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Bridget Angus
FHS1500
Jarvis
June 4, 2016
Milestone Charts
Question: You have two good friends who both have thirteen-month-old children. One parent proudly
states that her child was able to walk at ten months. The other parent sadly states that her child has not
yet started walking. It is obvious from the conversation that the parent of the walking child believes her
child to be advanced and that the parent of the non-walking child is deeply concerned about her childs
lack of progress. What do you tell these parents?

Answer:
On the subject of milestones, I would tell the mother of the non-walking child not to be
worried. All children mature differently. If it were a true concern, her pediatrician would have
said something. Babies tend to walk between the ages of 8 months to 12 months. However there
are some that do not walk until they reach 15 months (Berger, 2014 p.104). My sister-in-laws
daughter did not walk until she was 22 months old. While my sister-in-law was concerned, she
had talked to her pediatrician, and he said that as long as my sister-in-laws daughter was pulling
herself to a stand and walking along the couch he was not concerned. In an article by Parent
Magazine, it talks about late walkers there are many reasons why they may not have taken their
first steps (Christopher, 2016). In the case of my sister in-law, it was hereditary. She and her
brother all took their first step at 15 to even 20 months old. Late walkers are going at their own
rate and will not suffer any ill health.

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Addressing the mother with the walking child, this child may not be advanced but you
will not know that until they are school age. The child just is going at the normal rate if not
faster. I would definitely advise her not to be too quick judge as I am sure the mother of the nonwalking child is concerned. I again would remind both that this is not a competition development
is different among each child. I would advise the mother of the non-walking child just keep up
the encouragement but not to invest in one of those baby walkers. Recently the American
Pediatric Association has warned parents not to use them they are dangerous and will not help
their child learn to walk. According to the article, the child can fall down open stairs,
get caught up in it, or would able to reach dangerous objects in the cupboard.

(Baby Walkers: A Dangerous Choice, 2015). I feel milestones are needed to gage the childs
learning needs but should be seen merely as suggested time frame. If you ever are concerned just
talk to your pediatrician that is what they do all day, they are up speed in all the new medical
issues and if there is a concern they will know where to turn.
One of the milestones that I was mainly concerned about when I was a new mother, was
that of language. In the text book, Invitation to The Life Span, it states an infant will form 2 word
sentences such as more drink when they are thirsty by the age of 18 to 24 months (Berger,
2014 p. 123). My first son did not form these until he was 2 1/2 almost 3 and about to start
preschool, I addressed this with our Pediatrician and his advice was the same as that I am giving
the mother of the non-walking baby. My child is now a healthily 4th grader and did not suffer any
learning disability and in fact is very smart for his age. However if he had not started talking in
sentences we would have been concerned about the possibility of autism. We rely on the
knowledge of our pediatrician to guide in all healthy developments along the way of any
milestone and that is where you should turn for any questions you made need answered.

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Work Cited

Christopher, M. (n.d.). Waiting to Walk. Retrieved June 04, 2016, from

http://www.parents.com/toddlers-preschoolers/development/physical/toddler-waiting-towalk/

Baby Walkers: A Dangerous Choice. (2015, November 21). Retrieved June 04, 2016, from
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Baby-WalkersA-Dangerous-Choice.aspx
Berger, K. S. (2010). Invitation to the life span. (p 104, 123) New York: Worth.