Why is my baby walking differently than others?

There are numerous reasons as to why your child may walk differently than others. James Engels, MD, an orthopedic surgeon, discusses the possible causes.

“In many cases, perceived gait abnormalities are variations of normal walking that will evolve to a mature pattern as a child grows," said pediatric orthopedic surgeon James Engels, MD.

"However, it’s important to have a specialist assess any child with gait abnormalities to determine if there is any cause for concern."

When do babies start walking?

• While each kid is unique, the typical age for a young baby to begin walking is about 12 months. Some babies take their initial steps significantly sooner, while others take a little longer.
• Normal motor stages for infants generally include:
• Most newborns can sit without assistance and rollover around the age of 6-8 months.
• Many babies start to crawl between the ages of 9 and 11 months.
• Most newborns can pull themselves up to standing by grabbing onto furniture around the age of 10-12 months. Many people can walk with assistance, but not on their own.
• Most babies begin to walk without assistance around the age of 14-16 months.
• Toddlers can normally travel upstairs one at a time by the age of two.
• Most toddlers can travel upstairs and down by the age of three.
• Most children can walk downstairs and back up by the age of four.

Anomalies of structural gait

Tibial torsion

Tibial torsion comes in two varieties: internal and external. Internal tibial torsion causes the child's lower leg to bend inward. Their lower leg turns outward due to external tibial torsion. In most situations, this ailment improves on its own before the kid reaches the age of four.

Although uncommon, some children with this problem are prescribed a night brace to wear, often between the ages of 18 and 30 months. If a youngster is 8 to 10 years old and still has the issue with considerable walking difficulty, an orthopedic surgeon may consider surgery.

Femoral version

When a child's upper leg bone bends inwards or outwards, this is referred to as the femoral version. The upper leg bone, like the tibia, may twist inward (femoral ante-version) or outward (femoral retro-version) This disease manifests itself between the ages of 2 and 4 years. In certain situations, femoral retroversion might cause a toddler's walking to be delayed.

Bowlegs and knock knees

Bowlegs are outward bends of the legs at the knees, whereas knock knees are inward bends. Both of these problems are typical in early life and normally improve on their own as a kid develops.

Flatfeet

When walking, flat feet occur when the arches in the feet have not yet matured and the whole foot pushes against the floor. This gait defect is common in newborns and young children and normally resolves during the first ten years of life.

Metatarsus Adductus

A child's foot bends inward from the middle foot to the toes due to this structural abnormality. Even though most kids with severe metatarsus recover on their own, newborns with severe metatarsus may require therapy, such as physical training, casts, or corrective shoes.

Movement-based gait abnormalities

The term "movement-based abnormalities" refers to those that impact the act of walking. These gait abnormalities have been frequently associated with problems with messages from the brain to the legs, which work to create movement.

Toe walking

Toe walking is prevalent in youngsters who are just learning to walk and normally corrects itself. Nonetheless, if a youngster first exhibits typical walking patterns but then begins walking on their toes, they should be investigated.

Tripping or falling

Most toddlers under the age of four frequently stumble and fall while walking or running. This normally vanishes by the age of six to seven years, when the gait pattern grows.

Balance or coordination issues

In several circumstances, a toddler does not fall frequently, but they still have poor equilibrium and walk irregularly. Some parents say their baby walks like he or she is "drunk." This sort of defect is extremely uncommon, yet it warrants additional evaluation with other pediatric experts, such as a pediatric neurologist.

Diagnosing gait abnormalities

A diagnosis is frequently determined in the clinic during a medical evaluation, and imaging, tools, or tests are hardly ever required. However, imaging may be necessary in some cases to properly define the origin of the walking pattern.

Treating gait abnormalities

The majority of gait irregularities do not necessitate therapy since they are abnormalities of typical walking patterns. If your kid does require treatment, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon will collaborate with you to establish a therapeutic strategy that best meets your child's requirements and will walk you through the journey.