We learned about the causes of tiptoe walking in children from specialists of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Department at Hisar Hospital Intercontinental.

When your baby walks on their tiptoes, it may be a sign of certain diseases.

Tiptoe walking is one of the most important findings in patients with cerebral palsy (infantile cerebral palsy), a condition in which brain damage develops due to reasons such as pregnancy, birth or premature delivery. Tiptoe walking of unknown cause leads to one-sided tiptoe walking, whereas in cerebral palsy patients the involvement is usually bilateral. Cerebral palsy can occur as a result of certain viral infections during pregnancy, toxoplasmosis, umbilical cord entanglement, blood group incompatibility, oxygen deprivation of the baby during birth, and nervous system diseases appearing after birth. Spastic paralysis can lead to problems such as balance disorders, developmental delay and intellectual disability.

Early diagnosis of these patients is directly proportional to the form of the disease. However, mild forms may be overlooked; the patient's walking is delayed and they begin to walk on their tiptoes. In these patients, conservative treatment is often sufficient, but in some cases surgery may be necessary. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment are very important for preventing permanent disability.

Inward-Toeing Gait Problem in Children

Specialists, who state that children generally begin walking between 12 and 18 months of age and that the first steps, known colloquially as "apalamak," are taken by slightly bending the knees to maintain balance, turning the feet slightly inward, swaying and taking short steps, say: 'Parents often become suspicious of inward-toeing at this stage and take their child to the doctor. However, the vast majority of these children are normal, and their walking pattern is part of their physiological development. But if the child is walking on their tiptoes, then they must definitely see an Orthopedics and Traumatology specialist. Although a significant portion of these children also have idiopathic tiptoe walking, meaning of unknown cause, it can resolve on its own without treatment.'

If your child is walking on their tiptoes, especially if they have only recently started walking, you must definitely see an Orthopedics and Traumatology specialist. This is because, while the condition may be temporary, it may also be a precursor to a disease that could become permanent.