toe walking and hand flapping - ??

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-17-2002
toe walking and hand flapping - ??
2
Wed, 07-25-2007 - 10:20am

Do they ever outgrow the toe walking and hand flapping?? We've had DS (4.5 yo, PDD-NOS) evaluated by so many doctors for the toe walking - each one refers us to another one. We finally saw an orthopedic specialist last winter and she wasn't concerned and said he would probably grow out of it within a year. It's been 6 months and he's doing it as much as ever. The OT at preschool has tried weights, etc. and he does it anyway. If we tell him to walk on flat-feet he will very briefly then gets back on his toes.

The hand flapping is almost getting worse. He went from hand flapping to clasping his hands (like he's trying not to flap) and tenses up his whole body, including his facial muscles. It's almost like he's having a seizure - his face tightens and his eyes loose focus. He only does it when he's excited. Do they ever get over this? I'm so terrified of what his childhood will be like if he doesn't outgrow this - kids can be so cruel even to "normal" kids.

On a separate note, our younger DS (15 mo.) has started toe walking. He's so advanced with everything else, but the toe walking is freaking me out. Do you think he's just mimicing brother or should I be worried??

Thanks!
Trish

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-25-2003
Wed, 07-25-2007 - 12:07pm

Will he grow out of it?


I'm 40 and I still toe walk.

-Paula

visit my blog at www.onesickmother.com
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-25-2007
Wed, 07-25-2007 - 5:37pm
My son does the same thing. We call it the "Thing". The neurologist said when he was 4 that he would outgrow it. He hasn't. He is almost 9 and still does it when he is excited. If you point it out to him, he will immediately stop, so even though it appears that he loses focus, on some level he is still there. I suppose as he gets older and becomes more concerned with "fitting in" he might reign it in on his own. He has recently seemed to take more notice of what others think about him. It seems to be a common thing among ASD kids. Since he was diagnosed with AS at age 7, I wonder why the Doctor didn't make the link when he was 4. All the signs were there. When I was growing up my brother was friends with a "toe walker". Looking back, this boy was insanely gifted in math, Obsessed with drawing comic book heros, and had other traits that I now clearly see as being on the spectrum. I often look at my son and wonder how that boy fared in life.