Is Your Baby a Late Bloomer?

The range of when children take their first steps and utter their first words is huge. Here are some reasons for late walking and talking in babies.

My son James didn't crawl. The pediatrician said not to worry until he hit his first birthday, so I began counting the days before I could officially freak out. James barely made the deadline, crawling 12 days before he turned 1. (Note that some babies never crawl, which can be normal too).

He then took his first two steps across the playpen at 14 months, and I breathed a huge sigh of relief. But then he didn't take another step for four months.

When your child is a late bloomer—a sweet name for a kid who hits milestones later than average—waiting for them to walk or talk can be nerve-racking. You wonder: Is there something I should have done? Is there something I should be doing? Is my baby OK?

While you should always seek a medical assessment and advice for any concerns about your baby, there is some good news: Milestone timelines are broader than you might think, and every baby is different.

Read to learn reasons for delayed developmental milestones like late talking and late walking in babies, what you can do about it, and when to be concerned.

Late Language Development

Luke Nelson, 2, of Dartmouth, Massachusetts, is a great communicator. He makes faces and uses a wide variety of gestures. He points to what he wants. He shakes his head for "yes" and "no." He follows commands (and sometimes refuses with a stamp of his foot), demonstrating that he understands what's said to him. He just doesn't say much back