What is Toe Walking?

Walking on the balls of the feet is commonly seen in children learning how to walk. Most children out grow this by the age of two. Children who continue to walk on their toes beyond 2 years of age usually do so out of habit, however it is important to monitor the signs and symptoms for consistency. Sometimes toe walking can be associated with autism or other developmental disorders.

What are the dangers of Toe Walking going untreated?

It is important that toe-walking is treated early and monitored while the child is young. A persistent habit of toe-walking may increase a child’s risk of falling. Also, like any habit, it becomes harder to break as time passes.

Toe-walking can also be associated with sensory-processing disorder (SPD). Sensory processing happens constantly every time we eat, move, or do an activity. Problems arise when the brain is unable to organize this information appropriately – like a traffic jam of information. This disorder can manifest itself in a myriad of ways, depending on which senses are affected.