What needs to be done for the child to start walking. Optimal training period. How and when does a child begin to walk?

Doctors say that a healthy baby should develop between the ages of 9 months and 1.5 years. At the beginning of this time period there are the most frisky and active of them, at the end - the cautious and difficult to rise in the literal and figurative sense. Such a wide range in terms allows us to understand that the first steps are an individual feature and cannot be held to any standards, as some mothers do. For them, if the baby is not a year old, that’s it, it’s a disaster!

Comparing him with others, his parents begin to panic that he won’t get back on his feet at all, they sign him up for all kinds of massages, swimming, and take him to various specialists. This is already too much. Instead, you just need to know how to teach a child to walk independently, how to help him master this skill along with his peers, without falling behind them and without staying too long.

Reasons for prolonged sitting

You can study for a long time, but still not teach your child to walk independently for one reason - in the presence of unidentified or ignored physiological characteristics. They can become a serious obstacle that cannot be overcome until it is diagnosed and eliminated.

Therefore, first, young parents must understand why their baby is in no hurry to take the first step. Factors contributing to this can be very different.

• Overweight

Compare the child's weight with the norms for his age. Are you often told that your baby is growing, and your local pediatrician constantly comments that you are overfeeding him? It's time to reconsider the daily amount of food he eats. Have you introduced complementary foods correctly?

Consult with specialists and take the necessary measures to gradually lose weight for your baby. Otherwise extra pounds will put serious stress on the spine when you try to teach him to walk. Do gymnastics for babies with him.

If the cause of excess weight is impaired metabolism, be sure to make an appointment with pediatric endocrinologist and get treatment if possible.

• Temperament

Experts say that the first year of life is a stage of psychomotor development. A child’s motor activity directly depends on his type of higher nervous activity. It includes emotional excitability, mental characteristics, vital force.

If you have a slow phlegmatic or an anxious melancholic person growing up, it will be difficult to teach him to walk at an early age. But a nimble choleric person or a cheerful sanguine person will get back on their feet much faster and, most likely, without your participation.

• Genetic predisposition

Ask your parents what time did you start walking and how did it happen: did you do it yourself or did they have to make some effort? Very often it turns out that a child who took his first steps after a year received this feature as an inheritance.

• Climatic conditions

What part of the Earth do you live in? Studies have shown that southerners develop earlier and faster than northerners. This also applies to walking.

• Walkers

One of the most controversial devices, dividing all pediatricians and parents into two opposing camps.

On the one hand, a child can still be taught to walk with the help of a walker, if used correctly (put them there when they are closer to one year, in the absence of contraindications, limit the time spent in them, force the baby to move independently).

On the other hand, orthopedists and pediatricians never tire of warning that this is a direct path to flat feet and poor posture in the future. And lazy children, having learned the purpose of this structure, generally refuse to take steps without it. If this is your case, you will have to deprive him of this pleasure and force him to walk on his own.

• Bad experience

If the child has already made attempts to walk, but they ended in failure (he knocked, it just didn’t work out), he may remember it and will be afraid that it will happen again.

To prevent this situation, adults should always be close to the baby and take all safety measures to avoid falling. If this does happen, you need to wait a while (a week is enough) and show him that walking is not at all scary, that his mother is always there to help.

• Stressful situation

It is possible to teach a child to walk only if he grows up in a comfortable psychological atmosphere and familiar conditions. Stress from an unfamiliar environment, due to moving, strangers in the apartment, frequent quarrels between parents can make him “sit around”, despite all his efforts.

• Disease

Even if it is a common cold, it can greatly weaken a child’s body. There is no need to try to teach him to walk during this period. Wait for recovery and resume activities.

• Musculoskeletal, neurological pathologies

This is one of the most serious reasons why a baby does not walk. Problems with the musculoskeletal system and the central nervous system are factors that inhibit the ability to walk independently. This will require an integrated approach: timely diagnosis, treatment, procedures, constant monitoring by specialists.

Do you want to teach your child to walk without support? In this case, first make sure that he has no developmental problems and nothing is stopping him from doing so. But at what month can such activities begin without harm to his health? And how exactly are they carried out at home? Advice from experts will help you.

Did you know that... Do newborns have no kneecaps? They are finally formed only by six months. So think about it: will early walking benefit newly developed joints that need at least 2-3 months to strengthen?

There are a huge number of methods on how to teach a child to walk correctly: they are all very effective and approved by specialists. You can choose any one. The main thing is to follow general recommendations that will allow you not to lose sight of a single nuance. This will speed up the achievement of the desired results.

At what age?

The age at which the first steps are taken is an individual indicator that cannot be adjusted to standards. Some can be encouraged to do this as early as 10 months, while others mature for such activities only at 1.2 years. The best option is to teach a child to walk when he is one year old; usually by this time he is already formed for this.

Watch him and decide for yourself whether it’s time for him to stand on his feet or whether it’s too early. Signs of readiness:

• rises by holding on to something;
• moves along the support;
• actively moves from room to room on all fours;
• finds pleasure in it;
• overcomes small obstacles;
• walks by the hand;
• climbs onto low chairs.

Do you want to teach one year old child walk? First, determine by these signs whether he is ready for this. If he expresses reluctance, is slowly mastering motor skills, but is absolutely healthy, do not force things. You have time up to 1.5 years.

Preliminary preparation

In order for a child to take his first steps together with his peers, this must be taken care of in advance. Teach him to walk... starting from diapers. Yes, yes, preparation of the musculoskeletal system for such a serious event should be carried out regularly from 1 month of life.

• 1 month

The newborn should lie on his tummy for 10 minutes every day so that the muscles of the back and neck can strengthen.

• 2 months

Teach your baby to roll over from tummy to back and back. This is easy to do: hold a bright toy in front of him and gradually move it to the side so that he reaches for it. By performing this simple action, he forces almost all muscle groups to work. It will be easier for him to get up later.

• 4 months

Leaning on something. To do this, you need to carefully pull it by the handles.

• 6 months

He must learn to sit on his own, without support.

• 6-12 months

Make your child actively crawl. Favorite toys and gymnastics will help you. Holding him by the armpits, let him jump on your knees.

To quickly teach a child to walk, parents must take timely care to ensure that his musculoskeletal system develops in accordance with age standards. Then, by the age of one year, he will take his first steps without special classes. If this still hasn’t happened, get ready for “lessons.” And they need to start with safety precautions.

According to research. Scientists have confirmed that children who actively crawled in infancy are easy to learn and successful in school, unlike those who skipped this stage and went straight away.

Safety precautions

Are you planning to teach your child to walk independently, without support or support? Then think about safety precautions so that he doesn’t hurt himself. After all, negative experiences can kill his desire to learn. the world around us in this way. What needs to be done to protect him from falls and injuries?

1. Teach your child to walk in shoes designed for walking. Soft sandals and knitted booties not suitable for such activities. The ideal option is lightweight shoes made of genuine leather with a hard sole.
2. Are you afraid that the sole of such shoes will slide on the floor? Go over it with sandpaper, but don't make it too rough, which could cause it to fall.
3. The floor surface should be smooth and level so that the child does not trip. And at the same time, he cannot slide on it, otherwise he will not be confident in his movements.
4. Teach him to walk where there are no steps, thresholds, or rugs on which he can trip and fall.
5. Remove sharp-edged objects from the room where daily activities will take place. Or put “plugs” on them.
6. If you place your baby in a walker, make sure it is stable. Buy a quality product from the start that will help you avoid falls. Very often a child, who does not yet feel the speed, accelerates in them so much that he cannot stop and turns over. It is very easy to crash and get seriously injured with such a massive structure.
7. The street is not the best good place for the first steps.

If you think through the issue of safety for activities with your child down to the smallest detail, you will teach him to walk much faster. And they themselves will have peace of mind that, having stood on their feet, they will stand confidently on them, since nothing will frighten them.

After the training premises are prepared, start purchasing equipment that will help you achieve results in the shortest possible time.

Interesting fact. A baby's body has several dozen more bones than an adult's.

Inventory

To teach your child to walk, you will need the following equipment for classes:

• leashes (reins) are safety belts and help prevent falls and injuries at first;
• despite the disagreements, some children begin to walk much faster with walkers, as they master the technique and then repeat it without this design, so it’s worth a try;
• a protective head helmet for babies will give peace of mind to the most worried mothers;
• hoop;
• stilt sticks;
• Fitball perfectly strengthens the musculoskeletal system.

To teach a one-year-old child to walk, one piece of equipment will not be enough. Help your small, still developing body cope with such a serious task - prepare your muscles and joints by doing strengthening exercises with it every day.

Through the pages of history. The first walkers were created in 1950 by the Englishman W. C. Robb for the elderly and disabled. And only recently they were transformed for use by children for independent walking.

Gymnastics

The purpose of this gymnastics is to strengthen the muscles of the back, neck and legs. It is she who will help you teach your child to walk on a full foot, and not on tiptoes, as is often the case. So devote a few minutes a day to these exercises - and the first full steps without any support will soon be taken.

• Fitball

Place the child on the fitball with his back to you. Hold him by the hips. Rock in different sides. The exercise develops coordination and teaches him to maintain balance. All this is necessary for walking skills. Classes can begin from 6 months of age.

• Rack

Teach your child to stand. Sit him on his haunches facing forward on a hard surface. Hold it in the chest area. Lift him up, forcing him to rise and straighten his legs. It is advisable to perform the exercise from 9 months of age to rhythmic music.

• Sticks

If your baby stands confidently, to teach him to walk, purchase special sticks. They are about a meter high, usually polished or upholstered with fabric. Make him take them, put your hands on top of his. Take turns moving these peculiar stilts with him and take steps.

• Stroller

If a child walks by the hand, but is afraid to let go, let him push the stroller on his own, while securing him from behind to avoid falling.

• Hoop

With the help of a hoop, you can teach a child to walk who can stand without support, but is afraid to take steps. It is launched inside the hoop, which is moved by the adult so as to make the child move with it.

• Hunt for a toy

If a child actively crawls and rises with support, this exercise will quickly teach him to walk. Move the bright toy around the room, placing it on a chair, sofa, bedside table - any height that will make him get up from his knees and take the toy. But if such a chase irritates the baby, there is no need to test his patience.

• Obstacles

If the little person walks by the hand, take him on a journey around the room with obstacles. Stretch a rope between the furniture so that he can see it and step over it. Bring him to it, stop him, help him overcome it. When one height is mastered, gradually raise the rope. The final point is knee level. The exercise perfectly develops the leg muscles.

You have taken care of safety, you have purchased equipment, you are doing gymnastics - everything is prepared for daily activities that will teach the child to walk without the help of adults or support.

This is interesting. During the first year of his life, the baby goes through a whole evolutionary path. According to research, his ability to learn at this age is much higher than that of schoolchildren. So don’t be lazy - make your baby work, exploring the world around him on his feet!

Education

Set aside a specific time of day for studying. Half an hour will be enough. But this needs to be done regularly, because at this age acquired skills are quickly forgotten.

1. First, teach your baby to walk along a support. Place him near the crib (or sofa), stand at the other end and call him to you, talking affectionately and beckoning with a toy.
2. After this, teach him to break away from the support, holding his hand and pulling him towards you. From this position, move around the room. At first, to instill confidence in him, hold him by both hands, but gradually let go of one.
3. You yourself will feel when you can let go of your other hand. But at the same time, you must be on guard and catch the child if he starts to fall.
4. You can do classes together. One adult supports the baby by the armpits and leads him around the room. The second one is slightly ahead, facing them, and stretches out his hands, intercepting the baton and catching the baby. At some point, the first “teacher” is already letting go of the little walker, and the second one is making a corridor out of his hands for safety, but is not holding him yet. The time interval when the child will be in such free flight will increase every day.

Walking independently on two legs without support is a huge leap in human evolution and the development of a child. Parents should help him master this skill, despite the fact that it is inherent in nature itself.

Try to instill confidence in him that everything will work out, support him at the right moment, and sometimes encourage him. Make sure that the little man's first steps are joyful and enjoyable.

The first steps of a baby are perhaps the most exciting moment in the life of parents after their birth. After all, this means that the baby has gone through another stage of growing up. Naturally, parents are faced with the question of how to teach their child to walk so that he can feel independently and confidently on his feet.

The parents' task is to facilitate the transition from crawling to walking. In this article, we will look at the main ways to learn to walk, and also teach you how to avoid making annoying mistakes while doing so.

Sometimes parents may doubt whether they need to teach their child to walk. After all, this process is natural, maybe you shouldn’t stop it from developing on its own? The answer to this question is clear: of course, training is necessary! If you let this process take its course, you will not be able to avoid injuries. In addition, the baby may be frightened by hitting hard during a fall. This will discourage him from walking for a very long time!

What time should a child be taught to walk?

Have you ever caught yourself thinking that your friend’s baby started walking at 9 months, but yours, who is over a year old, doesn’t want to do this? Before you worry, it’s worth understanding how the process of starting to walk occurs in nature in general:

• The baby begins to move his legs literally within the first few weeks. At this time, their movements are carried out at a reflex level and are manifested in the fact that the little one is trying to push off from any surface;
• By five months, he can already jump, pushing off the floor, when he is held vertically under his arms. Until about seven months, this activity will be his favorite, until he learns to crawl and sit;
• At the age of 8-9 months, children can already attempt to stand up while holding onto support. At the same time, they stand on their own legs for some time, and more active children can even move around the apartment, holding on to the surrounding furniture;
• At 11 months, children usually stand up and sit down on their own. Also during this period, the baby can stand on tiptoes or walk by the hand;
• Around 13 months, children begin to walk on their own. Naturally, they are still doing it clumsily, since coordination of movements has not yet been developed and the muscles are not strong enough.

It is important to understand that the above diagram is only generalized statistics. Some children can attempt to walk as early as 9-10 months, and some cannot walk well even at 1.5 years. If no deviations were observed in physical development, then there is no need to sound the alarm. Perhaps the baby is simply afraid of this. And here an important role is played by how responsibly you approach the learning process.

In principle, when it is possible to teach a child to walk, you yourself will understand. He himself will give you signs. The only thing that doctors do not recommend is placing high loads on the spine at the age of 6-7 months.

Approximate diagram of baby development by month from birth to 1 year

If there are no restrictions, and your baby shows interest in walking at an early age, then you should not limit him in this. But if he begins to be capricious during the learning process, then it is better to postpone classes to another time in order to avoid further upset of the baby.

1) What is a rolling machine? How to choose it correctly, read the link.
2) We talk about the types of cribs.

How to teach a child to walk correctly and quickly

So, has your baby started to move confidently, holding onto support? This will be the first prerequisite for the child to learn to walk independently. This is where our recommendations will help you.

Tips on how to teach your child to walk correctly:

• The first exercise is performed in pairs with someone (dad, grandmother, etc.). Take your baby under your arms and move forward with him. Your partner should extend his hands to the baby, which he will grab as a support. At this moment, let go of the baby so that he can step on his own, holding on only with his hands. In appearance, the process is similar to movement along a support, but in reality the trajectory is radically different. The direction of movement allows the child to more correctly navigate in space;
• Keep your baby under control at all times. Do not allow him to fall hard, which could cause him to become scared. Always insure him so that you can catch him in case of a fall;
• To keep your child moving in the right direction, get his attention. bright toys and other items;
• For better insurance on the path of the child's expected movement, lay soft blankets and pillows. This will prevent the child from being injured if he falls;
• If the baby does not move very confidently, swaying from side to side, then you should limit the time of training. The fact is that sudden swinging movements are harmful to the spine. And it’s not very useful for the joints of the legs. Teach your baby to squat so that he can take temporary breaks.

1) : basic recommendations for selection and rules of use.
2) Why red caviar is useful during pregnancy, read this article.

Basic mistakes when teaching a child to walk

WITH early age Parents try to teach their child to walk, but at the same time they make annoying mistakes, which is why they cannot do it quickly. To prevent this, you should familiarize yourself with the main mistakes of parents:

• Using a walker. This is a clear relief for the mother, but it can cause harm to the child. The fact is that here the essence of the process comes down to simply pushing off with your feet, which over time can cause deformation of the feet. In addition, the child does not learn to hold his weight vertically, because he sits in a walker;
• Parents strive to teach their child to stand as early as possible. Accustoming a child to this before the age of 9 months, there is a possible risk of developing flat feet and spinal damage;
• The baby stands near the support for too long. Most children stand up near a support, but cannot sit back down. As a result, the load on fragile legs is too high, which can lead to sprained ligaments and even deformation of the foot;
• Using low-quality shoes. It is advisable to teach walking with bare legs. But if you do this outdoors, then you should choose high-quality orthopedic shoes that can support the foot in the correct position. We wrote a whole article on how to correctly determine the size of a child’s shoes;
• Too much guardianship. It is important to understand that a child will fall while learning to walk. You need to insure him, but still give the baby more freedom and do not jump up to him with gasps after the slightest fall.

So, we have looked at how to teach a child to walk correctly. If you don't make the most common parenting mistakes, your baby will soon be chasing you around every room. Encourage and stimulate him to do these actions so that the child has self-confidence.

If, closer to two years, the child does not even attempt to walk, then be sure to consult a doctor. Also keep an eye on whether your baby has muscle tone. If not, then this will also be a reason to seek qualified help.

By the tenth month, your baby will learn to crawl quickly, and his success in this method of movement will make you smile more than once. But it’s not enough for a child to just crawl. It develops further. Now he tends to climb onto benches, stools, and chairs. These items should be near him. And you must keep an eye on the baby. Let him climb onto the bench in your presence. Secure your child a little so that he doesn’t hurt himself if he falls off the stool.

Climbing onto chairs and benches, the child follows his instinct. This is necessary for the child's development, so do not interfere with it. Place several pillows near the chair so that the child does not hurt himself if he falls.

At first, the child stands for only a few moments and, swaying, quickly grabs the support. But this new, more difficult movement gives him pleasure, he again and again lets go of the bedrail or the chair he was previously holding on to, and gradually learns to stand steadily for a long time without support.

Most children begin to stand up and down without holding onto support with their hands later than they begin to stand on their own. But sometimes a child tries to get to his feet and is not yet able to stand steadily. First he gets on all fours, then slowly straightens up, stands for a moment, quickly loses his balance and, swaying, falls to the floor. He gets up again, falls down, gets up, and so on several times in a row.

By the age of one year, a child usually already knows how to stand for a long time, calmly stand up and fall down, without holding on to anything with his hands. At nine to ten months, he quickly walks along stationary objects, holding onto them with his hands. Soon he can walk along a smooth wall, only lightly resting his palms on it, and then begins to move from one object to another, taking one or two steps on his own.

Before you start teaching your child to walk independently, think about whether the right time has come. The fact is that the child’s porno-motor system must be sufficiently developed for the loads associated with upright walking. Therefore, in order to promote speedy development the baby’s musculoskeletal system, do not limit, but rather encourage his crawling, as it develops the child’s muscular system better than any exercise equipment or gymnastics.

Preparation

The child must have appropriate shoes. Knitted socks and soft shoes are no longer suitable. Leather shoes are preferable - that is, light and quite tough. In such shoes, the child will feel more stable, and therefore more confident.

Pay attention to the floor on which the child learns to walk. The floor should not be very smooth and, naturally, slippery. Otherwise, the child will fall too much. In addition to the risk of injury, another danger arises: the child may lose self-confidence.

Inspect the soles of the shoes you bought for your child. If you feel that it is too smooth and will slip when you walk, sand the sole or replace the shoes.

Take a critical look at the place where your child will learn to walk. The floor here should be level, without thresholds. Remove rugs and rugs to prevent your child from tripping over them. Be aware of the dangerous proximity of sharp corners of furniture. When falling, a child may hit a sharp corner.

It has been noticed that the use of baby walkers slows down development and the child begins to walk later, since the baby in a walker weakens the desire to learn to walk independently.

The child cannot walk independently at the age of 1, we are looking for the reason!

If a child at 1 year of age has not yet walked independently (at least 2-3 steps without support), walks poorly or does not try to walk with support, stands or walks on his toes, an urgent consultation with a pediatric neurologist is necessary.

Teaching a child to walk independently

If the child is already about a year old, he is strong, healthy, has been crawling well for a long time, gets up and stands only with slight use of support, but does not try to stand himself, you can help him master this skill. To do this, you need to leave him without support for a few seconds and carefully monitor him so that he does not fall.

Parents are usually interested in whether it is possible to drive their child while supporting him under his arms. You can drive, but not before he learns to stand confidently with support. Make sure that when you drive your child, he does not lean forward or to the sides. An inclined position of the body can lead to curvature of the spine. In addition, a child who is used to walking with support while leaning forward will find it difficult to maintain the upright position required when walking without support.

Even without being able to walk independently, the child walks with more or less pleasure depending on where you take him. You walk with him into the next room, he actively steps over, you turn back - he resists, does not go.

If the baby walks freely, only slightly holding on, and even more so lets go of the support and takes one or two steps on his own, he will soon begin to walk without support. Some babies are not self-confident and cannot walk independently for this reason alone. Help him gain confidence, call him to you at a distance of 2 steps, then 3 or more, if the child sways, losing his balance, you need to catch him with a gentle movement, but do not scream or make sudden movements, so as not to scare him. Soon the child will begin to walk on his own, without any prompting, and will quickly improve in this skill.

In order to stimulate the child’s desire to walk, this same incentive must exist. For example, a child wants to get some kind of toy, but cannot, because to do this he needs to tear himself away from the support and walk several steps. Surround your baby with interesting objects and toys, let him try to get them, touch them, and explore them.

By the end of the year, the child masters some other movements: he sits down and squats, and then stands up confidently; bends down to pick up a toy from the floor, and, having taken it, straightens up and carries it; climbs on and off low objects. The child understands the names of almost all movements and, at the request of adults, can perform them.

The baby is becoming more and more active and soon you will not be able to hold him next to you by the hand, you will have to constantly run after him and protect him from troubles along the way, and you will sadly remember those moments when he did not yet know how to walk. Don’t rush to teach your child to walk on his own, everything has its time.

Often, in an effort to help the child go as far as possible before parents make a lot of mistakes.

When children start walking

Typically, children begin to walk at one year of age, but it is considered normal for a child to take his first steps between 9 and 18 months. This depends on many factors, such as the child’s temperament, his constitutional characteristics ( proportional ratio body parts) and even heredity.

Calm and well-fed children are often in no hurry to learn new motor skills; to explore the world around them, the already acquired skills of sitting and crawling are quite enough for them. And mobile and active fidgets sometimes move so quickly from one stage of development to another that parents barely have time to grab a camera to capture their progress.

It may happen that during the first attempts to walk independently, the child acquired a negative experience: he hit himself hard, was scared of something, or was sick during this period - then he may postpone mastering this important skill for some time.

Walking is a simple matter only at first glance. This seemingly easy way of moving for adults is actually a complex and fairly coordinated work of various muscle groups, motor (motor) zones of the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, and vestibular apparatus. Walking is impossible without the ability to maintain good balance and precise coordination of movements. Therefore, before taking the first steps, the child’s leg and back muscles must become stronger and mature. nervous system and vestibular apparatus, and the skeletal bones and ligaments become strong enough to withstand vertical load.

The beginning of walking is preceded by the acquisition of a number of important motor skills by the baby. At about 7–8 months, the child begins to stand on his feet, holding onto the railings of the crib or playpen. The baby enjoys standing so much that he strives to stand up, using every opportunity to lean on something. After the child has learned to stand, holding onto a support with both hands, he gradually begins to let go of one hand to take a toy, and then (at about 9 months) he tries to take his first steps, holding onto furniture or a wall and moving along it. At the age of 9–10 months, the child learns to bend his knees and sit up from a standing position. By 11–12 months, the baby is usually quite strong and can stand, bend and squat without support. And only after mastering these skills will the child be ready to take his first steps.

Most babies crawl confidently on all fours by 9 months. This method of movement promotes the development of connections between the right and left hemispheres of the brain, the correct formation of the spine and is a training of the muscles and vestibular apparatus in preparation for walking, so do not be upset if the little one is in no hurry to change crawling to upright walking. There are also many children who are “not born to crawl” and move in space in a way convenient for them - some “ride on their butts,” others “walk” on their knees.

If, upon examination by a neurologist and orthopedist at the age of 1 year, no pathology was detected in such children, the lack of walking until 16–18 months should not worry parents, since any physical activity strengthens muscles and develops coordination of movements, and therefore prepares the child for walking. It is important that the baby is active, cheerful, learns new skills and improves already acquired ones.

How a child takes his first steps

Each child is individual and develops according to his own schedule. But parents often worry when their child acquires a particular skill much earlier or later than other children they know. There is an opinion that if a baby starts walking early, he will have crooked legs. Studies have shown that there is no direct connection between the age at which walking begins and the curvature of the legs. The child's bony skeleton is able to withstand the load of his own body weight, provided that the baby moves from one stage of development to another independently. If parents do not try to rush things, the baby will take his first steps only when his musculoskeletal system is strong enough and he is ready for it.

It should be noted here that trying to take the first hesitant steps is not walking. Parents can proudly say that their child really starts walking only when the baby learns to break away from the support, walk a few meters on his own, stop and change the direction of movement. The period of time between the first timid steps and independent walking sometimes ranges from several weeks to several months.

When do you need to consult a pediatric orthopedist?

Mastering the skill of independent walking is a very important stage in a child’s development. Some orthopedic problems are identified precisely at the moment when the baby begins to walk, so during this period parents need to pay attention to the placement of the feet when walking, the shape of the legs, gait and posture of the baby. Here are a few main points that should alert parents and be a signal to contact a specialist:

• If a child, standing on his feet or trying to take a step, does not rest on his entire foot, but only on his toes, crosses his legs, he often stumbles out of the blue. This may be a sign of impaired muscle tone. There are muscular hypertension (excessive muscle tension) and dystonia (individual tension of various muscle groups), which in the future can become one of the reasons for the baby’s lag in physical development, the formation of incorrect posture and gait. Such children need the supervision of a neurologist and orthopedist.
• Parents may notice that a child's legs are "curved like a wheel" as they begin to walk. O-shaped (varus) curvature of the legs is quite common in children in the first years of life. The cause of the development of varus deformity may be heredity, muscle weakness, underdevelopment of the ligamentous apparatus, softening of the bones due to a lack of vitamin D. If the changes are not very pronounced, this deviation may go away on its own with growth, enlargement motor activity and strengthening the child's muscles. If your baby has signs of rickets, overweight or other diseases associated with metabolic disorders, he must be under the supervision of an orthopedic doctor.
• Normally, the child places his feet parallel to each other or slightly spreading his toes outward, while the load on the foot should fall mainly on its outer part. If a baby “rolls” his feet inward when walking, then most likely there is hallux valgus foot, as a result of which the child may develop an X-shaped (valgus) curvature of the legs: when in a standing position with the knees closed, the distance between the baby’s ankles is more than 4–5 cm. The causes of valgus curvature are rickets, excess weight, and mechanical damage (trauma) . Such children must be observed by an orthopedic doctor, who will assess the condition of the child’s bones and muscles and, if necessary, prescribe therapeutic massage, gymnastics, and wearing orthopedic shoes or other types of correction.
• If, when walking, the child’s feet are strongly turned towards each other with their toes, creating the effect of clubfoot, or, conversely, they are strongly spread in different directions, then he should also be shown to an orthopedist.

If you notice any signs that cause concern, it is best to consult a pediatric orthopedist. Only a specialist can assess whether the abnormalities are serious and require treatment. The sooner you see a doctor, the easier and more effectively it will be possible to correct the disorders identified in your baby. As planned, you should visit an orthopedic doctor at 1, 3, and 6 months, then when the child turns 1 year, 1.5, then at 2 and 3 years.

Choosing children's shoes for the first steps

This is one of the main questions that arises for parents of a baby taking his first steps. The foot of a child starting to walk is not yet formed, its muscles are quite weak, the ligaments are elastic and stretchable, the physiological curves have not yet acquired their final shape, so improper loading can lead to disturbances in its development. That is why it is important that the child wears well-chosen shoes at home and on the street, which will support the child’s feet, promote the correct distribution of the load and the natural formation of the arches of the feet, preventing the development of flat feet.

It is advisable to put shoes on the baby as soon as he begins to make attempts to stand on his feet. Household sandals and boots should be light and comfortable, but at the same time meet all the requirements for children's shoes.

Children's shoes not only perform a protective function, but also participate in the formation of a child's foot, so you need to approach the choice of children's shoes very seriously. Baby's first shoes should really be “firsts” – i.e. new. It is not recommended to wear shoes inherited from older children, since when worn, they take the shape of the foot of their first owner and will no longer fit correctly on the foot of another child, which can lead to disruption of the formation of the “successor’s” feet.

It is better to choose shoes together with your baby so that you can try them on right away. It is better to try on in the afternoon, since by the evening any leg swells a little.

Children's shoe size

If your child's feet vary slightly in size, you should choose boots based on the larger foot. When assessing closed children's shoes, it is difficult to understand by appearance whether there is enough room for toes, so orthopedists recommend preparing a stencil before going to the store in order to use it to find a pair of the right size. To take measurements, place the child on a thick sheet of paper or cardboard, trace the foot and cut out a design along the contour. In addition, some specialized stores have stopometers that help determine the length of the baby's feet.

It is preferable to choose boots or summer sandals made from natural “breathable” materials.

Basic requirements:

• A rigid closed back that reaches the baby’s ankle and securely holds the heel.
• Moderately hard flexible sole with a textured non-slip surface and a small heel (up to 0.5 cm high).
• Convenient and reliable clasp that secures the leg well at the ankle.
• Absolutely flat insole.
• The toe of the boot should be round, wide and sufficiently rigid to protect the toes from injury. When choosing between an open and closed toe, it is better to give preference to a closed one. The distance from the edge of the sock to the toes should be 1–1.5 cm: in the summer, this reserve will be useful if the foot swells from the heat, and in winter it will create an air gap so that the baby’s feet do not freeze. In order to save money, you should not buy boots for growth (several sizes larger), the child’s foot will dangle in them, and it will be very uncomfortable for him to walk.
• Boots, like sandals, should hold well and not fall off the foot, and also not deform when walking. To understand whether your baby is comfortable in the chosen shoes, before purchasing, give him the opportunity to walk around in them for 5-10 minutes.

What mistakes do parents make when their child starts walking?

Many parents, in raising and caring for their child, are guided by popular judgments, which are not always justified from a medical point of view. Application in practice of such useful tips may harm the baby's health. Here are some common misconceptions:

• A child who cannot walk must be led by the hand.

Some parents, in an effort to early development the child begins to be led by the hands. Such a load may be too much for the child’s fragile musculoskeletal system and lead to deformation of the legs and spine.

• At home, the child should walk on the floor barefoot.

Many parents believe that it is beneficial for children to go barefoot. But here the surface on which bare feet stomp is of great importance.

When walking on a flat surface of a home floor (linoleum, tiles, parquet, laminate), there is no reflexive contraction of the foot muscles, and the main load falls on the weak ligamentous apparatus, as a result the natural formation of the arches of the foot is disrupted and flat feet can develop. Therefore, it is advisable that the child does not walk barefoot, in socks or soft slippers at home, but takes his first steps only in appropriate shoes. But sand, small pebbles or short grass on a country lawn are good for training the developing muscular-ligamentous apparatus of children’s feet, and walking barefoot on such surfaces is very useful for a child.

• Children's shoes must have arch support.

There is a widespread belief that proper children's shoes must have arch support, while orthopedists argue that for a healthy child, forced correction of the arches of the feet is not only unnecessary, but can even be harmful. An instep support that roughly supports the longitudinal arch of a baby’s healthy foot can interfere with the natural process of its formation and, conversely, lead to the development of flat feet.

The wearing of therapeutic orthopedic shoes for children is prescribed only by an orthopedic doctor according to indications, and the specialist takes into account individual characteristics feet of each individual child.

Why do you need a walker for a child?

The modern children's products industry is doing everything possible to make life much easier for mothers. One of these assistants is walkers. Parents often rush to purchase them, confident that they will thus help their child learn to walk independently - as soon as the baby makes his first attempt to stand on his feet.

In fact, several arguments can be made in favor of walkers:

Their use frees up mom's hands and gives her the opportunity to do household chores.
Walkers help the child move to an upright position, opening up new horizons for him. The baby gets the opportunity to move freely around the house, satisfying his needs for movement and exploration of the world around him.
The diameter of the walker does not allow the baby to reach dangerous objects with his hand, and the bumper makes it difficult to open forbidden doors and drawers: that is, being able to move, the child is in relative safety.

But still, the help that walkers provide to parents is not comparable to the harm they can cause to a child if used incorrectly. Therefore, mom and dad who are planning to buy this vehicle for their baby need to know some common misconceptions about its benefits, as well as the safety rules associated with this type of transport.

Walkers will help your child learn to walk

The walking mechanism in a walker is significantly different from the mechanism of independent walking. In the first case, the child leans forward, pushing off with the toe of the foot, and not with the entire foot (which is important for independent walking), and this can lead to incorrect placement of the feet and affect the child’s gait.

In addition, in a walker, the child does not learn to maintain balance and fall correctly, grouping and protecting important parts of the body from impact.

Due to the fact that the baby is deprived of the ability to squat, climb and crawl, his muscles are much less trained and strengthened in a walker, and long stay in an upright position can lead to overstrain of the back muscles, curvature of the spine and deformation of the legs.
In addition, by placing a child in a walker, parents can deprive or significantly shorten the crawling period, which is very important and useful for his development. A child wearing a walker does not stimulate the need for independent movement, because in order to achieve a goal, he does not need to make significant efforts.

Thus, the use of walkers may not only not speed up, but also slow down the baby’s acquisition of new motor skills.

A child wearing a walker will not fall or hit himself

In fact, walkers are quite dangerous for a child. They can roll over and get stuck in doorways; having accelerated, they hit the obstacle hard. Thresholds, steps and joints of one flooring with another, different in texture (for example, the transition from carpet to laminate). Developing significant speed, in such places the walker can tip over along with the baby and cause injury that is much more dangerous than if the child simply fell from his own height. Constantly being in a walker, the baby will not learn to be careful and avoid collisions.

In addition, even when their movements are limited, children manage to reach some dangerous objects that were previously inaccessible to them.

Walkers stimulate the development of intelligence

Although walkers expand the baby’s viewing angle and give him the opportunity to better explore the space of the apartment, they cannot be called useful for the intellectual and mental development little man. If the baby stays in a walker for a long time, he will not be able to sufficiently understand the boundaries and capabilities of his body. And given that the natural process of cognition in children of the 1st year of life proceeds through feeling with their hands and testing “by tooth”, without reaching out to interesting objects, the baby is deprived of the opportunity to fully get acquainted with the world around him.

In order not to harm the child’s health, you can use a walker, observing several conditions:

Do not put your baby in a walker before 8 months. The child must be able to sit well and confidently on his own, stand on his feet and, preferably, crawl.
The height of the walker should be adjusted so that the child's feet are in full contact with the floor surface. The baby's feet should be shod in properly selected shoes.
The time the baby spends in the walker should not exceed 15–20 minutes, 2–3 times a day.
A child wearing a walker must not be left unattended.
Before purchasing a walker, you should consult your pediatrician and orthopedist. Children who have symptoms of rickets, are overweight, and are under the supervision of an orthopedist for diseases of the musculoskeletal system are contraindicated in walkers.

Dangerous places in the house for a child's first steps

It’s not without reason that they say: when a child learns to walk, parents forget what it’s like to sit. With a change in body position, new horizons and corners of the home space open up for the tireless researcher. In order not to overshadow the newly-minted pedestrian’s delight in the acquired skill with endless shouts, prohibitions, and to avoid injury, adults should make the home environment surrounding the baby as safe as possible. It is best to go down to the child’s height level and from this height assess which objects may pose a threat to him.

There should be no interior parts in the rooms that the baby could turn over or tip over, wires should be securely hidden, electrical appliances should be unplugged from sockets, plugs should be placed on sockets, sharp corners of furniture should be covered - for example, using special covers.

The most dangerous rooms for a child are the kitchen and bathroom. In the kitchen, hot drinks standing on the edge of the table pose a great danger. It is better to remove the tablecloth from the table so that the child cannot pull it off along with the dishes and its contents, and remove sharp and breakable objects away. The baby should not be in the kitchen when all kinds of kitchen appliances are on household appliances, which he can reach. Ovens and gas and electric stove burners are especially dangerous. Hot surfaces that the baby can touch and splashes from cooking food that get on the baby's skin can cause severe burns.

The bathroom is no less dangerous than the kitchen. The bathroom door should always be tightly closed. Means household chemicals, medicines, shaving accessories and other dangerous items should be kept out of the reach of children. Do not leave your baby in the bathroom alone, unattended, even if he is engaged in some activity that you think is safe.

For the safety of the child taking his first steps, you can buy special devices in children's stores. A special leash - a belt for children starting to walk (the so-called “reins”) will help protect your baby from falls and injuries on the street, and you can purchase a soft protective helmet to protect your baby’s head.

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January 17, 2012, 12:04

By the tenth month, your baby will learn to crawl quickly, and his success in this method of movement will make you smile more than once. But it’s not enough for a child to just crawl. It develops further. Now he tends to climb onto benches, stools, and chairs. These items should be near him. And you must keep an eye on the baby. Let him climb onto the bench in your presence. Secure your child a little so that he doesn’t hurt himself if he falls off the stool.

Climbing onto chairs and benches, the child follows his instinct. This is necessary for the child's development, so do not interfere with it. Place a few near the chair 2gy-UI7YfyFAPUHZJsInt8Of4ngH5LLviCxlorIP9SAj0uirZk4D4E6a7*NH4vCleoEhBdP1xyl dUa8oLNTHiokht-vvQfFSkRYkYxXh5YPjDqJt2ABACyDNJd4Ld4xDaw-KX6G1gFWIXmcioOfLoK6 0VuQ89ULTwJJ7SrRVoclGidNIncRmqCnOvDA97NaBu9Mz484ewLh0KCYvoXFj4C-WxKfl *TOSyWk7IKGXoD72MgDsYAyyUM7D5k3WYykrdZS7-r5fohw*oWrhN9h5zZ*5llkdSdK*OZ gIlUf7T2sIR9ep9I2i5Vf9PZ89KVn2VZhpCVylMuNtscy39I9UmdlW4TFqvlwA8CHox79ZRLo-AeLwBxOL92cNz- bgAuYYGj8bFBJysnTzZMP3FSlkIMtXJpNt8zTDR8O6eBpo7T-gnUaRIC2tAp8*cOpFDCWmz3Lii0iI*VNr*9uV*-MZN8g4DQx-PT15MH5OiUmch5MJRcnJU4UH8byhPdXlcwVtxAcDB QSh*vLqcDAqjVWIZ6tUfUKEi2chmQ8moBJhTVk*ZLhZm9bqcVKqXl4ysQTZmyUh0cM7uJcOA6bVx1aPPQ&eurl%5B%5D=zzuS3UBBQEG-av88YHSIEFdYqozAAyRqcy9IT1y524R8BrNw to child I didn't hurt myself when I fell.

At first, the child stands for only a few moments and, swaying, quickly grabs the support. But this new, more difficult movement gives him pleasure, he again and again lets go of the bedrail or the chair he was previously holding on to, and gradually learns to stand steadily for a long time without support.

Most children begin to stand up and down without holding onto support with their hands later than they begin to stand on their own. But sometimes a child tries to get to his feet and is not yet able to stand steadily. First he gets on all fours, then slowly straightens up, stands for a moment, quickly loses his balance and, swaying, falls to the floor. He gets up again, falls down, gets up, and so on several times in a row.

By the age of one year, a child usually already knows how to stand for a long time, calmly stand up and fall down, without holding on to anything with his hands. At nine to ten months, he quickly walks along stationary objects, holding onto them with his hands. Soon he can walk along a smooth wall, only lightly resting his palms on it, and then begins to move from one object to another, taking one or two steps on his own.

Before you start teaching your child to walk independently, think about whether the right time has come. The fact is that the child’s porno-motor system must be sufficiently developed for the loads associated with upright walking. Therefore, in order to promote the rapid development of the baby’s musculoskeletal system, do not limit, but rather encourage his crawling, as it develops the child’s muscular system better than any exercise equipment or gymnastics.

Preparation

The child must have appropriate shoes. Knitted socks and soft shoes are no longer suitable. Leather shoes are preferable - that is, light and quite tough. In such shoes, the child will feel more stable, and therefore more confident.

Pay attention to the floor on which the child learns to walk. The floor should not be very smooth and, naturally, slippery. Otherwise, the child will fall too much. In addition to the risk of injury, another danger arises: the child may lose self-confidence.

Inspect the soles of the shoes you bought for your child. If you feel that it is too smooth and will slip when you walk, sand the sole or replace the shoes.

Take a critical look at the place where your child will learn to walk. The floor here should be level, without thresholds. Remove rugs and rugs to prevent your child from tripping over them. Be aware of the dangerous proximity of sharp corners of furniture. When falling, a child may hit a sharp corner.

It has been noticed that the use of children's yv9ukxPu9XYaslsSjC7gWeXyPUnnSkcoxEfk06kiYsQZkb6Ll7NqO*dex7uDPBT26hJ5eN BBQtAjhg5dzfjwRgCvdcNB0W7cEOa7RaVMJcFJeZYTDF98AeDwodc-XzfyRrbEJ0HcWw36b nPjvYDCuSUpQy9WeoeBQxYTY500Qoxk-pISNQ*u*63CR6ZwxC3VUvlpaQJZIPVTmzLjbSrfOJgEzvFPrhHpmVKEEsPtKkS2BRSEONvMvK7Kot7QLzoj73mK9xjzEI0SEjtjB83f5DfQnBoDh UjCvIUGeK71XzVrJBVPw9e5FAY0kJEKY6CS7XveoTKowA4HKiTy3ZYV9buRwj4vke2hnoQBUuxDyN7TvKz1YpEdfSw&eurl%5B%5D=zzuS3URFREWla9Dmuq5Syo2CcFanUDw6sYhVgiC2Qo aFgFvD slows down development and the child begins to walk later, since a baby wearing a walker weakens the desire to learn to walk independently.

The child cannot walk independently at the age of 1, we are looking for the reason!

If a child at 1 year of age has not yet walked independently (at least 2-3 steps without support), walks poorly or does not try to walk with support, stands or walks on his toes, an urgent consultation with a pediatric neurologist is necessary.

Teaching a child to walk independently

If the child is already about a year old, he is strong, healthy, has been crawling well for a long time, gets up and stands only with slight use of support, but does not try to stand himself, you can help him master this skill. To do this, you need to leave him without support for a few seconds and carefully monitor him so that he does not fall.

Parents are usually interested in whether it is possible to drive their child while supporting him under his arms. You can drive, but not before he learns to stand confidently with support. Make sure that when you drive your child, he does not lean forward or to the sides. An inclined position of the body can lead to curvature of the spine. In addition, a child who is used to walking with support while leaning forward will find it difficult to maintain the upright position required when walking without support.

Even without being able to walk independently, the child walks with more or less pleasure depending on where you take him. You walk with him into the next room, he actively steps over, you turn back - he resists, does not go.

If the baby walks freely, only slightly holding on, and even more so lets go of the support and takes one or two steps on his own, he will soon begin to walk without support. Some babies are not self-confident and cannot walk independently for this reason alone. Help him gain confidence, call him to you at a distance of 2 steps, then 3 or more, if the child sways, losing his balance, you need to catch him with a gentle movement, but do not scream or make sudden movements, so as not to scare him. Soon the child will begin to walk on his own, without any prompting, and will quickly improve in this skill.

In order to stimulate the child’s desire to walk, this same incentive must exist. For example, a child wants to get some kind of toy, but cannot, because to do this he needs to tear himself away from the support and walk several steps. Surround your baby with interesting objects and toys, let him try to get them, touch them, and explore them.

By the end of the year, the child masters some other movements: he sits down and squats, and then stands up confidently; bends down to pick up a toy from the floor, and, having taken it, straightens up and carries it; climbs on and off low objects. The child understands the names of almost all movements and, at the request of adults, can perform them.

The baby is becoming more and more active and soon you will not be able to hold him next to you by the hand, you will have to constantly run after him and protect him from troubles along the way, and you will sadly remember those moments when he did not yet know how to walk. Don’t rush to teach your child to walk on his own, everything has its time.