At 12 months, she should be achieving milestones of saying words and 'furniture-surfing' her way to the point of walking. If she is 18 months, and not really at these milestones she should be taken to a pediatrician at once.

What has her pediatrician said during her checkups?

Your daughter is probably fine, but you do need to take her to the dr. soon just to get confirmation. In the meantime, encourage her walking and talking.

I agree, you should be concerned. If there is a problem, the sooner it is discovered the sooner it can be treated and the better chance it can be overcome.
Linda C

This could be a sign of something more serious, But it could also be that she is just a late walker. Of course, any questions or concerns should be discussed with your pediatrician. I found this site with some information on later developmental milestones, and advice from others. Hope this helps! Christy

Here is a link that might be useful: Baby Center

ECI is working with her now. Her Dr really did not see too much of a need for it, but we wanted it. The therapist with ECI said that if it werent for her not talking that she wouldn't qualify for services. Her cognitive skills and motor skills are perfect.

I don't know what ECI is...but I am glad she is getting some treatment.
Much better to get therapy early and un necessarily than to delay and set a child back.
The pediatrician didn't see any need for evaluation or treatment for my grand son at 2 1/2 either. Said he was just a late talker....An extensive neuro workup showed a seizure disorder and autizm....and without immediate treatment his condition would be much worse than it si now.
Glad you are getting help.
Linda C

Linda is right, Cat. You are a good mom to get things going for your dear daughter. Maybe she needs the extra help, maybe not, but it won't hurt, and you'll have professionals keeping an eye on her. What is ECI, by the way?

ECI is a program called Early Childhood Intervention.
They do an extensive screening of the child before working with them. After that long process they then bring in an OT to check for certain things like mustle tone level etc.
After all is complete they set a plan for the child's individual needs. They only work with my daughter once a week for an hour, as they said that she is not too far behind and all.

Just a follow up.. over the past few days my little girl has been walking on her own! She will walk into another room as well. BUT after prob about 20-30 steps she makes herself sit down! I feel as though we are making great progress!!!

Great!!! Did she read your post here and find out you were worried? :-;...Glad she's growing up!

Thank you very much Lindac! We are thrilled. I work during the day and I can not wait to get home and work with her and see how much further she will walk today!!! :o)

Linda C, may I ask what seizure disorder your grandson was diagnosed with? My infant son was diagnosed with one not too long ago. Thanks.

He has seizures, epilepsy, not gran mal nor petit mal but something that when he has one he's just "spacey"...sort of staring into space for a few moments. He has been well controlled with meds...but is growing very fast now and having trouble adjusting his meds...hopefully they will find something that will keep him seizure free again soon.
Linda C

So glad you're already hooked up with ECI Cat --
You're doing all the right things.

It's good that your pediatrician is supporting your instincts, because there's really no better indicator of your daughter's real progress. Many pediatrician's tend to gloss over vague signs and 'mother's worries' and not take them seriously until much later. Our pediatrician refused to authorize a speech evaluation for our younger son until he was 2.5 years old -- at which point, the speech path. estimated that he had the language skills of a 9-month old. (I'd been asking for a speech referral for more than a year, but had allowed myself to be pacified.) Actually, at 6 weeks, I told the Dr. I thought something was wrong because DS was too passive, floppy, and not interested in his surroundings. Dr. said how lucky I was to have such an easy baby... His autism, global apraxia, food intolerances, seizure disorder and borderline MR could have been diagnosed YEARS earlier had the Dr. just listened to me. You can bet I don't make that particular mistake anymore.

Be sure you can compare her development to other children her age (day care or play group?) so you'll know if she's behind or not.

Hi -- I have been reading this page with interest. I take care of an 18-month-old little girl who is developmentally right on the mark. However, a couple months ago, when I first started taking care of her, her mom had said she was worried that she had some strange twitching in her facial features. She checked with the doctor who said nothing was wrong. Today I was visiting with her when all of a sudden (she was looking outside through a glass door) she "spaced out" for about 30 seconds. At the same time the fingers of her right hand were going back and forth, like when you tap your little finger, then the next finger, then the next against your thumb. When I called her by name, she didn't respond. Then all of a sudden she was back. Any thoughts on this -- thanks for your help.

Sounds like a seizure.....alert the parents that they should get an evaluation.
Linda C

Hello All! Just a follow up! My Little girl is now 21 months old... she walks and runs everywhere!!! She says mama and a mo... for I want more. And she says bite. She gets into the fridge and gets what she wants (although I do not let her do this...LOL) She also points to things now when I say its name. SHe has come a long long way! We still have a little ways to go with her speech but atleast we are making great progress!!!

Great....glad to hear it!!

It's so nice to hear people checking in with good news! Glad everything seems to be going better.

My 18 month old son sounds exactly like your daughter when she was 18 months old. Do you believe that ECI is the main reason your daughter has made such progress? How is her speech now? Thanks. Bella

wow finally someone with the same problem as me. i have a little girl who will be 18 mos on the 31st and she is finally taking a few steps and she is not talking. she has been walking on her knees since she was about 11 mos and we thought for sure she would be walking really soon. do not be worried at all she has been to the ped's doc the ran a bunch of tests on her and everything is fine she goes back on thursday. every child is differnt i know i know i hate hearing it to i have a 4 year old that i compare to ciarra all the time. good luck

hi - now im really concerned!! my little boy 18months and not walking unaided. he walks with a walker or holding my hand but in the last few weeks seems to have gone backwards and all wobbly again. he is waiting to get some glasses for a glide so im not sure if that could be causing him to have balance problems - he is also not talking atall . not even mama dada . he makes lots of different noises and points when he wants something but no words in context - i have been to the health visitor who didnt seem concerned atall and ended up going to the doctors who said if the health visitor wasnt bothered then neither should i be!! my family and friends keep telling me he is fine (and APPARENTLY IN THEIR DAY THEY DIDNT HAVE SUCH MILESTONES KIDS WALKED AND TALKED WHEN THEY WERE READY!!)
other than all of above he is bright as a button and has had no episodes of fitting or vancant moments- he communicates very by pointing making noises and is very very lively all round. he seems to be very tantrumy at the moment too but i put that down to him being frustrated cos he cant talk or walk...
help!!!
sorry for going on
jackie

I am having the same exact problem with my 20 month old. She seems so bright but she won't walk on her own or say any-words except jibber jabber. My doctor has had the same attitude as yours, Jackie, he just isn't that concerned. We had a hyper thyroid blood test done, that can cause slow development but it came back negative. Now I have my daughter scheduled for a BAER test for hearing but it's so expensive and they can't get her in till august which seems forever away but I'm hoping for a cancellation to get her in sooner. Jackie I feel desperate like you, have you or anyone else here found anything out? I'm curious, no desperate! I'm so worried I'll try anything to find out what it could be.
-Nicki

Nicki - Are you in the U.S.? (Where you can go to the doctor when you want? Or call in ECI - Early Childhood Intervention for an eval.) Or some other country where you have to wait in line and go through certain defined procedures? (Not to bash other country's health care systems -- ours is certainly a mess!)

Anyway, a 20-month old who does not walk on her own or say any words needs to be evaluated. That said, your doc would not have ordered blood tests for hyper thyroid unless he had some concerns -- which is actually good.

What do you know so far about your daughter's progress? You mentioned not walking on her own. No words. What else? In what other ways does she differ from the average? Social interractions? Responsiveness? Fussy? Passive? Large or small? Eating and sleep habits? Any complications of pregnancy or birth?

ive known as a mum that there was something wrong with my little boy since he was about 7 month and so as my health visitor shes been a rock for me and ive fought and fought to get where i am now my son is now 17 month not talking not walking not eating lumpy food it as to be purified or he will gag choke be sick its been a night mare he was 4 week prem so hes been under pediatric since birth hes had broncliolitus about 10 times hes been fed threw tube they gave him asma pumps but said he didnt have asma and ive always been pushed away like i dont know what im on about and now hes older my health visitor as been with me all way threw and managed to send us to a doctor and shes refers us straight away for a full examination to a pediatric orthopedic from Sheffield that comes to barnsley ever 2 week i think so i really am hoping this doctor helps us i will fight to the end to find out whats going on with my son and i would hate them to tell me something ive already mentioned if theres anything i could have helped him with and they didnt notice as there the professionals it wont make me feel a very good mum anyone out there with some thing similar would probably put my mind at ease sorry for going on thanku