walking

[rizzo]

my nephew will be 2 in december. he was born almost 3 months
premature.he is still not walking. my brother took him to a
couple of doctors but they told him that there was nothing
wrong and would walk when he is ready.he does stand but i notice
that he will keep one leg up.  he is constantly crawling and
hates it when we try to walk him.  is there anything that can be
done that will motivate him to walk.  should they put him in the
walker more, or make sure that his walking shoes are always on him. (he hates to wear shoes and always takes them off)should they join a toddler gym, etc....  also, he has been getting
physical therapy at home but all they do is massage his feet.
do you think weight is a factor since he is a chubby kid.
your valuable information will be appreciated.

[Kevin Kennedy, Ph.D.]

There is something 'wrong' in the sense that your nephew is not up to par developmentally in relation to walking. I assume what is being suggested by the doctors is that, aside from some developmental lag in relation to the milestone of walking, he is behind his age peers but that he displays no organic disease or muscle or orthopedic condition that interferes with his ability to walk. If indeed that is the course, letting development run its course is a sound practice. Time in the walker will not hasten the process, nor will wearing his shoes. You might have a discussion with the personnel at the gym and see what component(s) of their program might be of use. Basically, though, if he is otherwise healthy, he will respond to the powerful processes of development.

[lmroswell]

Since he was born early, he probably will take more time in meeting the milestones.  3 months premature is a lot to give up in the womb.  As far as shoes go, leave them off while he is trying to learn how to walk.  He needs to learn how to walk and feel what he is doing.  That is probably why he hates his shoes.  My first baby was crawling at 6 months and walking at 8 months.  The second baby took her sweet time and didn't walk until almost 15 months.  She also had no teeth at 14 months.  They are all so different.  I would just give it more time and give the little guy lots of encouragement.  He will get more lean as he gets more active.  Have fun...they grow up quick!

[woofytoyou]

My daughter walked late too and she was a knee walker!  She could run as fast as anyone could on her knees.  It was weird!  It appears that she saw her dad on his knees helping her walk , you know, the correct way.  But when the moment came when she broke free to walk, she did so on her knees, nothing could stop her.
Nothing worked, knee walking was her way.
We went back to the doctor and he told us when she got up in the morning, we were not to let her go down on her knees.  We were to hold her up physically under her arms and walk with her on her legs, until she 'got it'.  Well it took a full day, and a LOT OF WORK AND EFFORT from both my husband and myself.  But at the end of the day she was now walking on her legs.  We thought she would be a self-induced cripple!      ANYWAY, I would say the same thing, he has an idea and a HABIT fully in his mind how he should be walking and he is quite happy with that, - soooooo get as many as can manage and keep him on his feet until he gets it.  Dont compromise, give in and let him have his lazy way. - It is just one of those funny odd things that happen to kids when we leave them a little too long using their own initiatives that are a mite lazy.
woofytoyou