Parents eagerly await their child’s first steps. If you’re lucky enough to catch it with your phone or a camera, it’ll make an adorable home video to watch for years to come!
However, if you’re worried because your child hasn’t started walking yet, know that you’re not alone. Late walkers can be concerning, but a pediatric physical therapist can offer comfort and direction.
A pediatric therapist at Synergy Therapeutic Group may be able to help your child with their walking abilities.
Call our clinic today to make an appointment. With us, you can rest assured that your child is in good hands.
At what point should your child see a pediatric physical therapist?
You might be wondering as you read this, “When should I take my child to see a physical therapist?” That’s an excellent question!
To help answer that, let’s look at typical development.
A developmental delay is diagnosed when a child is assessed as being more than “a little behind” in performing everyday skills, according to ChoosePT. The term refers to a significant lag in performance and can be used to describe any type of delay in one or more of the five skill areas listed below:
- Activities of daily living
- Speech and language
- Social and emotional
- Cognitive (thinking)
- Fine and gross motor (movement)
Let’s take a closer look at the gross motor skill of walking. According to Pathways.org, at around 10-12 months, infants will begin to pull themselves up to stand and cruise along furniture, and between 13-18 months, they will start to walk independently.
Pediatric physical therapists commonly treat late walking as a developmental delay. If you are worried about your child, please contact us at Synergy Therapeutic Group to schedule an evaluation.
Factors that may influence late walking
A specific medical condition may or may not cause gross motor delays. A child with Down syndrome (DS), for example, is diagnosed with the condition at or before birth but may also have developmental delays.
Children with autism or cerebral palsy may also have delayed walking development. Children with no specific medical condition may face challenges due to parenting styles, cultural norms, or life circumstances.
Our physical therapists can help determine the cause and develop an effective treatment plan.
When developmental progress is questioned, the family and healthcare providers must address it as soon as possible.
What to anticipate with pediatric physical therapy
A physical therapist will conduct a thorough evaluation of your child. This assessment will include:
- A parental interview including child’s medical history
- Standardized assessment such as the Bayley Scales of Gross Motor Development or the Peabody Developmental Gross Motor Scale
- Assessment of your child’s range of motion and strength
- Primitive reflex testing
- Observation of movement patterns, including balance and coordination
Treatment will include enjoyable activities to encourage your child to walk. Balance can be improved by using platform swings. Elevated surfaces with toys can be used to encourage pull to stand, cruising, and walking between supports. A home program will be created in collaboration with you to work on activities at home.
Just because your child is developing at a slower rate does not mean they will not eventually make those strides! Many late walkers can overcome their delay and catch up with their peers without incident. You can also encourage them to take those first steps by doing various things at home.
Parenting tips to encourage walking at home
The best results are obtained when parents and therapists work together to ensure that a child receives consistent intervention outside of physical therapy sessions.
Here are some suggestions for encouraging independent walking at home:
- Allow your child to run around barefoot. Barefoot walking promotes functional strengthening and increased proprioceptive input. The use of shoes and orthotics can sometimes impede gait development.
- Make it enjoyable to pull up to a stand and reach for toys. Surfaces that are safe and sturdy, with fun and enticing items on top, encourage upright mobility.
- Participate in activities that require a lot of up-and-down motion. Reaching overhead and picking things up from the floor are excellent ways to strengthen your core.
- Inspire siblings and peers to compete and cheer! Children enjoy imitating other children and attempting to keep up.
- Don’t panic. Children can read stress and emotion and can tell if you’re upset. Just play!
Ready to begin pediatric physical therapy?
Remember that late development does not imply that your child will not develop at all. Each of us is on our own timeline for growth, development, and learning.
Speaking with a pediatric physical therapist about healthy strategies for your child’s first steps will put your mind at ease and provide you with a plan of action.
To schedule an evaluation, contact Synergy Therapeutic Group.
