Is it normal for a baby not to walk at 18 months old?

Every newborn is valued by the entire family, especially those who have just been born for a short time, who affect the entire family in all aspects of life. Many mothers find that their children cannot walk when they are eighteen months old, and they are very worried about this situation. Some mothers even think that there are some problems with the children themselves. So, is it normal for a baby not to walk at 18 months old?

First, is it normal not to be able to walk at 18 months? Every child’s developmental performance is different, and each has his or her own unique performance, and walking alone is of course no exception. When that day comes, it has nothing to do with the baby's intelligence, body size, or the parents' parenting abilities. Children don't "intentionally" learn to walk late, and parents can't change their baby's walking speed faster. Therefore, our first reminder is that you don’t need to be too impatient, but you should keep a close eye on your baby to see if he or she shows appropriate reactions to walking alone. Some children learn to walk before they are one year old, but some children are still crawling around when they are one and a half years old. The time it takes for babies to learn to walk varies, but it is generally normal for them to learn to walk within 17 months, so parents don't need to worry. If the child is normal in other aspects, a slight delay in walking may not be a big problem, but it should be noted that some children have legs straight like sticks or crossed like scissors when supported by adults to stand, some children have shaking hands or their hands are constantly trembling, and in terms of movement, their hands and feet are not flexible, their coordination is poor, or their walking posture makes people feel that it is awkward. Or if his walking time is far behind other children of the same age, you must take him to see a specialist.

Second, parents should have the right mindset and not adopt the approach of forcing things to happen. Never force your child to walk on his own or push his hands away, as this will make the child feel less secure and more difficult to walk on his own. Training measures that parents can take: You can kneel in front of the baby, stretch out your hands to hold his hands, encourage him to take a step and walk towards you. You can also stand behind your child, hold his armpits with both hands, and walk with him. At first he may need you to hold on to him, but after that you only need to use a little force and he will be able to move forward on his own. You can appropriately use some toys to attract your child to walk over and take them, and don’t set the distance too far at the beginning. After the child successfully takes the first step, slowly increase the distance. Help your child rebuild his or her confidence in walking alone. Learning to walk also means an increased chance of falling and getting injured. Please prepare a relatively safe environment for your child to reduce the chance of him bumping into things. Try to keep him within your sight and be ready for "rescue" at any time.

Is it normal for a baby not to walk at 18 months? Walking is one of the gross motor skills, which is closely related to the development of the cerebellum and cerebrum. It is also related to the external environment at the time. For example, wearing many layers of clothes in winter, these factors will hinder the baby's perceptual ability development, so parents must create appropriate conditions to help the baby. If you find that there is no improvement after a long time, please seek medical attention immediately and do not delay treatment.

<<: What to do if your child has teeth marks?

>>: Children's hands and feet allergies