It is a delight to see your baby graduate from the cradle to crawling. Those first little wobbly steps can bring you to tears. However, your baby goes through a series of developmental phase before achieving this important milestone - walking. Believe it or not, your baby has been preparing to walk right after birth. Those little movements of the limbs and hands that she makes while lying down on her back, during the initial weeks, are actually an exercise to develop enough muscle strength and coordination. After gaining some strength, which happens over a period of time, your baby moves on to master the art of rolling over, sitting without much support, crawling, standing, cruising and then finally – walking. So the process of walking is actually a ‘learning in progress’ at every stage after birth, till she masters the art.
How it starts
You might not know, but it takes a lot of practice, patience and confidence from your little one to start walking on her two feet. Here are the little developments that happen in your baby before she is able to set her feet on the ground:
At 6 weeks: This week marks one of the crucial developments stages in your baby which you might just miss. Your little one begins to gain some control over head movements, though not completely. If you hold your baby upright supporting the abdomen and back, she will be able to hold her head straight, albeit briefly.
At 3 months: At this stage your baby will be able to hold her head upright at a 90° ventral suspension when you hold her up.
At 6 months: Your baby will be able to support her head well on her own, when made to sit. This is also the time when your baby learns to sit, albeit with some support and is able to hold her head upright. When lying face down, she will be able to lift up her forearms. This is a sign that your baby might be crawling soon. Here are 19 baby care tips for every new mum.
At 9 months: By this time your baby would have have already achieved two milestones – sitting without support and crawling. ‘Most babies tend to stand up with support during this time. Some might even start to take a few steps holding on to the sofa or the chair,’ says Dr Geetanjali Shah, paediatrician, Mumbai. However, this stage might vary from one baby to the other. Some babies might never crawl and pass the phase altogether while some might linger in the crawling phase before gaining enough muscle strength and confidence to start walking.
At 10 months: There will be a repeat of the activities of the previous month, however, there will be progress and your baby may be able to stand for longer without support and take about two steps before needing help. Here are six tips to make the most of your pediatrician’s visit.
At 12 months: By the time your baby celebrates her first birthday, she should be able to stand and walk, even if it is with some assistance from you. Some babies might just start to walk alone by this time. ‘If there is any developmental hiccup or delay in reaching this milestone we ask the parent if the child was able to stand during the first birthday, if yes, then things might just be normal,’ points Dr Shah.
At 18 months: By this time your child would have mastered the art of walking and will be able to walk well, run, sit on a chair and even climb stairs holding the railing.
At 2 years: Your child will be able to go up and down the stairs alone keeping two feet on one step at a time.
At 3 years: By this time your child will be able to climb stairs, one foot per step, and keep you on your toes as you run after her.
It is difficult to ascertain a specific period of time or month to point out exactly when a child might start to walk. However, often, children tend to walk on their own between 11 to 15 months depending on their pace of development. Some children might show delay in the process but will eventually start walking by the end of the first year.
When you need to worry
Walking is considered delayed if it has not been achieved by the 18 months and is it definitely a sign of worry. ‘Usually the upper limit for a child to start walking is 12 months. If there are no signs of it even beyond the stipulated time it is a reason to worry and there is a need to examine the child for developmental difficulties,’ says Dr Shah.
Here are some of the reasons that could delay walking in a child:
Neurological disorders: ‘Certain neurological disorders like cerebral palsy or Down’s syndrome may delay the phase of walking altogether. Picking up on the cues also helps address the underlying problem and start the treatment early,’ says Dr Shah.
Vitamin D deficiency: Along with calcium, Vitamin D plays an important role in the bone development of babies; lack of it could also be a probable reason for delayed walking.
Rickets: There are studies that show a link between rickets and delayed walking. However, if the condition has not progressed to an advanced stage it is reversible and timely treatment can help the child to walk upright.
Delayed gross and fine motor skills: ‘Sometimes parents fail to pick up the early cues of delayed walking. These signs are delayed gross and fine motor skill development. Simply put this means that by six months of age, your child should be able to pick stuff up using her palms, however, by the ninth month she should be able to pick up things with her thumb and fingers. If the other fine and motor skills develop normally then a wait and watch approach works fine, else it is prudent to seek professional help,’ says Dr Shah.
Muscular dystrophy: This is a hereditary neuromuscular disease and is progressive in nature. It is one of the most common causes of delayed walking in children and does need immediate medical attention.
Image source: Getty Images
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