Many modern mothers show excessive concern about the health of their child. Most often, this behavior is characteristic of women who have given birth to their first baby, who do not have the appropriate experience and practical knowledge. That is why, if a child does not want to walk on his own every year, parents begin to worry, suspecting something is amiss.
About the norms of physical development
In fact, the fact that a child does not walk on a yearly basis is not a big deal. Norms generally accepted since Soviet times have now completely lost their relevance. Current pediatricians are increasingly guided by Western development criteria. Soviet pediatrics dictates approximately the following norms of physical development of children in the first twelve months of life:
- the ability to hold the head - in a month and a half from birth;
- an independent coup from the back to the tummy - by the age of three months;
- movement on the knees with support on the handles (crawling) - in half a year;
- independent walking - per year.
Now these boundaries look a little different. So, for example, the optimal age when the baby must learn to make a coup from the back to the tummy varies from three to six months, and the skill of uprightness does not have clear boundaries at all. Normally, a child can go from nine to ten months to a year and a half.
According to average statistics, a healthy baby tries to stand with support by seven to nine months, and by ten to twelve begins to move independently without support. It is important to remember that the lack of desire to walk after the first year of life is not considered a sign of pathological abnormalities in the development of the baby.
Common causes
As a rule, congenital developmental pathologies are excluded in the first months of a child's life. Mom with the baby undergoes a mandatory examination with children's specialists, and is also under the constant supervision of a local pediatrician. Modern doctors identify several common causes that a worried parent should know, because of which a completely healthy child stubbornly refuses to walk independently after twelve months.
Overweight
An increased load on the musculoskeletal skeleton significantly reduces the baby's ability to move independently. Many mothers notice a lack of desire among chubby babies to get up and walk without the help of their parents.
Inadequate readiness of the spine and muscles of the child's body
The fact is that each child grows and develops according to his individual plan. And if some children are ready for independent vertical movement by the age of nine months, others need much more time to get stronger and gain enough strength.
Child activity level
Do not forget about the temperament and character characteristics of the child. From birth, mobile children are often ahead in the development of their peers. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the character of the baby.
Genetic predisposition
Heredity plays an important role in shaping the physiology and personality of the child. Let's say the father of the baby himself went after a year of age. Then one should not be surprised that his child is in no hurry to take the first independent steps.
The presence of the desire of the child
There are often cases when a completely active independent baby after the first unsuccessful attempt of vertical movement is afraid to repeat the past experience, fearing a fall. The obvious reason why a child is afraid to walk on his own every year. In this case, fear becomes the main limitation. He has already gained the experience of falling, he felt pain, and he is simply being careful. In addition, the lack of desire to walk is often associated with laziness. The child chooses for himself the most simple and familiar way of moving, consciously realizing that standing and walking is much more difficult than crawling.
Pathological causes
Guessing about the causes of unusual baby behavior can be a long time. And they are not always harmless. For example, if a child at 3 years old does not walk independently, the pediatrician observes marked pathological changes in the patient. Among the most probable reasons are the following:
- Muscular dystonia, expressed in violation of motor activity and a deviation in the development of muscle tone. Such a pathology affects not only the child’s ability and desire for a vertical mode of movement, but also causes a disorder of other motor skills.
- The weakness of the musculoskeletal skeleton can be considered both as the body’s unpreparedness to acquire new skills, and as a separate pathological process. Among childhood diseases characterized by damage, deformation, or underdevelopment of the musculoskeletal skeleton, it is worth paying attention to such diseases as flat feet, hip dysplasia and rickets. Congenital cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy) requires special attention . These diseases can be the reasons why a child at 2 years old does not walk independently. It is important to note that any of the above pathologies in development may become an obstacle to the acquisition of new skills by the baby, in particular the upright skill.
Using a walker
According to many pediatricians, neurologists and orthopedists, this is the most common reason why a child does not walk on a yearly basis. With the advent of new devices on the children's goods market, walkers have become a kind of “lifeline” for most mothers. Of course, the benefits of using a walker should not be underestimated, however, and it is undesirable to get involved in their use.
Among the obvious advantages of this device, the leading place is occupied by the creation of comfortable and safe conditions for the movement of the baby in space. Indeed, walkers are a great way to protect your child from possible falls, sharp corners, electrical appliances and sockets. And besides, a woman has free time when she can do household chores without worrying about the baby’s safety.
Most mummies are also confident that by placing a baby on a walker, they contribute to the development of his vertical movement skill. Is it really? The famous children's doctor Komarovsky Evgeny Olegovich states with absolute certainty that walkers are primarily a benefit for parents than for their small child. The main danger lies in the constant use of this device when the child is in the walker for the entire period of wakefulness, not being able to move independently. Moreover, the earlier the baby is seated on a walker, the worse this affects its development. Therefore, the child does not walk independently per year.
Before learning to walk upright without support, the baby must master the previous motor skills in a strictly inherent sequence. Thus, his body is preparing to master the technique of walking. Not in vain, most pediatricians do not advise sitting a baby earlier than six months, until his skeleton and muscles are fully strengthened. The same goes for the upright position. Early transplantation into walkers significantly increases the load on the skeleton, in particular on the spine, while crawling helps strengthen the muscles of the back and limbs. Subsequently, this allows you to move on to the development of new motor skills with a minimum load on the spine.
In addition, abuse of walkers leads to curvature of the legs. This happens due to improper foot position. Being in the walker, the child is deprived of the opportunity to step fully legs. As a rule, when moving, he is repelled by the outside of the foot, which with prolonged practice leads to the formation of an incorrect walking skill. And if for a boy this is not so scary, then for a girl the prospect of acquiring crooked legs is undesirable.
As an alternative method of safe movement of the baby, it is recommended to use the playpen. So you can not only protect your child, but also give him the opportunity to freely stand and move with support, as well as take the first steps without the help of adults.
How to teach a child to walk independently in a year?
It is preferable to start with the development of crawling skills. This is the initial stage in the development of complex motor skills, allowing the child to learn how to move freely and relatively safely in space, as well as train and strengthen the musculoskeletal skeleton.
If a child does not walk independently a year because of fear of a repeated fall, welcome the baby’s new attempts to stand on its feet and go calmly and unobtrusively. Encourage your baby with affectionate words, but in no case do not force them to move by force. Show by your own example how great it is to walk yourself.
Signs of Walking Readiness
Keep in mind the main rule! Everything has its time. If a child does not walk independently in a year, you do not need to force him. The following features of his behavior indicate the readiness of the baby for upright posture:
- The child stands on its legs for a long time, holding on to the side of the crib or playpen.
- The kid independently steps over in the playpen or crib.
- The child can easily take a sitting position from a standing position.
- The child already makes attempts to walk, but does it his own way (on toes or crawling on his knees).
Pediatric Tips
Do not panic if the child does not walk on its own every year and month. It is extremely important in training to create a comfortable environment. The kid should not slip on the floor surface. Linoleum and tile are not the most suitable surfaces. It is preferable if the baby learns to walk on the carpet. Do not forget about the danger and consequences of the fall.
If the child often falls, cries and gets nervous, help him learn to walk in the old way that our grandmothers tested. To do this, it is enough to simulate a special device of the “reins” type from a twisted sheet and let it pass under the baby’s arms.
And never stop there. If the child has already learned how to move independently, proceed to the next stage - overcoming obstacles. In addition to natural, you can create obstacles to overcome in a playful way, for example, lay cubes and other toys on the way of the baby. The main thing is that he does not get hurt or hurt in the event of a fall.
And one more important point. It is not necessary to forbid the child to walk barefoot if the apartment has a normal temperature and there are no drafts. According to most pediatricians and orthopedists, walking without shoes contributes to the proper formation of children's feet, eliminating the risk of flat feet.