Toe Walking

[storkdok]

Our PT explained to me that there can be a few reasons why kids walk on their toes. The most common one is sensory, they do not like the feeling of carpet, grass, whatever on the feet, so they toe walk to have less of their feet touching. This was the case with my son, who also has very low tone, and a Wilburger brushing program with joint compression and sensory diet brought him down onto his feet, as well as wearing shoes all the time. The plastic AFOs that Alex wore for years brought him off his toes too. AFOs are a plastic mold made for his foot and ankle support.  Now he only has to wear special shoe inserts. We had to have him wear them all the time when awake until he came down on his foot. I had to do stretching exercises because his Achilles tendon was too taught from the toe walking.

The other reason she said was that kids can have problems with their balance/cerebellum (neurological) and then they walk in a certain position that feels most stable to them, on their toes with arms bent at the elbow in short steps. She also said some kids can have shortened Achilles heel tendons. She was so good she can watch a kid and tell you why they toe walk and she knows what to do for all of them.

If your kids are toe walking, I would recommend talking to an OT or a PT about trying the brushing/joint compression protocol.  It is the most common reason for toe walking it does really help.

Kids that toe walk can't progress with their gross motor skills, and this needs to be addressed. Alex toe walked all the time, he never went down on his feet. The main problem for us was that Alex couldn't progress with any gross motor skills, so he couldn't run, jump, throw a ball, all kinds of those types of things.  He had the skills of a 1 year old at 3 years of age. And that also impeded his fine motor, because the gross motor has to come first and then the fine motor develops, it is a kind of neurological sequence the PT explained has to happen. Also, we were able to get him so he tolerates walking on grass and sand and many surfaces, so he can do more things. He used to avoid going to the beach, refused to go on the sand. By doing the brushing protocol, he was able over time to get used to all these and now enjoys going everywhere.


Karen:)

[mitch576]

Jul. 8, 2007 at 7:21 AM

i do this sometimes.... but i wonder if it is from yrs of ballett.

when you take tap, you are taught to walk a certain way with your shoes on. instead of heal then toe, you walk toe to the heal. this allows you to walk almost silently in your tap shoes.

but yrs of wearing toe shoes, working on my balance. tap shoes, lyrical supports, jazz heals {hate heals} i walk on my toes soemtimes.

i do know medically what you are refering too. i have had a few pedi patiens who wore the a.f.o's and had to have their achilis stretched... ouch, poor kids!