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stepping reflex

gemw
gemw Community member Posts: 6 Listener
my 22 month old son assessed he was diagnosed with spastic cerebral palsy at 8 months due to global brain damage. he recently was assessed as we believed he was trying to walk he was placing one foot in front of the other however according to the professionals its what is known as the stepping reflex that babies are born with and this has to go for him to walk. has anyone else had experience of this 

Comments

  • Blue Frog
    Blue Frog Community member Posts: 358 Pioneering
    Hi Gemw my little girl doesn't have cerebral palsy but I have seen several of her friends who have the same sort of CP as your son doing this.  It's very cute, and you're right it looks exactly as if they are trying to walk. 

    I think it's something called 'retained reflexes' which some kids with special needs do.  My daughter is 4 and still snuggles up to my chest when she is tired, as if she is trying to feed.  Sorry I'm no more help, but just wanted to answer as you are definitely seeing something that is perfectly normal for our little ones.  
  • Zeezee
    Zeezee Community member Posts: 78 Pioneering
    Hi I have just recently started coming back on this site (severe depression and isolating myself) but am back and fighting fit again well sort of, anyway my daughter is constantly asking me to hold her up while she"walks" and it really looked like she was going to walk so I got her an assessment for a walking frame but when they brought it as soon as there was significant weight on her legs her whole posture changed her legs where twisted and she was standing on her own feet. I was still convinced that she would walk if she only had time to practice so convinced the rep to loan her the walker for a few weeks. But it wasn't to be. I was gutted because she loves mimicking walking but it is backbreaking holding her in the correct position. So that just bought her an Upsee and she loves it, it is also kinder on my back, we are still getting used to it but at least I can help my little girl be upright and modify how much weight goes onto her legs as she gains strength. So what I am saying is there is always a way to encourage these instincts it's just trial and error. My daughter also has spastic quad cp and the professionals told me the same thing. They also told me not to get her a Scooot but before I got it for her she couldn't use her right arm but she got sick of going round in circles and started using her right arm and 6months on she is pulling herself along the floor with both arms, trying to get upstairs with her arms and is going for her assessment for a manual wheelchair tmrw, all because of the Scooot, so you know your own child and trust your own judgement on what you think they can do. Good luck x

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