On average, when can a child walk by the hand?
After babies have started to pull themselves up on furniture at around eight to nine months of age, walking by hand is not far off. The first attempts are still a bit shaky, but with time the baby’s body adjusts to the new body position. Often by the tenth month, babies start walking by the hand of their parents for the first time. At first, they can still be stabilized with both hands. Over time, they will need less and less help and usually in the tenth month they will make their first attempts to walk without any aids.
How can I encourage my child to walk?
Basically, babies should develop their own motivation to learn to walk. However, there are many ways in which parents can support their children on this path. For example, they can sit in front of their child and help him or her to stand up and support the first steps by holding hands.
This strengthens the child’s running muscles and the baby’s brain slowly learns to put the individual components of running together. There are also other aids such as walking cars or other toys that babies can hold on to and take their first steps. Many experts now advise against buying a baby stroller.
They make it too easy for the child to walk, which results in delayed development of the leg muscles. Try to give the child incentives to learn to walk. You can, for example, incorporate this learning process into games and reward the child for his or her efforts.
What can I do if my baby won’t turn?
Most babies learn to turn between the third and seventh month of life. This development must first be preceded by strong development of the back and abdominal muscles, as these are mainly responsible for turning. It is important that the children are given incentives to learn.
Try to integrate this learning process into playing. Most babies turn for the first time when they want to reach a toy because it is not possible to reach it from their supine position. For training, it is a good idea to let the baby play as much as possible in the prone position, as this trains the back muscles strongly.
Furthermore, you should give your baby feedback on his performance. If the baby has made an effort, reward him or her with a smile or try to provide a similar incentive. Soon the baby will enjoy taking advantage of the newly acquired mobility. If at six months of age your child still does not try to turn around and shows no interest in moving around at all, you are advised to talk to your paediatrician. Keep in mind that premature babies are usually somewhat behind in their development compared to their peers.
