Expert: Jason Bhan - 6/13/2008

Question
My Son is 18 months old. He crawls fine. However he cannot do various things: walk, stand alone, plant both feet down in order for his legs to support his weight, when standing & holding on to something his arms do all the support, sitting on a chair - he will not attempt to get down, will not attempt to crawl up stairs, will not pick up his feet to put on socks or pants, will not 'monkey cling' to you while you are holding him, he'll hold on tightly with both hands but his legs just hang there. I know something is wrong. He's smart (mind wise) and is learning to talk, but something is not firing when he uses his legs. Please help me.

Answer
I agree, this is out of the normal range of development.  There can be a number of reasons for this to occur.  One is simply that he is normal and will walk soon (most common).  Other possibilities include muscular problems, or neurological problems.  

There are some fairly simple tests that can be done (just in the office on a physicial exam) by your family physician or pediatrician that can alleviate most concerns.  If your physician has any concerns, the next step would be to have him seen by a specialist called a developmental pediatrician.  These are doctors who specialize in children who are not meeting the normal developmental milestones.  

I think your first step is to voice your concerns to your son's primary care physician (assuming you can get him seen within the next few weeks).  In my experience, by the time everyone has gotten revved up and appointments are made, etc - he will be walking.  However, it is a good idea to start jumping through the hoops and get the process of evaluation started.