never crawled, but could say quite a few sentences. At sixteen months she got up, walked away, and was toilet trained within a week. She is now 50 and can still be stubborn and contrary. My son walked at nine months.

M0nica

Consider the possibility that he may have dyspraxia, Dyspraxia is nothing to worry about. It falls into the neural diversity bag with dyslexia, ADHD etc and it means that you tend to have poor fine motor control.

DS and I both have it. It means we were slow to walk, ride bikes, our hand writing is atrocious and we are cack handed. Unless it is very severe and if this child has it, it is unlikely to be severe, because there would be other problems. you can go through life perfectly normally, as DS and I have done, and beyond knowing that we lack the fine motor control needed to be brain or heart surgeons, it has caused us veyr few problems.

Absolutely agree with this. My older son was a late developer and l only investigated when his 15 month younger brother was far advanced of him. Was given a dyspraxia diagnosis, physio and a list of things to 'not expect him to do' he did them all, though rather later than average. Of course there are different levels of severity bit it hasn't held him back.

Apparently I didn't walk until 23 months! Great shuffle bum technique. Ironically walking is now my favourite hobby! 😏

My eldest grandaughter didn’t walk until she was 22 months old. For some reason she was ginormous (9lb 10oz) in teeny size DD1. She was solely breastfed and only given extra water for her whole childhood (to this day she still only drinks water). At six months old she was very overweight but nobody has any idea why and there was no chance she could support her own weight till she was much older. She went on to be netball captain at her senior school when she was 15 and was a hurdle jumper. She’s slim now. DD1 walked at 11 months, DD2 at 10 months but her own daughter was 17 months before she walked. There seems to be particular reason that I can see.

Ds was slow to start walking, at about 22 or 23 months. He was just happy crawling (late with that too) but could walk around the furniture.
One day he just stood up, walked quite a distance, turned round and came back again.

He has always been and still is very sporty.

Madgran77

Apparently I didn't walk until 23 months! Great shuffle bum technique. Ironically walking is now my favourite hobby! 😏

I did the shuffle bum technique too, never crawled.

Apparently, at least one study showed that babies who never crawled were slow at learning to read.
Another theory disproved here as I could read before I started school 😁

My DS2 did not walk till 22 months, if he wanted something he would point at it and scream until it was given something, so why walk when you have servants!.When we started to ignore his screams then he got up and walked.
His actual first steps were at my MIL's house.I had left him with her for a couple of hours, and got the shock of my life when he toddled after her to the front door when I got back.MIL's response was "He has been walking all over the place here"So he walked for her and not me!
His two youngest children were the same, both were 22 months before they walked. His youngest daughter was actually very flat footed and "walked" on her knees from 14 months, so we assumed it was her flat feet preventing her from standing up.

My dd didn’t walk until she was 22 months . She was a bum shuffler . However once she started walking she was very sturdy , no tottering or wobbling like children who walk early .

Tenko

My dd didn’t walk until she was 22 months . She was a bum shuffler . However once she started walking she was very sturdy , no tottering or wobbling like children who walk early .

Just like my DS. No wobbling, no hesitating, just walked confidently.
The same with talking, he didn't say much but when he did, he talked in sentences.

Retired speech and language therapist here. I used to see a lot of infants with queries over some aspect of development (obviously involving communication, in view of my profession). The mean age for walking is 13 months, some children walk at 9 months, some not until 21 months. 22 months is quite late. The usual guidelines for referral to Paediatrics for late walking was 18 months, by which time the vast majority of children are on their feet and can take at least a few steps independently. The reasons for late walking are many: heavy child; general developmental delay; motor issues such as dyspraxia, dysarthria or dystonia. There are some rarer genetic and metabolic developmental conditions which cause motor delay. I would always refer to Paeds if the child was not walking at 18 months, whilst advising the parents that this might just be something which sorted itself out while they were awaiting their appointment with the consultant, but to nevertheless go and have things checked out. Just a personal note, my mum said I never crawled, but bum-shuffled. I walked at 13 months, but, Like M0nica, I am dyspraxic.

My granddaughter was exactly the same and her nursery were beginning to make a fuss about it - but now at 28 months she is running about and quite hard to keep up with. Now they are fussing about her speech, but as a second child she just doesn't need to talk as big sister does everything for her!

He's been checked out by professionals.ans it doesn't seem as if there is a physical.prpblemz I know a fair few children who walked later than average plus others who walked sooner than average. In a few months he will .sure be running around, but if he isn't then pop him back to the doctor.