As parents, we are very concerned about how our children
develop. One thing that seems to push
parents to seek a medical profession is how their child walks. Is toe walking bad? Does it mean that they will walk like that
forever? Is it a sign that something
else may be wrong? Let’s discuss.
Toe walking in and of its self is harmless and in most cases
is simply how your child has decided to walk.
Many children simply have chosen to toe walk because it is comfortable
for them at this stage. If the child has
been walking on their toes since their first step, there is additional
assurance that nothing is wrong. If the
child is old enough to respond to verbal commands, ask them to stand on their
heels and to walk with their heels touching the ground. The far majority of children will be able to
do this easily and painfree. This is a
sign that there is no underlying problem or surgical issue that needs to be
addressed.
Toe walking is only a sign of an underlying disorder when it
is accompanied by other signs of slow development, or if the child was walking
on their heels and then suddenly begins to walk on their toes. If the child is missing other milestones of
growth, cognitive development, or other benchmarks, a pediatric physician
should be consulted. If the child was
walking normally and then begins to toe walk, or if they begin to toe walk only
on one foot, this should also prompt evaluation. Pinching of the spinal cord from a myriad of
possible sources could be the reason and can be addressed and reversed. It is possible, however, that the abrupt toe walking is a sign of a
muscle or nerve development problem that may not be so easy to reverse. This represents a very small percentage of
cases which your child most likely does not fit into.
