Sixteen month old not walking

quad_red

Hi folks,

Our little man is sixteen months old and still nowhere near walking. He tears around crawling and can haphazardly walk across a room when someone is holding his hand and can just about stand up unassisted.

But nowhere near being steady enough to walk.

Which is fine in itself. I know all babies develop at a different age (even if his cousins were tearing around at 11 months!).

Anyway - the issue is he is moving to the toddler room in the creche. And he is the only child in the room not walking. Also, in the toddler room there is less support in terms of sitting. So the little chairs they sit in to eat don't have straps. And he's slipped off a few times. Today he slipped forward and hit his nose resulting in a nosebleed.

The nursery staff were very supportive and they always prepare thorough accident reports etc.

But I suppose I'm just a bit worried. I don't like the thought of him being a bit lost up there.

They wanted to move him before this but I said I was uncomfortable until he was walking. He is allot older than the other babies in the baby room now and his 'contemporaries' have all gone to the toddler room.

Should I try and delay it further? I have spoken to the staff and they are convinced he'll be fine. But I know they are under pressure as there are other babies moving into the baby room etc.

Quad

Bigus

He'll either sink or swim,

Give him a chance I'm sure he won't fail if you just let him try.

seamus

To a certain extent, a little competition may not be a bad thing. It's not great to think about it, but having to contend with a room full of walking contemporaries may spur him on to push himself a little harder. He is walking in dribs and drabs as you say, so he's capable of it.

I say try him in there for a week, maybe two and then review.

My niece was a very lazy walker. Was able to take a few assisted steps from about 16/18 months but spent a lot of time finding alternative ways to get around - begging to be lifted, sitting on her car and "driving around", etc. When she did walk on her own, it was very slow and only short hops between things she could hold onto.
Then her little brother came along when she was 22 months and within a couple of weeks she had no issue getting off her backside to make her own way around the place at full steam. Since Mammy's hands were constantly full, there was nobody there to bring her where she wanted to go, so she just had to do it for herself.

The same may be true for your little man and he just needs a figurative kickstart.

Moonbeam

my little one got stuck in the baby room until she was 16 months as she only started walking at 15 months and then moved to wobblers in the next round of moves. I would talk to the creche about it as it is not really that safe having a non walking child in a room with walking children but it depends on the amount of kids there.
The 2 year old here used to use the 1 year old as a step when she was crawling!
What did happen to my little one was that she spent hardly anytime in the wobblers rooms as she had mastered the art of talking and flew thrgouh the next 2 rooms and instead of being the oldest in the baby room by the time they put her in toddlers she was one of the youngest.
So talk to the creche and find out their reasoning for it.
Her creche was huge.

pwurple

This really depends on the size of the creche. Mine was moved into the wobbler room before she was walking as well, but she was crawling. There were only 6 children in the area though total, so it was fine. She walked in her own time.

They get plenty more bangs and bruises when they are walking and running than before by the way! I don't know why, but toddlers aren't so good at watching where they are going... the amount of times she has run straight into a wall while looking at something to her left or right is just bananas. I don't know are they missing some peripheral vision until they get to 3ish or what.

quad_red

Thanks folks.

Will talk to the creche today again. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit nervous that he is still so unsteady on his feet. But I think we're gonna go ahead with the move up and hope this spurs him on.

But gonna keep a close watch on it.

Princesshazel

I would send him in as it might give him that little push to start walking when he can everyone else walking. I don't see the harm in sending him in. Good Luck

sham69

Our little fella only started walking properly about a month ago (he is 19 months)
He used to use one hand an scoot along on his bum, quite amusing to watch.
All kids are different , he'll walk when he's good and ready.
Our little fella needed glasses which i think was part of the reason he took so long to walk.
Our other 2 were early walkers.
Its funny, you can't wait for them to walk and then when they do you're knackered chasing them around to keep an eye on them.

NamelessPhil

If it's any consolation 18 months is the average age for walking, they're not called wobblers for nothing at that stage!

Moonbeam

can you cite your source please?

pwurple

Public health nurse told me that 18 months is the average as well, but i think my PHN is someone who gets her info skewed.

liliq

I think it's that between 9-18 months is the normal range... within that range 9 months would be slightly early, 18 months slightly late.

deisemum

As a childminder I've seen children walk from around 10 months right up to 20 months. They all got there in the end. I wouldn't be worrying about not walking at 16 months.

I'd follow the advice of the creche, at least try it.

quad_red

Thanks for all the advice folks.

Wee man moved up full time yesterday. And despite being a bit nervous, I think he's far more interested and engaged with the kids around him because they're older. He's still the only one not walking and it's still a bit awkward but at least being the only one means the girls can help him that bit more when they're moving around.

Actually, he gets totally giddy when one little girl approaches. First love already!

quad_red

Just to follow this up - first week was a few bumps and scrapes from being around older children.

But over the course of the last four weeks he's now walking no problems. Still not able to walk with the other children for walks to the park but able to walk around the room in the creche and hold his own.

He's actually been out of the creche for the last week with chicken pox but when he goes back next week he'll be kicking serious ass

Thanks for all the advice Feel a bit silly now in retrospect.

Jem123

My 16 month old has been in the 1-2 room since his birthday. It's only him and one other girl who are not walking but he has been getting on great! There's the odd fall here and there but nothing to worry about. Although it is sad seeing him and the little girl having to stay in the room for snacks while everyone else walks down to the kitchen

Big Bag of Chips

Don't ever feel silly. It's natural to worry about our 'babies', (and yours really is a baby... Mine is 7 - and he'll still be 'my baby' when he's 40!!)

Glad he's doing well. It's amazing to watch their progression, isn't it!