OT: Son Walks on Tippy Toes

[applechips]

Glad to hear it! Just to answer your question, no my DD didn't toewalk, but she didn't have any obvious symptoms either beside the knee pain which woke her at night and the twisted ankles. The swelling/warmth was very subtle and she never had a rash or fever when she wasn't sick.

Hope I didn't scare you...

Well I am a bit of a worry wort by nature so yes I was a leetle bit scared...so I just spent the last 2 hours researching the JRA, and the toe walking and neurological disorders etc. Since my husband toe walked as a young kid, and my son is starting to do it, it makes me think that its the idiopathic toe walking which is found in family histories...also early onset is another idiopathic toe walking sign too. My dd did have a traumatic birth which makes me question and worry about CP but she displays no signs whatsoever of any delayed motor skills, or one side of the body being less used than the other.

I did also read that shortened calf muscles are the result of prolonged toe walking and short muscles/contracted muscles pull on the tendons/joints that they are attached with/to and cause pain in that joint area. I believe that is my daughter's case but I will know for sure when we get her evaluated...and no I am not taking these are just "growing pains" for an excuse any longer. Thanks for your insight though! I need to rule everything out!

 

[mom2of2]

Jennifer......

let us know how you make out. My former toe walker didn't complain of knee pain either.

 

[FinallyBoughtDVC]

I just want to add that toe walking by young boys (ages 3-6) can be the first sign of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In fact, it's usually the thing that brings these boys to the doctors at first.

I'm sure that this is not that, especially if you dh is a toe walker. I did just want to put this info out there.

 

[almburr]

I knew a girl who walked on her toes, Parents had her checked out. There was nothing wrong she liked to walk on her toes. Still walks in her toes. She has amazing leg muscles. She has graduated college, she walks with her heels off the ground a bit now.

 

[applechips]

I just want to add that toe walking by young boys (ages 3-6) can be the first sign of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In fact, it's usually the thing that brings these boys to the doctors at first.

I'm sure that this is not that, especially if you dh is a toe walker. I did just want to put this info out there.

ye I also checked that out too and its my daughter who is the major toe walker... she is 6 and has been toe walking since she was at least 1 or 2. My son is almost 3 and is starting to do it but not as much as my daughter. ANd they do not have any other symptoms of that disease.

 

[applechips]

Jennifer......

let us know how you make out. My former toe walker didn't complain of knee pain either.

thank you so much for your kind words. They go to the doctors next Wed and Thursday (2 separate appointments ) so hopefully I will have an answer to the pain behind her knee soon... I suspect its the strong muscles of the thigh pulling on the joints and tendons in the knee area.

 

[applechips]

I just want to add that toe walking by young boys (ages 3-6) can be the first sign of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. In fact, it's usually the thing that brings these boys to the doctors at first.

I'm sure that this is not that, especially if you dh is a toe walker. I did just want to put this info out there.

Also you most often see this begin at age FIVE...not as toddlers.

"In cases of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, symptoms usually begin to appear around age 5, as the pelvic muscles begin to weaken. " http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/medical/bones/muscular_dystrophy.html

 

[tinkerbell728]

I have seen a lot of this with my son and some of his friends. It is sensory related due to their autism. I understand feeling like a broken record. We did three simple things. We got PT 2xs a week for a half hour each.We made him always wear Timberland boots. They are very heavy but will cause him to balance himself better inorder to walk. We also had him carry a backpack on his back. The extra weight levels them out. Try one more thing. Get him socks with grips on the bottom or botttie slippers. Even though he is not autistic he can still suffer from sensory problems.I would have him checked out by a speaclist as soon as possible.