The little one's first step is one of the important developmental stages that Mom and Dad are definitely waiting for. If the child is running late, parents will certainly feel worried. Come on, find out the cause and how to solve it.
Generally, children have started to be able to stand up and take the first steps between the ages of 8-18 months. At that age, children will walk by creeping on the objects around them.
Possible Causes of Late Walking
Delays in walking in children are usually caused by the following:
- Mother has infection during pregnancy
- Premature birth
- Carried too often
- Suffering from serious illness
- Having a congenital physical disorder
- Nutritional deficiency
- Delayed maturation of the motor system
- Habit of using baby walker
Parents should check their child's condition to the doctor if the child is over 18 months old and can't walk, the child only walks on tiptoe (toes), the movement of one leg is different from the other (limping), or there is an abnormality in the shape of the child's foot.
Various Ways to Overcome Children's Late Walking
To overcome the problem of children walking late, there are several ways that parents can do, namely:
1. Invite the child to walk by guiding him
The first way that Mom and Dad can do if your little one is late for walking is by holding his hands and leading him to walk.
Position the child standing facing forward, then hold his hands from behind, and help the child to slowly walk. This method is useful for strengthening muscles and training the balance of the child's body to start walking.
2. Limit the duration of carrying the child
Carrying children is a very exciting moment for parents. But for the good of the Little One, Mother and Father should not carry him too often or too long.
Instead, let your little one play on the floor. That way, he will be stimulated to start standing, creeping, and finally walking.
3. Put the toy in a distant position
Placing toys at a distance can also encourage children to walk. Meanwhile, to make your little one want to stand up, Mom and Dad can invite him to play in a standing position.
4. Let the child go barefoot in the room
Try to get used to your little one's activities barefoot indoors. This is useful for training his body balance while standing. If you want to give a child's shoes, choose the appropriate one. Mom and Dad can also buy toys that your little one can encourage to train them to walk.
5. Avoid using baby walker
Some parents may hear that baby walker can stimulate children to walk. However, this is just a myth. Did you know that the use of baby walker actually it is not recommended to train a child to walk?
This is because baby walker it can cause children to experience delays in walking, in addition to also increasing the risk of injury to children.
The ways above can help Mom and Dad to stimulate and train children to walk. But before doing so, first make sure the area in the house is safe and free from items that can harm your little one.
Keep in mind, the speed of development of each child is different, including in terms of walking. But if Mom and Dad are worried, it never hurts to check your little one to the pediatrician.
The doctor will examine the physical condition and assess the child's movement (motor) abilities, find out the cause of the delay in walking, and provide suggestions for appropriate action to overcome the problem.
