H E A LT H
FROM SOFT FOODS TO PENCIL GRIPS
TIPS FROM AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST By Masnoena Allie
Occupational Therapist, Sensation Station
Why does my child toe walk? There can be four reasons for children to toe walk:
1
Depends on the age, as it’s a brief part of developmental milestones before walking. While the child is cruising along the furniture, you’ll often see babies toe walk or even just stand on their toes; this helps build muscle strength in the hips and lower limbs for independent walking.
2
The child can be tactile sensitive, especially on the soles of the feet and will tiptoe on specific textured surfaces. The less surface area for the foot that touches the floor, the less discomfort the child experiences.
3
The child could be seeking some pressure feedback into the calve muscles of the leg. This will happen at random times, but more often, and will be while the child is standing and/or walking.
4
It could be idiopathic toe-walking, which means that the reason is unknown and it might or might not go away.
84 | NOVEMBER 2017 | MOTHER, BABY & CHILD