The child learns to walk on tiptoes. Other treatments. Doctors also identify other reasons for such walking.

03.07.2019

In every family where children are born, a long-awaited event comes - the little one makes the first hesitant steps. But all positive emotions can be overshadowed by the fact when the baby gets on his fingers. Why does a child walk on tiptoe at 1.5 years old?

Some peoples have a special ritual concerning the first steps. Children, so that they can go faster and more confidently, as if "cut the bonds", after which they are presented with gifts and arrange a celebration.

Why does the baby tiptoe?

Causes

This circumstance can cause the parents to panic, because the toddler moves on the toes, tries to run in this position of the feet. It is important to understand whether he is playing, walking on his toes, or something serious is happening in the body.

Conduct a small experiment: put the baby on its legs and observe. If he calmly walks more than 3 meters on his toes, then this is not the norm. If the child periodically stands on his feet and socks, it means that he is simply interested in trying his hand at this form of walking.

If we talk about children a little older, then this can happen due to the lack of parental attention. With the help of uncomplicated manipulations, the foolish person tries to achieve the warmth and tenderness of his elders. Believe me, he will do anything until mom and dad turn their attention only to him.

Another option is various games for children. Children play with themselves at this age, living in their own little world. Perhaps this is some kind of interesting fantasy, where the baby sees herself more than she is.

Children, from time to time, can stand on their toes, because at 1.5 years old they do not realize that they can substitute a small chair, climb on it, and then get what they want. This situation can be found when children are freezing or their blood circulation in the lower extremities is impaired.

Different bouncing walkers can give the same result. Parents acquire children's devices so that the child can stand on his feet faster, try to walk with the help of a walker, or stand on a foot, jump and descend on it. They do not think about what their parental haste may turn out to be. About why the child walks on tiptoe at 1.5 years old, Komarovsky on special forums describes in detail this problem with the haste of parents and the acquisition of such "gadgets" for the child.

Of course, you shouldn't forget about pathologies. When the toddler stands on tiptoes at times this is a temporary phenomenon, and when he simply cannot, for certain reasons, distribute his weight to the entire foot, this can be considered a pathology. This may be due to muscular dystonia. Subsequently, the nervous system can malfunction and complications of this ailment will be a curvature of the back and neck, problems with the lower extremities. It will be difficult for the baby to learn simple skills. It can end with infantile cerebral palsy.

Having a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, it is not always possible for children to move around without assistance or a wheelchair. If the baby has muscle hypertonicity, then the reason must be sought in the processes of the baby's brain. As a consequence of severe pregnancy is oxygen starvation of the fetus. Parents need to see a doctor and get tested. At 1.5 years old, it is much easier to solve developmental problems than after 3 years.

The consequences of tiptoeing at age 1.5

If you miss the time, the muscles in your legs will begin to develop incorrectly, hence clubfoot, flat feet, problems with the spine and bones. The sooner the unusual behavior of the toddler becomes noticeable, the faster action should be taken. In the case of any disorder in the body, it is necessary to be observed under the supervision of doctors.

How to wean a baby from tiptoe walking?

About why a child walks on tiptoe at 1.5 years old, Komarovsky will give a detailed explanation in the video.

Your doctor may prescribe paraffin baths to loosen muscle tone. Appropriate massage of the lower extremities, physiotherapy will help, after which the baby will learn to distribute his weight to the entire foot.

While at home, you can do your own water procedures. Warm water is drawn into the bath, soothing herbs are added and the baby, sitting in the bath, relaxes the legs. Let the doctor clearly show which points on the calves and feet need to be massaged.

Orthopedic salons have a large selection of footwear for young children. These are non-standard footwear with stubs and high stiff rims. Depending on the severity of the child's condition, the doctor prescribes shoes of one height or another. The sandals tightly fix the ankles, which makes it impossible for the little one to stand on his toes, no matter how much he wants it. It is recommended to wear such shoes outdoors and indoors.

Make it a rule to visit a neurologist and pediatric orthopedist every three months. Constant control of doctors over why a child walks on tiptoe at 1.5 years old with one leg or two at the same time will help correct the problem in a timely manner. You cannot waste time in this situation. The older the children, the more deplorable complications can be without proper treatment.

Usually, experts in this field prescribe a course of neurovitamins in combination with physiotherapy and massage. For prevention, when the baby grows up, doctors recommend joint exercises that strengthen the muscles of the legs and the whole body. It is necessary to teach children to swim at a young age. Water training is great for the condition of the ankles, joints and muscles.

To be honest, the first time I noticed such a phenomenon was several years ago when visiting friends. A tiny and funny little boy who had just learned to walk, apparently, ran across the room to his mother on tiptoes.

Asking why he was walking so uncomfortable. And then I started looking through tons of information sources, trying to find answers to my questions on my own. It turns out that the matter may be in labor complications. The problem must be solved at a certain stage. And ... it has nothing to do with the gait of the ballet dancer and the future of the baby. But let's talk about everything in order in the article "Why does a child walk on tiptoes."

According to doctors, if a one-year-old child walks on tiptoe, there is nothing to worry about. It turns out that up to three years is generally a variant of the norm. Just a certain stage to go through. Everything is explained, by the way, by physiology.

In babies of the first year of life, the gastrocnemius muscle is very well developed, and it just ensures the position of the foot in the sagittal plane, that is, from front to back. In other words, the muscle itself puts the crumb on its toes, and you just have to accept it. As they say, everything will pass, and that too. It's another matter if the reason lies in some kind of disease.

From a medical point of view, a child begins to walk on tiptoe when:

muscular dystonia (meaning both hypotonia and muscle hypertonicity);
diseases of the nervous system that provoked impaired motor activity;
increased excitability of the central nervous system;
intracranial pressure;
pyramidal insufficiency.

The origins of these ailments can arise both during pregnancy and at the time of delivery. All the fault is hypoxia, or oxygen starvation, as a result of which the nutrition of the brain tissues of the crumbs is disrupted, or chronic diseases in the mother, gestosis, the threat of breakdown, prolonged or, conversely, rapid childbirth, entanglement with the umbilical cord, the use of a vacuum extractor.

By the way, a narrow pelvis in a woman in labor can also provoke the development of the above-described pathologies, due to which later a small child will walk on tiptoes.

Of course, these pathologies can be excluded only at a doctor's appointment. Experienced specialists (usually a neurologist and orthopedist) examine the baby, check his reactions, ability to work with limbs, and then give their verdict. And you don't need to worry ahead of time. As a rule, if there are diseases, then there are other symptoms that indicate them.

I would like to pay special attention to hypertonicity. Standing in line to see a neurologist, mothers vividly discuss that such a diagnosis is given to all children. This, by the way, is not surprising, because up to a year the tone is physiological, that is, normal, and this should not bother. At the same time, you need to worry if the condition persists even after a year, but more on that later.

Finally, the last reason is the walker. Doctors have already talked about their dangers for the back, especially if the baby was put in them too early, and about the dangers for posture, but parents think about it a little. Although, in fact, not everyone needs it. Such an adaptation can threaten mainly the health of small children. Judge for yourself: they are put on a walker when they still do not reach the floor, but you want to move in them. This is what they do when they start walking or even running on tiptoe.

Then everything becomes a habit. But the worst thing is that the child in this case will have to relearn, the main thing is to do this time. Few people know that overuse of a walker can lead to the fact that the foot will not develop correctly. This is when the heel does not receive the proper load and grows more slowly, while the forefoot, on the contrary, expands. In the worst case, the muscles of the ankle and tendons will atrophy.

When to worry

If a child at 1 year old walks on tiptoe, and you visit doctors and they do not find reasons to panic, then there is nothing wrong. Most likely, they will advise you on massages, gymnastics and wish you patience. In any case, you will need it.

By the way, even in 1.5 years the situation will hardly change. The pediatrician can refer you to a neurologist, and he will send you for an additional examination in order to exclude compelling reasons for such walking in the form of problems in neurology, and this is all over. Recommendations regarding massages and gymnastics at this age have not yet been canceled to anyone.

In the USA, it is believed that a baby can walk on tiptoe at 2 years old, and this is not considered a pathology there. Anxiety is beaten after 3 years, but you should not take this as a call to action and postpone visits to the doctor until this age.

In general, if the child is not yet 3 years old, and his tiptoeing is episodic (sometimes, not always), then there is no need to worry. There is an opinion that while he hones his walking skills, he will try different options, and this is no exception.

Few people know that there are children who begin to walk on tiptoes at both 4 and 5 years old, and there are also reasons for this, which, as a rule, are associated with neurology. Although there are familiar options:

he tries to attract attention to himself;
copies someone, perhaps even ballerinas, whose performance he saw on the air;
wants to get taller.

Also, the condition can be caused by psychological problems. Children are very sensitive to problems in the family, and if the latter appear, internal discomfort also appears. Then the baby subconsciously stands on its toes, as if constantly stealthily.

Which doctor to contact

In the struggle for the health of your baby, your friend and assistant is a pediatrician. Be sure to visit him if you notice that the baby often began to walk on tiptoes. Of course, the options when this state is temporary and is due to the fact that he was trying to get something from the top shelf are not considered.

After examining the baby, he will most likely advise you to get advice:

neurologist - he excludes the presence of hypertonia due to neurological problems;
orthopedist - confirms the above diagnosis, simultaneously checking other joint pathologies;
physiotherapist - for the most part, he prescribes procedures to correct the situation, for example, physiotherapy, electrophoresis.

If the situation is serious, complex treatment is prescribed, although in most cases, doctors manage with a couple of manipulations. The main thing is to follow their advice and do everything without fail.

What to do

If the baby began to walk on tiptoes, you must first of all consult a specialist. He will identify the cause, and then prescribe therapy. If the matter is in hypertonicity, there will be massages and gymnastics. They are shown to children from the age of one year, and they can be performed even at home, on their own.

Exercises for gymnastics and massage manipulations will be shown by an orthopedic doctor, but, as a rule, it all comes down to flexion and extension of the foot. For example, the child lies on the back, the mother bends his legs at the knees and presses them to the tummy. And then in this position he works with his foot. It is very important here to make eye contact, sing songs, tell rhymes, try to distract the baby so that he can finish the procedure.

Other massaging options:

Take the crumbs' foot in your palm and draw figure eights on the sole. This is a great exercise that also allows you to strengthen the bond between you by laughing.
Gently knead the calf muscle with your fingers.
Move your foot towards you and away from you.
Take a fitball - a large rubber ball, put your child on it and roll the ball from side to side. It is better, of course, to involve dad or grandmother in this to eliminate the risk of the toddler falling. In general, he will not only like it, but also help: he will make him stomp on an inclined surface, training his muscles.

Outdoor games are also important: jump, run, walk on different types of surfaces with your baby (soft, hard), stomp squatting, like a duck, on the outside and on the inside of the foot. In short, develop the muscle groups concentrated there, the ankle, the Achilles tendon, and you will be happy!

If the problem is hypertonicity and all of the above does not help, it makes sense to start more serious procedures. In such cases, doctors prescribe:

Professional massage - it differs from the usual, home, in that it is performed by a person who understands anatomy and knows where and how to press to get the result. You can write about the choice of such a person for a long time, but the essence is the same: he must be able not only to massage, but also to establish contact with the child. If the latter screams all the time during the session, it may not be the case.
Electrophoresis is a procedure in which a specific drug is delivered to a specific organ through intact skin. It doesn't sound very good, but in reality there is nothing terrible: they connect the device and, under the influence of a pulsed or galvanic current, the charged particles of the medication are sent to their destination. The child feels at this moment just a tingling sensation, no more.
Relaxing baths - they can also be done for prophylaxis. This is when an infusion of chamomile, string, lavender is added to the bathing water. They help restless children fall asleep faster.
Paraffin boots. They are used only for their intended purpose, since they have contraindications: cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus. These boots are gauze bandages impregnated with ozokerite or paraffin.

In any case, the main condition for success is regularity. What else can you do? Additionally, remind the child: “Walk beautifully! Get on your feet! " Call him for inability to walk correctly, otherwise the situation will only worsen. It is also important to choose shoes carefully (with a stiff heel and good fixation of the foot with fasteners or laces).

The first steps of a little man in the big world are a touching and joyful sight. If the child walks on tiptoe, mom and dad should be alert, because such a gait is most likely associated with muscle hypertonia. Doctors call it oxygen starvation of the baby in the mother's tummy or during childbirth.

At what age does the child walk on tiptoe?

Pediatricians consider tiptoe walking as the norm during the period of mastering a new way of movement: walking, running, jumping. Tip-toe walking allows toddlers to experience the possibilities of walking. Muscle hypertonicity, topical at 1-2 months, usually disappears by 3-5 months of age. If this did not happen and the baby takes his first steps on toes, then in most cases this is due precisely to the increased tone, which has not yet passed. While maintaining the stepping reflex, tiptoe walking is perfectly acceptable, parents should not worry about this.

A toddler may tiptoe due to a number of neurological problems, but other symptoms must be present. When the development of the child meets the age norms and the baby looks absolutely healthy, then tiptoeing should not bother the parents. If, nevertheless, dad or mom is worried, then you can go to an appointment with a neurologist to identify any abnormalities or dispel doubts.

If a child walks on tiptoe, it is advisable to assess his development as a whole - sometimes this symptom is not associated with hypertension

Doctors attribute uneven muscle tension to the most common reasons for walking on toes - this problem is easiest to solve. American experts say that there is no need to worry if a child under the age of three has tiptoe walking. The kid learns a new form of movement for himself, experiments and tries to walk in different ways.

Causes of improper gait

This article tells about typical ways of solving your questions, but each case is unique! If you want to know from me how to solve your particular problem - ask your question. It's fast and free!

There are several reasons why a baby walks on tiptoes:

It is believed that the baby stands on tiptoes, to just be taller, because he is interested in seeing everything around, to find out everything. This reason is solved at the moment when the baby himself wants to stand on a full foot.
Children often practice different ways of walking and experiment, which is also one of the reasons for walking on socks. Children are trying to figure out how it is more convenient for them to walk.
High activity level can also cause the child to walk on tiptoes. This problem is solved by increasing the child's physical activity - for example, additional sports are included.
Muscular dystonia. Such a diagnosis suggests that the muscles are straining unevenly, which in most cases goes away by itself. Recovery is provided by physical activity: crawling, getting up, walking on all fours, climbing, and basically does without medication and procedural treatment.
Cerebral palsy- Another reason for improper walking, but this serious disease is accompanied by a number of other signs that any therapist can notice.
The result of a birth injury. The solution in this case is possible with the help of doctors and special medical procedures.

If parents notice walking on their socks at 4 years of age or older, then you definitely need to visit a specialist and find out the reason for such a gait. Timely assistance will relieve you of unnecessary worries about the health of your beloved child in the future.

Consequences of not being treated

There are many external signs and symptoms that a specialist can use to assess motor function. If there is such a need, the baby will be provided with timely assistance and help the mother with advice on what exercises to do at home. Mom and Dad need to be patient in dealing with this seemingly simple disease. If you do not take action in time, the consequences can be as follows:

posture disorders;
clubfoot;
torticollis;
delay in physical development.

When the baby walks on toes, the leg does not have support on the heel, and it is in an inoperative state - because of this position, the heel does not develop at all, only the forefoot grows. It increases disproportionately, and the Achilles tendon also does not work. As you can see, an irregular gait that is not corrected until 6 years old is very dangerous.

Lack of proper treatment can lead to disruption of the musculoskeletal system in adulthood

Help from specialists

We have looked at various reasons for tiptoeing. Medical help is not always needed, but if it is still needed, it can consist of many procedures:

Physiotherapy - a specialist doctor prescribes appropriate procedures based on the diagnosis.
Electrophoresis, like physiotherapy, helps to relieve muscle hypertonicity.
Massage - professional help is also available at home. Learning massage skills is easy enough to be able to provide the necessary assistance to your baby at home.
Baths aimed at relaxing muscles. Use a variety of herbal infusions for your regular baths: string, chamomile, lavender, motherwort.
Paraffin boots (we recommend reading :) Is a medical procedure involving the application of gauze dressings soaked in paraffin or ozokerite. Such procedures are prescribed strictly by a doctor and only after a thorough analysis of the child's health, since such boots are contraindicated for diabetic children and children with diseases of the cardiovascular system.
Physiotherapy. Working out regularly with your baby will help develop the ankle joint and stretch the desired muscles.

Such treatment procedures will help wean the baby from improper gait and teach him to independently lean on his full foot, walk normally. Don't delay treatment - help your child as early as possible.

Doctor Komarovsky is of the opinion that all children under 4 months have hypertonicity, then it goes away by itself - this specialist insists on timely qualified diagnostics to distinguish the norm from pathology.

Gymnastics and massage at home

Massage and gymnastics - this is what the mother of a baby with an irregular gait should learn. Dr. Komarovsky claims that simple exercises included in the daily exercise complex will help the child quickly learn to walk correctly. Active games give good results: invite the child to jump, walk like a bear (on the outside of the foot), like a duck, on an inclined and soft surface. Massage exercises develop and stretch all the leg muscles: the Achilles tendon, ankle and calf muscles.

It will be extremely helpful to book your baby for a swim. Also pay great attention to the choice of footwear - it must be orthopedic.

The correct footwear is essential for the formation of a child's foot. Orthopedic shoes for children are expensive, but this is not comparable to the costs that will have to be paid for treating a child as the disease progresses.

Massage your foot in a figure eight with your finger.
The calf muscle should be massaged with two fingers: thumb and forefinger.
Bend your foot away from you and towards you.
Take a fitball (large ball) for exercise and place the baby on top. Roll the ball back and forth smoothly. A useful and simple activity is best done with dad, then one of the parents will support the baby, and the other will roll the ball. The child should be encouraged to step forward and backward on the ball.

It is important to carry out massage at any age, do it at, 9 and 10 months, up to a year, when the baby starts to walk. To learn massage technique, it is useful to watch a thematic video.

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Independent walking is an important developmental stage that every child goes through between the ages of 10 months and 1 year. The first steps that the baby takes will forever remain in the memory of his family and often become a reason for affection and jokes. But what if your beloved son or daughter walks in a strange way, for example, on socks? What can cause this, when not to worry, and when to see a doctor?

There are many reasons why the little man walks in such a peculiar way. Some of them lie in the psychoemotional sphere or simple developmental problems and can be easily corrected, others require the close attention of doctors. Why does the child behave this way?

There are such harmless reasons:

1. The child is used to being in a walker, and now he still walks on his toes, since before he could reach the floor surface only with his fingertips. Remember how long your daughter or son has been practicing in this convenient device, and perhaps there will be no reason for further anxiety.

2. The child is hyperactive and inquisitive.
The increased and lability of the processes of the nervous system lead to the fact that the baby can very actively explore the world around him, reach out to the objects around him, trying to move as quickly as possible. This is probably why your offspring began to move around like this.

3. The child is experiencing a stressful situation.
In a difficult family situation, frequent conflicts between parents, children from 10 months and at 1-2 years old do not feel safe and thus may try to avoid drawing attention to themselves and therefore began to walk like that all the time.

4. The child imitates an adult or character that is significant to him.
Small children between 10 months and 1–2 years of age can often copy adults, such as a mom or other women, who wear high heels. Or the baby could see an image of a person who moves in a similar way and is now under the impression. It happens that a child started to play in this way and it became a habit.

If walking on toes is caused by the above reasons, then a baby up to 3 years old walks in this way sporadically.

What health problems can cause this manner of movement in children, why does this happen?

Different types of cerebral palsy... If your child has this disease, then you certainly have already visited a neurologist and noticed a number of other alarming symptoms that accompany the "ballerina's walking" - perhaps the offspring has other problems with psychomotor development, noticeable much earlier than at 10 months (maybe he is bad says he began to hold his head and sit later?).
Dystonia of the muscles of the lower extremities... Due to excessive hypertonicity (excessive tension) of the leg muscles in some children, the foot cannot completely stand on the ground, and this forces them to walk on tiptoes. Sometimes the hypertonicity of some muscle groups is combined with the hypotonia of others, which are also the reasons for this behavior and the answer to the question "Why?"
Birth trauma, prematurity, hypoxia during pregnancy and childbirth... If childbirth was complicated, the child was born prematurely, or the mother suffered from some pathologies during pregnancy, then the child's central nervous system could develop with impairments or suffer during the passage of the birth canal. This leads to various problems in the motor sphere if the baby is under one year old.
Pyramidal insufficiency... We are talking about problems with the motor cortex of the brain, the causes of which cannot be accurately determined. Since it is impossible to understand why this happened, it remains to deal with the consequences.

If "ballerina's walking" is caused by problems with the nervous system, then a child aged 10 months and older up to 3-5 years old walks on tiptoes constantly.

How to wean walk on tiptoes

Concerned mothers often ask themselves the question - how to wean a child under 3 years old from such a habit as walking on their toes? In this matter, it is better to trust your doctor. Since it is he who, having figured out what is happening with your son or daughter, will be able to choose the right methods of rehabilitation.

With young children, classes should be carried out in a fun way. Special exercises will help to develop the correct gait.

It is useful to teach a child over a year old to walk on an inclined plane or on steps, leaning alternately on each leg;
If the baby is 1.5-2 years old, she can alternately walk on the inside and outside of the foot, move on the heels or squat down;
It will be useful for the baby to squat without lifting his heels off the carpet or floor;
If you involve your dad in the classroom, then you can try three of us to do exercises with a fitball. A child from 10 months to 2-3 years old moves on the surface of the ball, and adults hold it on both sides.

For more specialized exercises, ask your health care physician at your clinic. It is important to remember that the above exercises should be done regularly. You can not quit classes at the first improvement, as the achieved effect may disappear.

Orthopedic shoes are indispensable for correcting the gait of children. Its main difference is a firm heel, a lock on the instep and a snug fit to the foot, perfect for your sibling. If your son or daughter walks on toes, choose shoes with double Velcro straps. Shoes for children must be marked "Orthopedic" for the child to become healthy.

Massage

Correctly performed massage for children 1-3 years old helps to improve muscle tone, especially in the case of dystonia. To do this, it is not necessary to invite a masseur, each mother can master a set of simple techniques, massage and make the baby healthy.

We start the massage by stroking the area of the feet. Movements should be smooth and gentle.
With two fingers of both hands, knead the calf muscles of the baby, alternately touching each leg.
With the index fingers, we depict an infinity sign (the usual eight) on the feet of our child, while slightly pressing on the muscles located under the skin.
We continue the massage, do flexion movements in the ankle joint of the child, swinging the child's feet back and forth.
Gently shake the legs, which the baby raises, at the same time taking each one in his palm;
We squeeze each finger on the crumbs' legs in turn, squeezing it with our thumb and forefinger.
We finish the massage by stroking the area of the feet again.

The course is designed for 8-10 weeks of daily use.

Walking barefoot

An effective prevention of flat feet and a method of correcting other foot problems in children is walking barefoot. To do this, let your son or daughter, taking off their shoes, learn to walk on a special orthopedic mat.
You can make it yourself if you sew large buttons and flat beads of various textures on a thick fabric.

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky

Dr. Komarovsky believes that if a child is 3 years old or less (over 10 months), then the baby can try different ways of walking, learning about the world around him. If, at the same time, the boy or girl does not have other pathologies and neurological symptoms, then it is worth choosing the tactics of observation.

Komarovsky emphasizes that each child develops individually, and not all cases of walking on tiptoes, if the baby begins to move like this, require immediate prescription of pharmacological drugs.

However, as Dr. Komarovsky noted in one of his speeches, if the mother was sick during pregnancy, or the childbirth was complicated, then it is therapy from 10 months and earlier that can help, such a baby will develop fully and catch up with his peers.

As Komarovsky points out, it is massage, swimming, various physiotherapy procedures (electrophoresis, paraffin therapy) and the normal psychological climate in the family that contribute to solving problems with gait in children if the baby tries to move like a ballerina.

My child walks on tiptoe. What to do?

Is walking on tiptoe harmless?

Doctors in Europe and the United States believe that in the absence of any health complaints, if a child at the age of 10-12 months only walks on tiptoes, especially occasionally, then there is no point in treating him.
In most cases, the problem is solved on its own after a few months, especially when the baby is 2-3 years old. To speed up the rehabilitation process, it is suggested to attend a wellness massage.

Which doctor to contact

If your child has a "ballerina gait", then a visit to doctors should start with a visit to the office of the local pediatrician.

In the future, you will have to visit an experienced pediatric neurologist as well as an orthopedic surgeon. It is useful to get acquainted with physiotherapists, medical instructors in exercise therapy, a medical rehabilitation therapist, who conduct group classes for such children from 2-3 years old, since.

How is pyramidal insufficiency treated?

One of the most common modern diagnoses in children is pyramidal insufficiency. But how to deal with it in order to give your child an ordinary, normal life?

A course of drugs that affect the central nervous system, which your son or daughter will drink as prescribed by a neurologist. These can be B vitamins, as well as drugs that improve cerebral circulation.
Performing therapeutic exercises at home and in the gym under the guidance of a specialist.
Massage, it is advisable to repeat the courses 2-3 times a year until the problems in the motor sphere disappear completely.
Special orthopedic footwear.
Water treatments such as swimming in the pool, aqua massage, herbal baths and micronutrient-rich sea salt.

Walking on tiptoes in children is not a sentence, but a reason to think about the health of the baby and, if necessary, under the guidance of doctors, start correcting it, since the reasons for this can be very different. With the right treatment (physiotherapy, massage, pharmacotherapy, orthopedic shoes), the child will not have any problems in the future, when he is over 1.5-2 years old.

What is pyramidal insufficiency - Dr. Komarovsky

Some parents notice with horror that the child walks on tiptoes, and does not step on the entire foot completely. The reasons for this are quite diverse, it is important to navigate them in order to prevent serious diseases in time. However, in some cases, such a feature is considered the norm and does not lead to any negative consequences. We offer you to get acquainted with what causes walking on socks and how parents should act.

Up to 3 years

If a baby at 1.5-2 years old periodically rises on his toes, there is no cause for concern. The baby is just learning to walk, so there is nothing surprising in the fact that he tries different positions of the foot, looking for a more comfortable one for himself. Therefore, if at 1 year old the baby takes his first, while timid, steps on tiptoes, you should not worry. A situation is also possible in which the mother takes the baby by the handle, and he stands on his toes in order to be taller.

Doctors also identify other reasons for such a walk.

The muscles of the small legs are still unevenly developed, the phenomenon is called "muscular dystonia". The disease itself is not a serious one, very often it goes away gradually, but children are shown physical activity and massage. The disease can be recognized early on by certain signs. So, the baby begins to respond inadequately to light and sound signals, to press the limbs to the body. The baby cannot roll over on his tummy, take a toy, and often throws his head back. Also symptoms are excessive lethargy or, conversely, agitation. It is important not to run the problem, otherwise it can cause scoliosis.
Constant use of a walker. In this case, the baby first stands on tiptoes, and only then learns to walk on the whole foot. That is why progressive pediatricians recommend abandoning a walker: children learn to stand much more slowly, maintaining balance, than their peers who do not use a walker.
The desire to learn new things. The kid often stands on tiptoes to see more.
Increased energy. Active children often run on their toes. In this case, you should often entertain them with games that require physical activity.
Some babies, seeing how their mother walks in beautiful high-heeled shoes, tend to imitate her by doing the same.

Warning signs

However, this phenomenon can sometimes be a symptom of a serious illness, so it should not be ignored by parents. The reasons are as follows:

Birth injury that influenced the functioning of the child's brain. It can be oxygen starvation of the baby, a narrow pelvis of the mother, quick or too long labor, entanglement with the umbilical cord. In most cases, the problem is known from birth, therefore, appropriate treatment is carried out.
Cerebral palsy. In this case, the child will not only move in a strange way, but also show other signs of serious pathology, in particular, a strong lag in physical development. A sick child does not blink at a loud sound, cannot sit at 7 months, at 1 year of age does not make the first attempts to pronounce a syllable, his movements are either slowed down, or, on the contrary, sharp, convulsive. Sometimes cerebral palsy is accompanied by impaired vision, hearing, strabismus.
Pyramidal insufficiency. This is a deviation in the development of the part of the nervous system responsible for movement. With such a pathology, at 2-3 months, the baby's chin begins to tremble, the movements of the fingers are uncertain, and the toes are constantly tightening. He cannot stand normally on the entire surface of the foot, as well as grab objects (tremors of the hands). Often the cause of the disease is a birth injury to the spine.
Orthopedic pathology inflammation of the calcaneus, for example, can also cause unusual movement patterns. It hurts the child to step on the heel, so he rests on the toe.

In addition, babies who are brought up in problem families can also do this: stress, fears and discomfort become the reasons for a strange way of walking. It is important not to ignore the situation and provide the baby with psychological help.

At 4-5 years old

If at 2 years old a child who walks on socks, as a rule, is completely healthy and will soon give up his habit, then parents of older babies should seriously think about it. This feature may be due to a neurological disease, so a visit to a specialist cannot be postponed.

There are several other possible reasons:

striving to look taller;
imitation of a mother or some kind of screen model;
an attempt to draw attention to your person;
desire to get something high.

All this is completely normal and should not bother the parents. Walking on tiptoes is by no means always an alarming signal; some children do this because it is simply convenient for them in such a position. Gradually, they give up their habit.

It is important to pay attention: if the crumb can stand on the entire foot without problems, then, most likely, it does not have any deviations. If this happens with difficulty, the help of a specialist is required. But in any case, it is important to teach him how to walk correctly, since resting on the toes is fraught with posture disorders, problems with the spine, and clubfoot. If the baby moves on tiptoe, the heel loses its function and stops developing, while the forefoot greatly increases in size and becomes disproportionate. Therefore, for all its harmlessness, this manner of walking can cause very serious consequences. You can and should fight with it.

How can I help my baby?

If the crumb constantly rises on tiptoe, you should visit a neurologist - he will conduct an examination and prescribe treatment. Treatment tactics directly depend on what exactly caused the strange walking pattern.

If it is muscular dystonia, then physical activity will be the best therapy. Such a baby is shown the following exercises:

walking on all fours;
walking barefoot;
walking on soft surfaces;
goose step;
walking in a semi-squat;
jumping;
walking on heels, on the outside and inside of the foot;
various types of crawling and climbing.

Swimming and active games are also useful.

Exercises

Let's take a look at some of the exercises to do with toddlers.

Holding the crumb by the armpits, you should lower it to the floor surface. In this case, the baby will rest on the entire surface of the foot.
When bathing a child in a bathtub, you should help him “swim”, pushing off the side with your whole foot.
Holding the baby, they put him on the fitball. Most of the children focus on the entire foot completely. Parents should provide the baby with safety and prevent falling.
From the age of 3, you can start cycling lessons. Forced to pedal, the crumb will put the whole foot on them.

These simple exercises should be performed regularly, only in this case a positive result can be expected.

Massage

Consider the features of the massage, which will help solve the problem. Once approved by the healthcare professional, the mom can do the massage with her own hands.

There are several main movements:

drawing "eights" on the child's foot;
warming up the calf muscles with the thumb and forefinger;
light stroking;
flexion / extension of the foot;
light tapping on the foot with the back of the hand;
shaking the foot, bending it forward;
massaging each finger.

You can do this massage at home, bringing joy to the baby and from the impact on the active zones of the feet, and from communicating with parents.

Other treatments

Depending on the causes of the problem, different types of treatment can be prescribed:

physiotherapy;
paraffin boots (it is important to remember that this procedure is contraindicated in diabetes mellitus and certain heart diseases);
wearing orthopedic shoes;
electrophoresis.

In certain cases, relaxing herbal baths with chamomile, lavender, and a string will also be useful. It is very important not to self-medicate, but to consult a specialist who will prescribe a specific therapy.

Separately, we note the importance of purchasing the right shoes. For babies, it should be comfortable, with a hard sole. If the stubborn reluctance to walk on full feet is due to the child's habit, you can purchase “squeaky” boots for him that make a funny sound when interacting with the heel. The kid will try to hear him and gradually learn to move correctly.

Parents should carefully monitor exactly how their baby is trying to walk, since it is important to correct gait in time. At an early age, therapeutic exercises and massage (in the absence of serious diseases) can completely solve the problem, in advanced cases, the help of a specialist will be required.