Walking

My boys just turned 15 months last weekend. A will stand up and walk across the room. He isn't walking completely all the time though. It's just when he sees me across the room and he will walk to me. On the other hand, his brother, L cruises around the couch, will not let go and attempt to walk. I just googled "walking" and what I read was that most kids are walking by 15-16 months. So, should I be concerned at this point? Our family room is very open and just has a wrap around couch for them to hold onto. I am wondering if this is inhibiting them. They have their 15 month well-check next week. DD was walking by 14 months and I know she's a different kid but it seems they should be walking by this point. Thoughts?

 

If you're concerned, there is no harm in asking their pediatrician! I have 5 kids in my care that are around 16 months now and the range in walking over the last 6 months has been insane. One of my girls started walking at 9 months, the other at 10, two little boys started at 13 months (not twins), and the last little girl is 15 months and is just starting to think about walking. Everyone is different but there is no harm in asking just to ease your mind!

 

I think they only start to worry (and by worry, I mean evaluate their progress) if they're not walking by 18 months. My kids started at 16-17 months because before then they were very efficient crawlers and had no interest in it. I think as long as they're making progress you probably shouldn't worry at all!

 

I think yours are fine. They will be walking before you know it and than running. My boys started at different times too. One was walking fully at 15 months and the other a month later. Now I spend most of my time chasing after them and trying to get the gates up fast enough before they are racing up the stairs. Like the previous poster said if you are really concerned talk to their pedi.

 

i agree that if you're concerned it never hurts to check with their doc. however, as Jen mentioned, they usually aren't concerned at all until they hit 18 months. from the sounds of it though, your two aren't far from taking off. :good:

 

Mine were 17 months when they started walked and it was real shaky.

 

I agree with checking with your pedi at the 15 month visit if you are concerned. It can never hurt to have it on the pedi's radar. My DS did not start walking full time until 14 months.

 

I agree with previous posters - 18 months is when there MAY be cause for concern. My second child did not walk until 18 months on the dot - my first did at 11 months, the twins at 12 (B) and 14 (A) months. My late walker never toddled - he went from crawling (for 12 months) to walking like you or I do.

 

Mine have ranged from 11 to 18 months. The 18 monther was one of my twins and was in EI. She's legally blind, which we didn't realize at the time (we knew she had vision issues, but not to what extent), and I really think that had a lot to do with it. 4 of the others walked within a few weeks of their 1st birthday. My oldest didn't walk until about 15 months, and looking back it may have been that she had chronic ear infections, so her balance might not have been quite right. So like PPs said, ask the pedi if he/she is concerned, but there's a huge range, so I wouldn't worry about it much.

 

Hi - I agree with everyone's replies. I don't think you have anything to worry about at this age...I don't believe that it is a concern until 18 months - and even then it doesn't mean there is a problem. For your child who is not walking yet, it seems that he is cruising and that is what they usually do right before they walk so he may just be working up the confidence! One thing, I thought I would add, my friend had a child that didn't walk until 17 months and someone suggested she put shoes on him and sure enough the moment she put them on her child walked across the room....I guess guess the floor felt slippery for the child. Not sure if you have a carpet or if you put shoes on them but just a thought.

 

Every kid is so different its just hard not to compare. My oldest son was 9 months, and Olivia (twin A) was 9 months when they started to walk and, they did it really well. My youngest son (Twin B) will take maybe 4 steps right now and is still unsteady when cruising the couch. I sometimes wonder where he came from considering 2 out of 3 started to walk so early.

I have just come to realize that kids do things at their own pace and in their own good time. To me it sounds like they are perfectly fine and that its just going to take a little more encouraging on your part to get them away from the couch. With just a little more time and a little more confidence, i'm sure they will be walking with ease in no time!!! But, like everyone else said, it doens't hurt to ask your pedi.

I did that with my Twin B when he wasn't even showing signs of crawling at 10 months. It was a waste of a doctors appt for us. Pedi said "he is doing just fine....give it time" and he was right.

 

I have 7 kids and only two of them have walked before 15 months. Three all started walking in their 15th month and the twins are 15 months now and it definitely looks like they'll definitely be at least 16 months before they start. If they were my first kids, I'd probably be worried but since I've seen firsthand with my other kids that some babies need more time, I'm much more laid back about it.

 

I have late walkers too. My girls were both close to 14mo when they walked, Jace has been walking for about 2 weeks now (he did it occasionally b/f but fell and stopped) he still prefers to crawl. Tanner my little fraidy cat will walk holding onto things, even holding one hand but doesn't walk on his own. Tanner also was my baby that didn't roll over, and now crawls as fast as he can. My dr said if they aren't walking by their 18m appt then we'll talk BUT right now I'm enjoying the fact that my last babies still seem like babies!