Walking..

[Cumberland]

So Madison will be 14 months this weekend. She isnt walking yet and it is really worrying me. Our pediatrician, and friends who are peds also keep telling me not to worry, that all kids are different. She is cruising- she can walk down the hallway putting one hand over the other against the wall but she wont stand on her own. I am pretty sure that there is nothing physically going on- she seems very normal developmentally. One of my good friend's daughters is three months younger and she is walking. It makes me feel like she is behind and I dont want that for her

Walking

My DD didn't walk till 18 months. She's one of those kids who doesn't do something until she's sure she can do it perfectly. She didn't crawl forwards till the day after her birthday, but at that point she took off and never made a mistake. When she was 18 months old, she walked out to the middle of the room (cackling maniacally), did a 180-degree turn (definitely not a newbie skill normally), and walked back to the coffee table.

It took her a couple more months to learn to get from the floor to standing without support, but again, she just suddenly started doing it and did it perfectly.

We're now doing the same routine with talking--she's suddenly getting very verbal at 23 months when she never really seemed interested before. Still not doing two-word phrases or anything, though, like other kids her age. I'm sure that she'll walk in one day spouting full sentences out of the blue, though!

The little boy that I babysit, on the other hand, is the opposite. He's determined to do something long before he has the skills or intelligence to actually do it. He started walking at 11 months, but had a constantly bruised little head from tripping over his own feet, toys, or just thin air. I keep telling him I'm going to get him a helmet. He left on a Friday and came back the next Monday getting up from the floor by himself and walking!

They're all so different. I'm sure when your kiddo starts walking, you'll find that she doesn't do the "take-two-steps-and-fall-down" routine.

HTH!

Carrie

[mommax3]

Sue Anne,

I really wouldn't worry if I were you. My oldest walked right at 12 months, my second walked at 15.5 months, and my youngest was about 13 months. She will walk when she is ready.....and remember, it is both a blessing and a curse! It opens up a whole new world of baby-proofing.

Sally

[Phoebe]

I understand that you are anxious for Madison to walk and worry about something being wrong. I had the same fears, although I knew nothing was wrong, with our DD#2. She took steps after 12 months, but didn't walk 100% until 16 months. One day she learned how to stand up on her own and took off from there. The waiting was difficult after our first daughter did everything ahead of the game. It will happen!

Jennifer

I agree with what everyone else says. She has to be really close, too, if she is cruising along the hallways.
My first walked *really* early at 9.5 months and my second around 13 months -- which seemed late to me. I realize now that it is more reasonable for them to start walking later as their brains are more in touch with their bodies.
I''m sure this is completely anecdotal, but it seems like early walkers are later talkers and vice versa. My (former) pediatrician's daughter didn't crawl until her 1st birthday -- to grab a present. But she was very verbal much sooner than my daughter who was really physically active.

And walking does open a whole new need for babyproofing!

Tim walked just before 12 mos and Henry the day before 10 mos.

I noticed the cognitive vs. physical growth too. Tim was talking earlier than Henry, and walked a couple months later. Henry is just now saying simple words, but walked at 10 months.

My nephew didn't walk until just after his 18th month, and he turned into an uberjock in high school.

[houseelf]

DS walked at 17 months and he is just fine. I don't know if this will be true for Madison, but this was a precursor for the timeliness of all of DS's gross motor skills. He achieves the same developmental milestones, but just later than other kids. I believe that it is correlated to his slow growth, but this hasn't been confirmed by a professional. Is Madison small?

Conversely, DS has been way ahead verbally from day one. It is amazing. Now that I have some parenting under my belt, I know that this is SOOOOOOOOOO normal. We all have our strengths and weaknesses.

Kelly

[SueC]

One of the little guys I used to care for was a little later walking (at least 15 months but possibly a little later than that), and he is perfectly normal. He was such a fast crawler, I don't think he had any motivation for walking. I'll bet she'll be walking in no time, especially if she is cruising.

[PrincessFiona]

I think that this is like many of the other milestones for kids...we're excited when they get there but unless there is some gross delay just about anything is "ok".

Andrew was walking at 9 months and 1 week....he ended up being physically very uncoordinated though and is now in Physical therapy at age 10. He didn't read until he was in first grade but now he's reading at an 8th grade level.

Alex didn't walk until 16 1/2 months....and he is athletic and very coordinated. He learned to ready this year in kindergarten but has very little interest in it....he reads when he has to.

I think there are just wide ranges of normal and mastering a skill early doesn't necessarily indicate raving success in that area. Mastering it a little later doesn't mean that they can't/won't be a great success either.

kris