When a child starts walking alone

Parents love to share the achievements of their kids, and many of them have a clear understanding that a child at one-year-old age is simply required to walk.In fact, even pediatricians do not set any time frames for the first steps of the child - everything is strictly individual, so some children begin to walk on foot at 10-11 months, while others master this skill only by a year and a half.Do not panic, even if the baby refuses to go a year or older, you just need to seek advice from a specialist who not only explains everything to parents, but also examines the baby. Consultation of pediatrician, orthopedist and neurologist is required. Contents: When the child starts walking and the mechanism of this skill If the baby went earlier or later than the optimal time How to teach the child to walk What to do if the child goes on tiptoes

When the child starts walking and the mechanism of this skill

For the firstSteps of the baby the optimum time interval is established - 9 months - 1, 5 years.

Most children start walking around the age of about 12 months, but only those steps that the baby does completely independently are taken into account when assessing the appearance of this skill.And, for all children, the first walk begins in different ways: someone relies on furniture and walls, someone immediately rises to the feet / falls / rises again - any of these options is considered the norm.

The age of the first steps depends on several factors:

1. The constitution of the child.Agree, a plump, plump toddler is much harder to lift and move his own body, but children are lean and active will take the first steps at an early age.
2. Heredity.If one of the parents of the baby started to walk late, then it is not necessary to demand from your own child some victories in this field before the deadline.
3. The sex of the child.Statistics say that girls, in most cases, start walking on their own much earlier than boys.Level of activity and temperament.
.If the kid is calm by nature, then he can crawl for a long time and study the surrounding world within reach.But an active, inquisitive little man will strive to get up early and move around to have a larger circle to study.

Separately it is worth noting that the first steps of the child are strikingly different from the gait of an adult and this fact does not depend on how much they were made. Characteristics of the first steps of the child:

• feet feet are placed strictly parallel to each other;
• the child stomps, as he still can not rearrange the foot from the heel to the toe;
• the kid often falls, as yet unable to keep his balance, he just does not own his body.

Note: often happens so that the baby starts walking on toes at once, but this point should be considered separately.Most likely, such a gait will indicate any neurological disorders.

If the baby went earlier or later than the optimal time. ..

Many parents are frankly happy when their baby goes to 9 months, but this is not very true.The fact is that at this age the muscles of the crumb are not strong enough, and they are not able to withstand the weight of the body without consequences.This is especially dangerous for children with excess weight, because there may be a curvature of the legs in the region of the shins, the formation of an incorrect position of the feet when walking.

But if the child does not walk after one and a half years, this is also not good.Such inactivity may indicate a weakened immunity or birth trauma of a latent type.Of course, in some cases, the absence of the first steps at the age of 1, 5 years may be associated with the physiological characteristics of the organism, but it is still necessary to find out the true cause.

How to teach a child to walk

Parents can and should stimulate the baby to gain new skills, but it needs to be done gently, unobtrusively and without fanaticism. There are several supporting techniques that will accelerate the appearance of the first steps of the baby:

1. Gymnastics.It is understood that it is necessary to perform passive bending / unbending of the legs, standing on the socks with the help of the parents.As the muscles of the crumb become stronger, you can begin to practice squats, bouncing and pulling up with the support of adults.

1. Massage.The shins, feet and back of the baby should be easily stroked, rubbed and taped, because this will remove hypertonic muscles and strengthen them simultaneously.Please note: for the number and frequency of performing gymnastic exercises and massage you need to consult a pediatrician.

1. Wheeled toys.These children are very fond of children, because they are interested in drawing on bright toys and pushing them forward.But keep in mind that popular walkers do not perform the role of an auxiliary object, because they do not cause proper muscle tension and lead, on the contrary, to a delay in the development of the skill.

In addition, you need to create a lot of space for the baby - it is known that children who spend a lot of time in the arena, begin to walk at a late age. It is advisable to free the room from furniture, but arrange it so that the crumb could lean.Toys need to be placed around the room so that they should just go, and not crawl.

Please note: as soon as the kid has taken his first steps, he needs to purchase shoes - soft, comfortable, made of genuine leather or other materials and absolutely accurate in size.

What to do if the child goes on tiptoes

Pediatricians are increasingly saying that some children start walking on their toes at once and this should not bother only if the toddler brags about his skill or tries to attract the attention of adults in this way. The true reasons for walking on tiptoes can be both physiological and pathological factors:

1. The child can have a pronounced hypertonic muscle.With this problem will help to cope with classic physiotherapy.Doctors believe that pronounced hypertonic muscle can develop against the background of oxygen starvation of the baby during pregnancy or during childbirth.
2. Muscle tension is uneven, so the child is just comfortable and comfortable walking on tiptoe.This condition is normalized independently, as all the muscles of the child's body are strengthened.Parents can accelerate this process, dealing with crumbs squats, "walking" on all fours.
3. Often walking or running on socks indicates an increased activity of the child, that is, his energy can not find an outlet.Parents simply need to load the baby physically - move a lot, actively play.

Note: walking on tiptoes may indicate the effects of a latent birth injury or the onset of development of infantile cerebral palsy.Such diseases are perfectly diagnosed, and only specialist can help solve the problem.

Even if the child has already turned one and a half years old, and he still does not go by himself, parents should not panic.If the kid is active, is in excellent spirits, creeps and is interested in the surrounding world, then you just have to wait - very soon he will not just make his first steps, but start running.

Tsygankova Yana Aleksandrovna, medical reviewer, therapeutist of the highest qualification category