Your Baby Like to Tiptoe Walking

If your toddler constantly tiptoes, you might think she's got a future as a ballerina, but this walking style is another leftover from life in utero. Babies feet are usually pressed up against their buttocks with their toes pointed downward, which shortens the Achilles tendons. This may make it hard for a young child to put her heels down, and it can take a few months of walking and standing to stretch out her Achilles tendons and calf muscles. If your child never puts her whole foot down or her toes seem stuck pointing down, talk to your pediatrician, these may be signs of cerebral palsy. Also consult your doctor if your child frequently tiptoes after age two. Although some children with autism do walk on their tiptoes, tiptoe walking alone isn't a red flag for autism in toddlers who are otherwise developing normally.

Trivia

• A child who does not respond to his or her name by the age of 1 year may be more than likely to be diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.

• At a very early age, an infant begins to curl up and cling to its mother. Their legs bend and curl up, they place their hands on the shoulders or arm of their carrier and they cling. A child with autism or autism spectrum disorder often does not cling.