Toe Walking | Autism PDD

The last few days I took my 'sleep time' - as this is the only time to do research - and search this site about toe walking.  I found some very interesting topics and plan to follow thru.  This is my prob..  My 9 1/2 HFA son continues to toe walk.  Prior to even knowing he was autistic at age 4 or 5 (he was dx with adhd/bipolar at this time) his pediatrician had him referred to an orthopedic who said nothing physical was wrong and just a habit and he will outgrow.  Then about 1 yr ago (again prior to dx of hfa) I mentioned it to his pediatrician (a new doc) about the toe walking.  He had my ds slip off socks and shoes and had him walk down the hallway.  Well, guess what - he walked just fine and told not to worry about it.  But around the house (when not in shoes) he is constantly toe walking.  With a prompt reminder he is flat foot but only for a few seconds - which is what I think happened at the doc office.  He continues to wake up at night complaining of pain (about 2-3x month).  I know I need to follow-up again with the doc - but to get a referral (he is on medicaid) I know the doc is going to need to see him walk on his toes.  When in sneakers he 'flops' when he walks.  Again a reminder to him that he is flopping he will walk fine for a few steps then back to the flopping (almost like the sound one makes when wearing flip flops).  

Does anyone know if I can DEMAND his pediatrician for a referral?  And if given the referral and being told once again that it is habit - how can I help my son stay flat.  I have tried reward/praise since he started walking.  After almost 8 years I just don't know how else to help him.

Not related to the toe walking - he never 'crawled' as a baby but butt hopped.  Back then we just thought it was cute how he hopped around on his butt to get places.  I never recall one time him being on all fours.  He started walking probably around 12-15 months.  Did anyone else have this with their child who never really crawled.  Thanks!

 

You could try having him wear ankle weights to increase sensory input to the ankles and feet.

You could stretch the calf muscles and Achilles' tendon by having him stand on a wedge. His toes should be facing the thicker part of the wedge and his heels should be down toward the thinner part of the wedge.  Gravity will slowly pull his heels downward.  Start out slow and gradually increase the time.

An orthotist or pediatric podiatrist could get him shoe inserts that would hold the heel down.

Good Luck!

We stopped this in Sarah by constantly tapping her shoulders and stateing "Feet down" and gently pushed down on her till she was flat again. We did this every single time she did it and it became totally extinct within 6 months.  She never qualified for OT/PT and I had an orthopedic surgeon evaluated her and he just kept telling me to prompt her to put feet down and to do flex exercises with her to lengthen her muscles..this prevented her having to have surgery thank goodness:) She never does it now:) Good luck!

p.s. when she was under 3 we would put her in tap shoes because she liked the tap noise and was totally unable to walk on her toes:)

T used to bounce on this butt like Tigger.
  Sounds like the DR is not deing helpful, ask for a referral to a physical therapist.  My J toe walk since 1 yr old with or without shoes on. My aunt an OT told me, toe walking can be a sensory issue.  I have also been told it's a sensory issue and my dd does it all the time.  Apparently they get sensory input from doing that.  Our ped. told us not to worry about it, that she'd "outgrow" it, and that the OT would help, but then I also heard from someone else that the calf muscles can eventually tighten up and cause problems later on.  Our previous OT told us to try to stretch her leg muscles regularly.  I would definately insist on a referral if your ds is having pain from it.Toe walking is not just a habit that a child can grow out of. My 6 1/2 year old was seen by a neurologist who after examing her, said "we need to talk" she had toe walked for so long that the muscles had shortened and the bones in her feet were widening. She wore casts for 3 to 4 weeks and is now in braces. She sees a physical therapist every week to check her progress. She can now heel walk but it is still hard. Our Dr's took it very seriously. I had a brother that tow walked and did grow out of it, however with my daughter they truely didn't believe she would. No one ever could tell me why just that it was neurological and nothing she could control. She would be self conscious when they take a look at her walking and force herself to heel walk, so I always tell them to give her a specific task and it would take her mind off it and up up up those feet would go!

Also I don't know what State you are in but depending on the type of medicaid in MI medicaid has eliminated alot of the referrals, check with them, also call your ISD and see if they know of good neurologists that take medicaid

right now anything you can do to keep those heels down will help, but the bottom line is he doesn't do it consciously, its vey cellular

 

 

Can he keep shoes on more of the time?

My girl toe walks (on the TOP of her toes--ouch! to everyone but her

Even at home, when we see her toe-walking, we say, "no toes" and she gets down right away. So I am not sure it can't be stopped. Not easy, but possible.

We have a friend with an Aspie son, he had to go through the surgery and casting for his toe walking,my ds walked on his toes up until 5 then he stopped on his own,we had to do stretching of his heel cords .

Linda

Gosh, How fast a year can go.  I actually forgot I even posted this until I received an email telling me others have replied.  Thanks!  Either way, ds has been dx officially with asperger's and is currently scheduled to get OT at school which was implemented b/c of IEP.  OT hasn't started yet but at the end of this previous school year, I was told they will put together a "sensory diet" for him (I first I thought it was some type of food - duhhh to me --- until I did research after the IEP meeting at home).  We did work - I thought - very hard on his toe walking this summer but to no avail - he still toe walks.  I have incorporated many ideas found on the web for alot of his sensory issues.  I can only hope that someday it will have worked!  Thanks all for the reply and if something that comes up that actually works, I will be sure to let you all know.  Have a great day (and hopefully another year won't go by b4 I post again).  MartiI think its sensory too, Kane toe walks when he is excited not as bad now as it used to be but recently has came back along with his flapping, (I guess a new baby didnt help) but is starting to settle down again now.
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