# almost 15.5mths, not walking- still scooting



## mamalex (Mar 2, 2004)

Haven't posted on this in a while...but going through a little bit of a worry phase again.

Ds scoots on his bottom- very symetrically I must add...like a skier.
If he's going to go up a slide or over a step, he insists on going feet first, bottom last. It's weird to say the least.

He pulls up and occasionally stands, briefly, on his own...usually when I ask him to.

He's extremely verbal, so I know that's what he's working on, but I feel like his joints are really loose or something.

He has always felt "loose" to me. Always has popped and cracked a lot. Feels much floppier to me than other babies. Sometimes when I pick him up, he lets his arms go limp (so that there's no way to pick him up under his arms.)

Any experience or ideas or encouragement?


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## RiverSky (Jun 26, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *mamalex*
Any experience or ideas or encouragement?

I say, "Don't worry!" My son began crawling at 11 months and walking at 17 1/2 months. He is now 6 1/2 and running, swimming, walking, climbing, swinging from monkey bars and playing ball just fine.

My niece didn't walk until her 2nd birthday party and she's just fine, too (8 now). I'm not sure when she began crawling or scooting.

A friend of mine had a 19 month old who wasn't even crawling or rolling or anything, if you laid her down she'd stay right there. Put her in a seat, she'd be perfectly happy for hours. Put a toy just out of her reach and she wouldn't bother to try to get it. She met a pediatric chiropractor and started taking her daughter that... via x-ray you would see that her spine was curved all wrong and within a couple of weeks of adjustments, she was crawling, then within 2 months walking. This little girl is now a COMPLETELY different child, running, walking, playing just fine having just turned 2.

I'd say, don't worry, if she's scooting, I'm sure she's just fine. If she goes past 18 months, then you might want to go see a pediatric chiropractor. Or you might want to go right now (can't hurt, can only help, IMO).


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## motherrrrrr (Oct 18, 2004)

Mine just turned 15 months and isn't walking either. She started crawling at 11 months and is cruising, can stand alone-- but no walkie. My son walked before 11 months and I had to chase him all over the place, so it's perfectly fine with me if the baby wants to take her sweet time.


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## bobica (May 31, 2004)

I think the most important things you mentioned, mamalex, are that he scoots, not crawls & feels "loose" & "floppy." My dd has low muscle tone & was also a scooter not a crawler. She qualified for physical therapy through early intervention & it was a godsend! She was especially loose in her hips & she wasn't crawling b/c her hips were too floppy to allow her to stabliize in that on-all-fours position.

On the side, he was born 1 year after dd to the day- maybe it's those march 29 babies???







:

Anyway, I would have him seen by a physical therapist through early intervention. Even if he doesn't qualify for services, they may be able to give you some good tips & specific activities to help develop some of those skills that he's not doing.

Good luck!


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## mamalex (Mar 2, 2004)

bobica,
are you serious!! your dd has the same b'day as mine AND was a scooter? that's weird. yes, he can't even be on all fours except for half a second and he falls. he falls on his face a lot because he can't catch himself with his arms. he's never been very mobile, and i'm sure some of it is his personality (after all, he was almost 2 weeks "late".) we have a well-baby appt. next week with a pretty good ped. we'll see what he says. i do know some good physical therapists in town. we have a chiro, who he usually sees, but i'm not completely satisfied with him (not a ped chiro.)

dh agreed with me that he's "floppy", so i know i'm not just being paranoid momma. and i don't feel like it's anything too serious, but just strange. it's weird to see your kid attempt to scoot up a slide feet first!


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## MoonJelly (Sep 10, 2004)

Hi!

Forgive me for barging in here, but is butt-scooting unusual? My DD mostly scooted for the longest time, then crawled briefly (only with one leg tucked under). She is walking now, but I had been worried about the leg tucked under. I also got a lot of strange reactions to the scooting (mostly amusement) from friends and family thus I have been wondering how unusual it is.

Just curious. Thanks for humoring me!

mj


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## nicholas_mom (Apr 23, 2004)

My scooter walked at almost 20 months!!!!







It was such a relief because I was really getting tired of carrying him around, like to the car, to the store, etc.


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## CrunchyGranolaMom (Feb 5, 2002)

I would suggest taking him to your healthcare provider and checking in. Yes, some kids are fine as late walkers. Others have some health issues that could use some intervention. If everything is fine, how relieved you will be! If you need interevention (like the PT mentioned above), now is the time to get it--the earlier the better!


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## mammastar2 (Dec 17, 2004)

I don't know about the 'floppy' part - if it's worrying you, get it checked out. However, my daughter didn't walk until 22 months! Playdates were getting to be a bit of a pain since her friends could literally run circles around her. :LOL She's almost 4 now, no problems, still physically a bit more cautious than some, but enjoys soccer and zipping around the park. Just personality, in her case.


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## island mama (Jul 6, 2005)

My 2 1/2 yo daughter didn't walk until she was nearly 18 months, although she crawled at about 10 months. Her late walking really surprised me because she was (still is) by far, the most physically unafraid and agile of my three children. I can relate to the floppiness. My daughter has a very petite, fairy sprite build and used to fall over a lot as a baby--we always had to have cushions around her. As for walking, I think maybe she had a sense that she just didn't yet have the physical mass to get to her destination upright--far more efficient and direct to crawl.


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## mamalex (Mar 2, 2004)

Thanks for all the info. It's so good to hear stories of late walkers. I don't know how common butt scooters are, but I've also heard it's hereditary. Elie has been doing it for six months now and has gotten pretty fast. It is weird to play with other kids his age who are running around him. Sometimes they actually get down on the floor and scoot too because they think it's a game!







He's getting sooo big to carry. Thank goodness for my carriers.


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## sbgrace (Sep 22, 2004)

I also recommend asking your pediatrician about a referrel for early intervention. In most states it is free and a physical therapist will come and do an evaluation and, if he needs it, he will get physical therapy. My son was also floppy and we have seen a physical therapist since he was 8 months....he is now walking and we'll soon be done! So I think it would be a very good idea! Oh, my PT says walking unsupported (doesn't have to be far) is normally 12-15 months but anything up to 18 months isn't a worry (and obviously there are walkers later than that who are just fine!)


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## irinam (Oct 27, 2004)

Just like another pp said, if "floppiness" worries you - have it checked

Other than that - 15.5 is too early for concern, IMO

I walked at 15mo

My DH walked at 15mo

My DD walked at 15mo+few days AND she never crawled (well, she did after she started walking







)


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## Heffernhyphen (May 3, 2005)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *RiverSky*
I say, "Don't worry!" My son began crawling at 11 months and walking at 17 1/2 months.

Our boy crawled at 10 months and walkted at 17. Now he's almost 2 and runs practically from sun up to sundown. He's just now getting a bit verbal, but way behind in that arena, too. Despite his ped's recommendation for various screenings, I'm holding out that as in the past, he'll do it when he's good and ready.

Try not to worry . . .


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## chrfath (Jun 5, 2003)

My DD is a butt scooter. Man is she hard on pants. She is really working hard on standing and I know walking will come soon enough. Probably too soon for tired mama.

We don't have her in any therapy even though she has Down syndrome. We are doing Yoga for the special child with her and she seems to be getting much stronger.

Good luck and try not to worry too much. I do agree if there seems to be low tone you might want to get it checked out.


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## PikkuMyy (Mar 26, 2004)

I would also check it out with a doctor - it certainly sounds like low-tone to me. (I work in early intervention.) And if some PT would help him be more independent sooner than later, why not take advantage of it? Sure, you could wait until he was 20 months but if a few visits and some home exercises could really help, why not do it now?

OTOH-the dr. may say that his muscle tone is fine and that he'll catch up.

either way, you won't have to worry or wonder.


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## lisalou (May 20, 2005)

Another mother with a late walker, 18 months. We got intervention early and found out she had low muscle tone and high flexibility. So through EIP we got a physical therapist to help develop muscle tone and it's been going great. Once she started walking she's really taken off. And it's nothing to really be worried about you just want to make sure you're helping to develop the muscle tone and it's all done through play. Once she has high muscle tone, she'll have the two characteristics for a good athlete or yoga master - high muscle tone and high flexibility. Good luck!


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## angel0123 (Jul 8, 2005)

We are walking late (r) also. My son is 15 months and scoots (with his leg tucked under).
Like the others said the concerning thing is that you think your child feels "loose". Is you child crusing yet? Or still exclusivley scooting?


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## mamalex (Mar 2, 2004)

He does cruise and is doing it more and more. I'm not so concerned that he won't walk as I am about why he scoots and why he feels sooo relaxed to me compared to other babies his age. He will not bear weight on arms or climb onto things yet.

Update is that we called Early Intervention here, and they are sending a physical therapist to our home on Monday to do an evaluation. I got a faster, nicer response from them than I get from anyone! I will keep you all updated. Again, thanks for the support.


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## amis2girls (Mar 2, 2005)

DD is 18 months old and in the past week is taking steps. She's been scooting for about eight months, using only her right hand to push.

Anyways, I'm there with you.


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## bobica (May 31, 2004)

good luck, mamalex! i'm so glad the eval is happening so fast! keep us posted!







:


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## mamalex (Mar 2, 2004)

Great news! They came today to eval our little Elie, and he is just fine. Yes, he's delayed by a number of months in his gross motor development, but it's not due to anything about him except that he does not WANT to walk, crawl, etc. in fact, the other day, i showed him a push toy (remember the popcorn poppers?) and he proceeded to walk across the room pushing it!? the therapists who evaluated him said that it is common for children who excel in one area (for Elie it's his language) to fall behind in another (his gross motor.) I feel so much better after having them look at him, and they said they would come again in 3 months if I was still concerned. Thanks for everyone's support.


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