MY two year old is walking on his tip toes!

My little boy is 2 1/2.  He walked at 15 months and is normal and healthy in every way.  He does always walk on his toes.  Shoes or bare feet make no difference.  Almost daily someone coments on it.  Everyone however says that he will grow out of it.  However, My sister is 24 and she is still on her toes to this day.  She was supposed to grow out of it too.  She can walk flat but really has to concentrate.  She reverts back to  toes when she's tired, barefoot, or not concentrating.  Given the family experience, I want to intervene with my son now.  How long do I let this go before we seek help?  What options are out there?  Are there pediatric orthopedists?  Is this something that we can correct with behvior modification and discipline?  I really hesitate to discipline if this is more than a bad habit.  Having girls on their toes is one thing but you really don't care to see a teenage boy tiptoeing around!  Thanks for your direction!

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

Dear Jennifer,

No, behavior modification and discipline are not going to be helpful. Yes, pediatric orthopedics is a specialty, and obtaining a referral to one is a sensible plan.

By the way, many children do 'outgrow' this as they develop, so it's not clear that your son will require specialized treatment. But, there's no need to speculate or wonder. See the specialist.

[HVM M.D. - EV]

ear Jennifer -  
    I would agree with Dr. KDK that this is not a behaviorial issue. I, too, would encourage you to take your son to a Pediatric Orthopedist for an evaluation.  (Yes this specialty very much exists.)  It might be that your son's heel cords are tight - and need to be stretched and exercised in a special way; your child might even require surgery. But truely, it would be impossible to say without seeing your child.  A Pediatric Orthopedist should provide you with an expert opinion and follow-up. Good luck - Dr. EV

[[e-mail]]

i am consoled to hear the fact that i am not alone in this world
i have 3 boys and the oldest and youngest are toe walkers . my mom is always telling them to stop i was not sure if it was a disorder or what they dont seem to be hurting cause of it

[Carol]

It is comforting to know there are other concerned parents of "toe-walkers". My 7 year old son has always walked on his toes. We have only seen two family practitioners for this. The only advise we've been given is to stretch his lower calf muscles. This has not helped and I believe it is not the answer. The older he gets the more harrassing he gets. The public is especially cruel. He sees his family prac. again today for a referral to a specialist!

[frances]

Hi i have a son aged 5, he is still a toe walker. I have been
told by family members and medical people alike that there
is probably an underlying psycological problem. He does appear
to be hyperactive, although i have never had him tested for
such. So this would just be my hunch based upon mine and his
educators observations. Please could you advise if this is
the case.

[GARRY]

My son , Jammel, is a tip toe walker and I believe that we're going to have him operated on.  Yes, we've tried the other options like stretching his muscles and putting his legs in casts, but these really didn't help the problem.  I'm very concerned about operating on him and was wandering if there was any one out there who has had an operation because of this problem.

[Karen Jones]

I have a 5 year old girl.  When she is disiplines with a time out she says mean things to her Dad who is usually the one who gives her a time out.  Im concerned as I am not sure if this is normal as she never use to do this before and we are also not sure if this is the best  kind of  disipline to use. She also can be mean to her 2 year old brother and can get him into trouble from time to time sometimes they get into fights and end up pushing each other and my son will scratch her face when he gets mad at her can you please help direct us in the right form of punishments to use we are really big on talking to our children.

[Karen Jones]

I have a 5 year old girl.  When she is disiplines with a time out she says mean things to her Dad who is usually the one who gives her a time out.  Im concerned as I am not sure if this is normal as she never use to do this before and we are also not sure if this is the best  kind of  disipline to use. She also can be mean to her 2 year old brother and can get him into trouble from time to time sometimes they get into fights and end up pushing each other and my son will scratch her face when he gets mad at her can you please help direct us in the right form of punishments to use we are really big on talking to our children.

[Karen Jones]

I have a 5 year old girl.  When she is disiplines with a time out she says mean things to her Dad who is usually the one who gives her a time out.  Im concerned as I am not sure if this is normal as she never use to do this before and we are also not sure if this is the best  kind of  disipline to use. She also can be mean to her 2 year old brother and can get him into trouble from time to time sometimes they get into fights and end up pushing each other and my son will scratch her face when he gets mad at her can you please help direct us in the right form of punishments to use we are really big on talking to our children.

[worried]

My friend and myself know a child who walks on her tip-toes and she is almost 4 years old now.  I'm just wondering what negative things can come out of this?  Why is this a bad things?  And can it permanently damage the child?

[[e-mail]]

My son is 3 years now.  He walked at 13 months and from the 14th month he started walking on his toes and has not stopped since.  I would like to know if surgery or steel braces have helped anyone - my pediatric orthopedist suggetsted braces but I would like to do more research before I go into it. I have taken him to an osteopath and she suggested "pushing the wall" exercises but its hard to get a 3 year old to do anything more than once!!

I am EXTREMELY worried about this as most of what I've researched so far has links to Cerebral Palsey with toe wlaking!!  any info will be appreciated.

Thanks!

[J]

I had a friend who walked on his toes until he was maybe 13 but he grew out of it.

[Britannia]

My six year old sister walks on her tip toes when not wearing shoes, it is something that she does not realize she does, what should we do about it?

[Karen]

I took my young son in for a diagnosis because of his toe-walking. I was floored when they told me it is cerebral palsy.  Other than the toe-walking he is perfectly normal and extremely bright. I have heard that surgery to correct this is not usually successful and that they revert back after only 2 yrs or so.  Has anyone tried ankle braces?  I would appreciate any feedback that might help me to know what to do. The doctors seem only to suggest surgery. With a long painful recovery and slim chances of a permanent fix, I feel this would do him great phsycological harm, as he is a happy child, does great in school, and gets along well with his peers, and i do not wish to put him through this.  Some poor kids go through surgery after surgery and still never walk right!  Anyway thanks for any insight you might have or information.  I have always wanted to talk to someone about this.

[Ashley]

My son was seen today by specialists.  I was told he had a habit of walking on his toes, but when he concentrates he can walk flat.  He is ADHD and hurts a lot.  I was  told the name of this system started out as indeo....?  I wanted to learn more information but can't exactly remember it to find information.  If you can help, please email me at Ashley-***@****

[Melissa]

I am a child and family services specialist for Early Head Start and some of the families I work with are concerned that their chidren are walking on their toes far too much.  I have heard that this is normal and doesn't require any special treatments.  Please clarify this.  Is it normal for a young child to do this as development occurs?  My families seen concerned that there is something wrong with their children.

Please e-mail any responses to:  ***@****

[brandi]

I am glad that I have found this site. I am taking my son (of 5 yrs.) to the Ortho. in Sept. I like many thought that he just inatvertanly (spell) walked on his tip toes. I never thought that there were any mental problems. But that he just needed to consentrate on walking flat footed. I tried to tell him to walk like a giant. This, of course, did no good.
I certainly hope that he does not need to have surgery! However, I am concered by the fact that so many are saying the excercise did not help. Could some one give me an update on the excersis versis the surgery?
Thank you,
Brandi

[A]

My daughter is 4 1/2 and has walked on her tip toes since she was fifteen months old.  I just recently brought this to her pediatrician's attention.  I too thought she would eventually grow out of it.  People who see her walking on her tip toes often think that maybe her shoes are too small but they're not.  Her pediatrician is sending us to a physical therapist.

[Robin]

I noticed my stepdaughter walking on her toes when she moved in with us..she was 4 at the time.  I kept telling my husband that it didn't look normal because she did it all the time and when I asked her to stand flat on her heels she could not without leaning forward.  Finally I took her to a doctor and he said her cords in the back of her calf and heel were tight.  They put both of her feet in casts for 6 weeks, when they took them off she walked perfectly, but that was about 3 months ago and she is now walking back on her toes...the next step is surgery which they say may not be a cure either.

If your child walks on their toes, please get it checked as soon as possible.  The earlier you catch it the easier it is to cure with just exercise.
Email me with questions:
***@****

[Dr. Joan Himbrow]

A big reason that babies walk on tip toes is because they were in a baby crib, or playpen too long in life.  It is the fact that they go on tip toes to see over the crip.  In the child's mind they always think they are in the crib.

[dora]

Everything I have read about toe walking is related to developmental problems or muscular dystrophy and/or cerebal palsy. My child is 5 has been walking on toes since 2. He was an early walker and very intelligent.  He is in Kindergarten and is doing first and second grade work but is capable of third grade as well. Naturally curious.  At 2 I took him to the doctors even orthopedic and was told not to worry children grow out of it.  He hasn't, there is some tightening of the tendon in the back of legs.  He runs, skips, hops, jump, plays soccer, baskeball, football, rides two wheel bike without training wheels, etc.  I put him in gymnastics, tap, ballet and Tae kwondo once a week each to help with stretching.  Have seen some improvement over the six months he's taken ballet and gymnastics.  Just saw room full of Specialist at children's hospital, they could give no definitive answer.  "It's up to you, but must decide between 7 and 8." Getting MRI in december to see if there are any nuerological problems but they doubt it because of his development.  He is very strong in the arms and legs, back is straight. His health and growth rate are near perfect.  Pediatrician says he is growing the way they would love to see all children grow.

Concerned that surgery may be unsuccessful and more harmful.  Have heard it nor shots work either.  Maybe I think in my childs case I will continue to teach him tolerance and tact in handling the negative comments that may come his way.  Would like to hear from adult tip toe walkers.  Thanks

[Toe-walker]

My parents tell me that I've been walking on my toes since I was a baby, way back when I used a walker. I am now fifteen, and I've personally never suffered any serious medical side-effects or spiteful teasings. When I was young I was called "ballerina" and "tippy," and such, but those names never really bothered me, as they were mostly in jest. I sometimes expierience sore ankles, but those can be relieved with ankle tensor bandages. I did expierience a "clicking" in my ankles when I was eleven, but the doctor said that it was just a tendon clicking against a bone. I am actually faster when I am walking on my toes, and I feel this is my natural way of walking.

[EdCM]

A related discussion, walking on tip-toes was started.