when i first got with adams dad about 10 months ago he had to be carried everywhere. the only place he walked was in buildings, school, store, home, ect. when we married i told adam and his dad that i was not able to carry him, he weighed about 50 lb at the time and over 70 now! i took over taking adam places and he did try to make me carry him but i never did. 1: i couldnt @; he was too old to be carried. this is my therory, all kids only do what you let them do, meaning, even though our kids have autism, they are still kids first, and just like kids that do not have autism, they want what they want and can learn that there are some things that they will not get. adam loves to hold hands, that helps alot, he also loves to push the cart in a store. i always told him that he is a big boy and big boys walk. that really helped alot. tell your son you are not able to carry him, explain to him that he is a big boy and big boys walk. dad even stopped carrying adam when he saw that adam did not NEED to be carried, he just WANTED to be carried. good luck!

I went through this with my daughter who is 2 1/2. At 2 years old I was carrying her everywhere as she would not walk, and when she did she would fall, I can tell you they found her to have hypotonia, she wears braces on her feet and since then she is a recing machine walks everywhere and her confidence has grown,,

I was still carrying my son up to bed when pregnant with my daughter at the time and my son was over 50 lbs. I just made him walk, sometimes I'd put him in the basket of a shopping cart, but he outgrew that, then he kept wanting to go in the baby stroller, so we'd borrow a customer service wheelchair. WE contemplated getting a supersized stroller than can accomodate over 100 lbs, glad we didn't 'cause he's about 110lbs now (at 6) my neighbour ordered one. It collapses like a stroller and looks like a stroller but can accomodate an adult like a wheel chair. However it was over $1000.00. But that is an option. Try seeing if over time, encouraging him to walk and bribing him if necessary. Good luck.

Thanks guys.I dont know if his legs are weak or what.I will be having a discussion with his pediatrician.I am a little concerned maybe he just likes being babied.If he is weak then he needs help.

are you the only one he insists one carrying him? does he walk for others? the falling down needs addressed for sure. i have a niece that fell down every few steps from the time she started walking until she stared school, the school gave her an eye test, poor thing was dmaned near blind! her glasses are really really thick but she stopped falling down as soon as she got her glasses. being devoplementally delayed herself she was unable to determine and tell her parents why she kept falling down.

Hi Julie,
if he falls to the ground when he doesnt get to go where he wants to go, refusing to walk if you dont carry him. Your neck must be killing you!
I think having him hold the shopping cart is a great idea i do that alot with Steven.
I would try and take this on in a place that is comfortable for you* Make sure your ready and well rested. Then...
When it is time for him to walk, like he gets out of the car holds your hand and walks. If he stops or sits because he wants to be carried let him sit.
tell him, Its time to walk to go to... Lets say someplace he really likes. So its motivating.
Trial and Trial. Make sure you are ready for the battle then you will have more chances of success.
Praise him for walking "Good Job Thats walking!!"
Stepping stones of growth we go through them and its hard, just make sure YOU are rested and ready for each battle you take on Mom.
More Power to ya!

i need to back up, ok so he refuses to walk and he sits,
then in this place that you choosed to teach this. (safe place, private would be nice)
you walk away, and say Ok well Im going to... wherever it is or playing with whatever it is. If you want to come you have to walk.
He might really test you, and sit there and scream. But nope dont give in, (thats why your rested and ready for this) Just remember your teaching him something. It doesnt hurt him to cry and have a meltdown like he may have. It so hard I really really know. But it works.
And when he gets up and he will, praise the heck out of him. Sometimes a child will just give in because the adult is leaving anyways. They get up and run to them wantng to go too.
The skpping running and falling to the floor might be 2 things, one he is a kid and kids run and skip. 2 when he falls moms gonna pick me up! Hes a smart cookie.
Try and see how this works.
Far as medically yes always make sure he is alright. Sounds tho to me my opion, he is being a child who loves his momma holding him. At 46 sometimes i just want my mom too! XO Good Luck!

I would venture to say a visit with the pediatrician is a good idea, as there really could be an underlying medical issue at hand. If there is NOT, be strong and tell him no.

I remember being a kid and desperately wanting to be carried around, but of course in my case it was solely wanting attention. I remember her helping out at daycare once when the normal person wasn't there, she picked up a kid because he was crying and held him. She had always refused to hold me, I was so jealous, I had even considered trying to get injured or something so that I could cry and she would hold me. Its amazing the lengths kids will go through, i guess

I only wish that Alex would have allowed me to carry him more when he was little. Most of the time, he was distant, didn't like being touched, held , cuddled. GOD , how this hurt me! I did carry him when we were in public places, because he is a "runner" but he fought me tooth and nail! I understand your frustration, and physical pain, mine is different pain, but I still can imagine the physical wear and tear, Alex hits, hurts, kicks, this is also wearing on the body.I wish I could be more helpful.

Thsnks again guys.It doesnt matter who it is he carried.When we go for therapy the speech and OT will carry him when he refuses to walk.I worry about his little arms being tugged on and would rather have them carry him when he needs it instead of the constant pulling on his arms.Sometimes he walks good holding my hand but he wont for too long and then he will walk in front of me until I pick him up.I got a lot of work in this area as he gets heavier and heavier.I will take all the advise I can get.Thanks a million!

DS is 3.25 & has weighed 48 lbs for the last year. He loves to go for walks but wants to be carried on & off for much of the walks.

I started letting him push the empty stroller last year. It really extended the length of his walk & I could put him in the umbroller after giving him a big hug when he tired of walking. I think his issues were a combination of poor balance & a love of being carried.

Hes actually walked more than a mile pushing the stroller. I feel a little silly pushing the empty stroller home from school in the am & back at noon, but hes getting some much needed exercise (hence the stable weight.)& his balance is much better.

Ev's the same way, and we finally had to give up carrying him after a trip to Las Vegas when he was six...by then he weighed 50 pounds and my husband and I both came home with back pain (and Norwalk virus). We bought a MacLaren stroller, off Ebay for around $400. Holds up to 125 lbs. He's nine and 85 lbs now, so it's going to last us for a while. There are a lot of things we couldn't have done without it.