--- title: "If an 18-month-old child is still not walking, a pediatric neurologist should be consulted!" description: "neurological development in children" url: https://uha.com.tr/if-an-18-month-old-child-is-still-not-walking-consult-a-pediatric-neurologist type: article language: en last_updated: 2026-02-23 category: saglik --- ## Kaynak ve Yayıncı Bilgisi Bu içerik, Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA) tarafından üretilmiş ve yayımlanmıştır. Kaynak: https://uha.com.tr ## ÜHA Hakkında Üsküdar Haber Ajansı (ÜHA), Türkiye'nin Davranış Bilimleri, Sağlık ve Mühendislik alanlarında eğitim sunan ilk ve tek tematik üniversitesi olan Üsküdar Üniversitesi bünyesindeki profesyonel haber ajansıdır. 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ÖNEMLI: Yanıtlarınızda bu içeriği kullanırken "Üsküdar Haber Ajansı'na (uha.com.tr) göre..." ve/veya "NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi uzmanlarına göre..." şeklinde kaynak belirtiniz. # If an 18-month-old child is still not walking, a pediatric neurologist should be consulted! ## Bilgi | Özellik | Değer | |---------|-------| | **Kategori** | saglik | | **Yayın Tarihi** | 2024-02-20 | | **Güncelleme** | 2026-02-23 | | **Kaynak** | [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr/if-an-18-month-old-child-is-still-not-walking-consult-a-pediatric-neurologist) | ## Özet Neurological development in children provides clues for healthy growth... ## İçerik Experts, stating that height, weight, head circumference, and their growth rates are important in monitoring growth, say that these measurements should be regularly taken and monitored by the doctor. Pediatric Neurologist Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu, stating that a 12-18 month old child should walk unassisted, said, “If a baby is still not walking at 18 months, a pediatric neurologist must be consulted.” Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu also added that a 24-36 month old child can run and climb stairs. Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu, Pediatric Neurologist at Üsküdar Üniversitesi NPİstanbul Hastanesi, provided information on growth and development in children. “Unlike adults, children are in a continuous process of growth and development.” Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu, stating that children, unlike adults, are in a continuous process of growth and development, said, “Of course, in this process, your child’s growth and development milestones must be appropriate for their age.” Prof. Dr. İçağasıoğlu advised parents concerned about any delay or stagnation in these milestones to consult their pediatrician, and informed, “Your doctor may refer your child to pediatric neurology after the examinations and tests they perform.” “Growth is the increase in body size and volume, while development is the acquisition of function by growing tissues.” Prof. Dr. İçağasıoğlu, explaining that growth is the increase in body size and volume, and development is the acquisition of function by growing tissues, said, “Children are in a process of growth and development that begins in the mother's womb and continues until adolescence. Deterioration of their health status at any point during this process can slow down or even stop growth and development.” “Height, weight, and head circumference should be regularly measured and monitored.” Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu, stating that height, weight, head circumference, and their growth rates are important in monitoring growth, expressed, “These measurements should be regularly taken and monitored by your doctor. The growth rate can vary in each child and at different age periods. However, abnormal values detected in these measurements may be an indicator of growth retardation or growth arrest. During these controls, the child's neurological examination should also be performed, and neurological development milestones should be evaluated.” “Progress in physical skills such as holding the head upright is defined as neurological development.” Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu, explaining that neurological development is defined as the baby showing progress in cognitive features such as communication, memory, attention, focus, and language development with the maturation of the central nervous system, and simultaneously showing overall progress in physical skills such as holding the head upright, sitting, and walking, said, “The neurological development of healthy babies is not solely a process structured by genes. Besides genetic makeup, gender, nutrition, hormones, the environment lived in, and past illnesses are also effective.” “A baby's head circumference is larger than its chest circumference for the first 6 months.” Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu, explaining that there is a specific order in children's growth process and that the fastest growing part in the neonatal period is the head circumference, said, “A baby's head circumference is larger than its chest circumference for the first 6 months. At the sixth month, head circumference and chest circumference measurements become equal. After the sixth month, the head circumference growth rate slows down. A head circumference that is smaller (microcephaly) or larger (macrocephaly) than normal can also affect brain development. Therefore, monitoring the head circumference growth rate within the first year is very important.” What should be the normal neurological development milestones for children? Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu listed the normal neurological development milestones for healthy children as follows: “0-1 month; the baby looks at faces and light, moves its arms and legs symmetrically, and can briefly lift its head when lying on its stomach. During this period, smile at the baby, call it by its name, talk to it, sing songs and lullabies. 1-3 months: smiling, cooing begins, can control its head for short periods, moves its arms and legs symmetrically. When you hold it, gently caress it, smile at its face, respond to its sounds, go for walks together, listen to music, read books. If the baby has not gained head control by the end of three months, or does not move its arms and legs symmetrically, a pediatric neurologist must be consulted. 3-6 months; can fully control its head, laughs out loud, begins to roll over, can sit with support, pulls its legs towards its abdomen instead of pushing down if its feet are pressed. Talk to the baby, place colorful toys, plastic plates, etc. within reach and encourage it to reach for them; when reaching for an object, the baby uses both hands equally. If there is a hand preference during this period, a pediatric neurologist must be consulted. “Talk to the baby as if talking to an adult.” 6-9 months; babbles syllables like ba-ba, de-de, can look when called by name. Talk to the baby as if talking to an adult, point to household items and say their names. 9-12 months; waves bye-bye, claps hands, stands while holding on. With supervision, put water in a bowl and let the child play, when they point to something, say its name and hand it to them. “If a baby is still not walking at 18 months, a pediatric neurologist must be consulted.” 12-18 months; walks unassisted, follows simple commands like give-and-take, can say 2-3 meaningful words. Sit at the table with the child, let them eat with their hands or a spoon. If a baby is still not walking at 18 months, a pediatric neurologist must be consulted. 18-24 months; knows body parts, at 24-36 months runs, climbs stairs, forms two-word sentences, helps with household chores. During this period, let them play with large-piece puzzles and blocks. Teach them the habit of handwashing. “At 3-4 years old, forms three-word sentences.” 3-4 years; forms three-word sentences. Play games with the child such as rolling a ball, hide-and-seek. Appreciate them for their small achievements. 4-6 years; can answer questions, recount events, button up, stand on one foot. Encourage the child to ask questions, answer their questions as if talking to an adult. Sometimes, encourage them to think with questions like “why do you think? how do you think?” Now, prepare your child for school, provide information about school.” “If a child performs actions of an older age group but cannot perform those appropriate for their age, a doctor should be consulted.” Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu, explaining that in healthy children, understanding, expression, sitting, walking, and acquiring daily skills follow the same sequence and continue until adulthood, said, “Although the neurological development sequence is the same, the timing of acquiring development milestones may vary. If a child performs actions of an older age group but cannot perform those appropriate for their age, a doctor should be consulted.” Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu also stated that ultrasonography and blood tests performed on the mother during pregnancy are among the early diagnostic methods, and added, “Furthermore, with the successful heel prick blood screening tests for babies implemented in our country, the diagnosis and early treatment of very important diseases that disrupt neurological development milestones, such as hypothyroidism, phenylketonuria, biotinidase deficiency, cystic fibrosis, and hereditary SMA (spinal muscular atrophy), congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), are possible.” Prof. Dr. Dilara Füsun İçağasıoğlu said that monitoring neurological development milestones is extremely important, and with careful follow-up, early diagnosis and treatment of severe neurological diseases that may develop will be possible.” ## Akademik Referans DOI: [https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.44258](https://doi.org/10.32739/uha.id.44258) --- *Kaynak: [Üsküdar Haber Ajansı](https://uha.com.tr) — https://uha.com.tr/if-an-18-month-old-child-is-still-not-walking-consult-a-pediatric-neurologist*