Link Between Walking On Toes And Autism – 10 Important Insights for Parents

Walking on toes is a common milestone in child development, but if it continues beyond a certain age, it may indicate underlying issues. In some cases, there is a link between walking on toes and autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Autism is a developmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. It is typically diagnosed in early childhood, with symptoms appearing around age 2 or 3. Some of the early signs of autism include delayed speech, difficulty with social interaction, and repetitive behaviors such as walking on toes.

If you notice that your child is persistently walking on their toes beyond the age of 2 or 3, it may be worth discussing with your pediatrician. They can assess your child’s development and determine if further evaluation is needed.

Toe Walking: What Is It?

Toe walking is a common style in young children where they walk on their toes or balls of their feet. However, if your child continues to walk on their toes after the learning-to-walk stage, it could be a cause for concern as it may lead to walking difficulties as they age. Toe walking is more prevalent in children aged 3 and below, but it may be associated with neurological immaturity in older children. Treatment options such as physical exercises stretch out the tendon, but the success rate is minimal. Parents and professionals need to be aware of the interventions available to address toe walking.

Toe Walking And Autism

Toe walking is commonly observed in young children who are learning to walk, but persistent toe walking beyond this age may be a cause for concern. It could be related to a vestibular system issue, which is often seen in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Therapeutic vestibular stimulation, such as being swung on a glider swing, may help minimize or eliminate toe walking.

Additionally, a visual-vestibular issue could be the cause or effect of toe walking, and studies have shown that the use of prism glasses may help reduce or eliminate toe walking in some individuals. A vision training program that includes wearing prism lenses and engaging in daily visual-motor exercises can be helpful. This program typically lasts for a year, and once completed, the person is no longer required to wear the prism lenses.

Furthermore

Another strategy for preventing toe walking is casting. To stretch the tendon during this procedure, you wear a cast. For a total of 6 to 8 weeks, the cast is typically applied once every two weeks. Surgery is used as a different treatment.

After six weeks of wearing long-leg casts, night splinting for several months follows. Toe walking also referred to as walking on your toes or the balls of your feet, is fairly typical in young children who are just starting to walk.

Typically, kids outgrow it. Kids who toe walk after they have outgrown the toddler stage frequently do it out of habit. Toe walking is not likely to be a cause for alarm if your child is growing and developing appropriately.

When Is It Time To Start Toe Walking?

Young children typically walk on their toes until they are 2 years old, at which point they quickly learn to walk heel to toe.

If your child continues to walk on their toes after turning two, it may be because they have tight calf muscles, which they may have developed as a result of constant toe walking. If this is not the case, there may be another medical issue.

What Leads Kids To Walk On Their Toes?

Numerous investigations have been conducted to determine the precise causes of toe walking, but neither researchers nor medical experts have been able to do so as of yet.

Idiopathic disease has been identified as the most common diagnosis for persistent toe walking. Idiopathic toe walking, in which your child moves abnormally in a heel-to-toe pattern but feels comfortable tiptoeing, is what the physicians will likely refer to if your child does not quit toe walking beyond the age of two on their own.

Even though the precise reasons for this are unknown, doctors have been able to pinpoint a few illnesses that may induce persistent toe walking. These are listed below:

1. A Condensed Achilles Tendon

This tendon connects the back of the heel bone to the lower leg muscles. If it is too short, the heel may not be able to contact the ground.

2. Spinal Palsy

A medical ailment that compromises body posture, muscle tone, and coordination. Idiopathic toe walking is one of the atypical walking patterns brought on by cerebral palsy, which causes the muscles to become excessively stiff. A movement, muscle tone, or postural abnormality brought on by an injury or aberrant development in an immature region of the body might result in toe walking.

3. Dystrophic Muscle

Muscle atrophy and weakness are symptoms of this hereditary disease. Toe walking could be one of the symptoms of your child’s muscular dystrophy, which is a medical issue.

In this hereditary disorder, where muscle fibers are abnormally prone to injury and degenerate over time, toe walking might occasionally develop. If your child started off walking normally before transitioning to toe walking, this diagnosis may be more plausible.

4. Disorders On The Autism Spectrum

A variety of muscular and sensory issues affect kids with autism spectrum disorders. They frequently have balance, coordination, and movement problems due to vestibular issues.

Toe walking has been connected to autism spectrum disorders, which impair a child’s capacity for social interaction and communication.

As a result, if your child walks on their toes at age 3 or older and has been given an autism diagnosis, this could be a contributing factor.

What Signs And Symptoms Indicate Toe Walking?

A child who prefers to walk on their toes rather than in the more natural heel-to-toe position is said to have toe-walking symptoms.

Toe walking is the act of propulsion with the toes or the foot’s ball. They never attempt to stand or walk on their toes; instead, they always try to get up without placing their heels on the ground first.

Children who toe walk all the time may have poor body balance and coordination, which is why they fall more often than other children.

When Should You Express Concern Regarding Your Child’s Toe Walking?

Until they are two years old, the majority of kids walk on their toes. The development of a normal walking pattern before the age of three is not uncommon, even though your child may begin to walk a little later and continue to toe walk.

However, there is an issue if this peculiar gait persists much into the age of 2 or 3. The likelihood that your child has a medical ailment increases, so you should pay close attention to them and check into possible diagnoses and treatments.

Treatments & Support For Toe Walking

Depending on the child’s age, the severity of the illness, and the underlying causes of the issue, many toe-walking treatments are available.

Physiotherapy assistance or continuous occupational therapy support are two examples of non-surgical treatment options. Going to your child’s doctor should be your first port of call, though.

Talk to your doctor about your worries, and he or she can order more tests to determine whether there are any underlying causes for your child’s toe walking.

Consult a physiotherapist and an occupational therapist if you suspect underlying disorders, such as autism. Both medical professionals can assist in addressing these issues, depending on whether your child’s toe walking is being affected by a physical or sensory issue.

Physiotherapists and occupational therapists differ in several ways, including the following:

1. Physiotherapy

A physiotherapist will incorporate stretching or strengthening exercises into physical therapy so that your child’s muscles develop tighter and their coordination improves.

Additionally, they will teach your kids simple exercises that will strengthen their calves, aid in body balance, enhance posture, and help them walk with the right gait.

2. Occupational Therapy

An OT will also determine whether your child’s toe walking is a result of their sensory preferences or another type of developmental delay.

The OT will then start providing therapy to help your child with the sensory problems associated with walking once that has been evaluated by a qualified pediatrician.

In addition to working to lessen the child’s fear of walking normally without the support of their toes. They will offer games and activities that involve tactile stimulation on the feet.

However, it is preferable to speak with a physiotherapist if your child is healthy. They can examine their gait and provide them with exercises to help them walk with a heel-toe gait.

When To Visit The Doctor

After age 2, if your child is still toe-walking, talk to your doctor about it. If your child also experiences leg muscle tightness, Achilles tendon stiffness, or a lack of muscle coordination. Schedule an appointment as soon as possible.

Danger Signs

Toe walking out of habit, also referred to as idiopathic toe walking, can run in families in some cases.

Complications

A child’s risk of falling can rise if they consistently walk on their toes. A social stigma may also be the outcome.

Before deciding on a suitable intervention for their child, parents must gain knowledge on treating toe walking.

Parents should consider the cost, effectiveness, and safety of any treatment before choosing it.

Why Do Kids With Autism Spectrum Disorder Often Tiptoe Around?

Children with autism typically walk on their toes for three reasons. These are what they are:

1. Sensory Challenges

Due to sensory issues, children with an autism diagnosis may walk on their toes. When they contact the ground, some kids with autism spectrum disorder feel pain in particular parts of their feet.

For instance, by stepping on their toes, they can lessen the amount of surface area that they are touching textures that they may be sensitive to on the bottoms of their feet.

2. Hyperextended Posture Of The Back

Reduced muscular tone or increased muscle weakness are issues for children with autism. As a result, they adopt a forward-leaning body posture and place their weight on their toes. They typically walk on their toes rather than their feet because of this.

3. Vestibular Problems

The body’s posture, muscular coordination, and movements are all controlled by the vestibular system. Vestibular issues are common in autistic children, which again causes them to lean forward and ultimately encourages toe walking.

Conclusion

A pediatrician who specializes in developmental delays and autism must evaluate your child if they are autistic and toe walk.

Early intervention is quite successful, according to research studies. So, if you are concerned, see your doctor as soon as possible. This will assist in obtaining the proper therapy they require to get over this delay.

You can still take your child to physiotherapy or occupational therapy. It’ll help stop toe walking, even if they do not have autism.