My child isn’t walking yet. How do I know if I should take my child to see a physical therapist?

Kids typically begin walking independently between 10 and 18 months old.  There is a big range for this milestone which makes it difficult to determine whether or not a child needs physical therapy (PT) to help them learn to walk. I’ve heard many pediatricians say that they don’t refer their patients to physical therapy for delayed walking unless they are not walking independently at their 18 month well visit.  In some cases, I agree with this statement.  But not always.  If a child is within this age range, and they are not yet walking, but the skill is emerging and there are no other concerns, then physical therapy might not be indicated.  So for example, if a child is 16 months old and he/she is pulling to stand independently, cruising independently, standing independently, and walking with one hand held assist, and they are doing all of these skills symmetrically, and there is no concern for atypical muscle tone or atypical posturing, then your child probably doesn’t need physical therapy.  However, if a child is approaching 18 months old, and walking is a skill that seems far off, then services might be indicated.  For example, if a child is 16 months old and isn’t walking, but also needs help to cruise and is having trouble walking with hands held, then I would recommend an evaluation by a physical therapist.  If the child has atypical muscle tone, or they are completing any of their gross motor milestones asymmetrically, then I would recommend a physical therapy evaluation.  A physical therapist can help problem solve through what is going on and how to address it.  A physical therapist can also give you tips and tricks on what to do at home to help your child learn to walk independently.  A physical therapist can also figure out if you need regular PT sessions, or just the evaluation.  Regardless, if you have any concerns at all about your child’s walking, you should see a physical therapist.  Even if you aren’t able to verbalize what the concern is, it is worth doing an evaluation.  When it comes to child development, the earlier you intervene, the easier everything is to address and the less physical therapy you will need. 

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