Delay in walking

I’ve joined a group of mums to answer a Monday question (I’m answering a bit late)

As this month is #downsyndromeawarenessmonth each Monday each of us will either write a fact or a myth about Down’s syndrome.

I’ll say what the fact is. I’ll also write what quality the fact brings out in us all.

Coraline is not yet walking. She is crawling and can pull herself up against e.g. the sofa to stand leaning against it. Generally walking is delayed for children with Down’s syndrome due to hypotonia (low muscle tone i.e. “floppy” muscles). Joints feel wobbly, or hyper-mobile, so the child does not feel stable enough to stand. We work on this through physiotherapy building muscle strength. Typical children begin to walk, on average, at about a year old. Coraline is 3 years and 2 months old.

So, to the qualities this brings out in us. Strength, of course. Coraline is building her strength; slowly, slowly, building, building.

We build our own strength as we lift her from room to room, from pram into preschool, from house to car. We build our mental strength as we realise it’s O.K.. We build belief because we know it’ll happen when Coraline is ready.

Patience as we watch her gains in strength each week. We build our calmness as we are not harried, because she is not harried. It’s the very definition of patience; watching as a flower grows and blooms. Resourcefulness, as we work out how to still go on hikes (Coraline in a sturdy backpack carrier!). In a culture of the instantaneous, here is something which is taking time. We know a resilience and a persistence because day-by-day this is coming. Step-by-step it’s coming. We come to know an appreciation for our movement.

It’s also teaching us again, don’t compare; for all our journeys are happening in their own way at their own time.

Coraline will arrive at the same destination. When she gets there, the sense of achievement will be built of every moment of strength, belief, patience, calmness, resourcefulness, letting go of comparison, resilience, persistence and appreciation that’s opened up the way. Imagine when that first footstep is imbued with all the qualities which led to the moment of her taking it.