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Expert Q&A
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| By Dr. Vincent J. Kopp Pediatrician Pediatric Anesthesiologist | ||
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My 13-month-old does not want to walk on his own. Should I be concerned?
Cautious walkers like your 13-month-old child will make good progress soon enough. By 15 to 18 months of age he or she will be ambulating fine. Is he or she a verbal child? Often you will see verbal children walking "late" and early walkers talking "late." My twins did this switcheroo!
Here is one trick you can try: place an object in your child's free hand as s/he cruises around the room holding onto furniture. Soon s/he will forget the difference between holding a table edge or chair leg and the detached object in hand. After a few steps s/he might realize the difference then sit down. But once your child feels comfortable walking while holding a toy or blanket s/he will cling less to furniture and use the object for "support."
Remember to hazard-proof your furniture and home once your child starts walking. Loss of balance can result in injury, especially on sharp edged furnishings or objects left in a room.
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