Life is a balancing act

Tip-toe walking is quite common in toddlers up to age 3, but toe walking that persists beyond the first 3 years is far more common among children with autism.

Franklin walks on his tip-toes. He tends to do it more often on hard surfaces than soft. While on holiday the floor surface in our apartment was mainly tiled, and he tip-toe walked for the majority of the week.

Sensory issues and motor coordination difficulties often contribute to the behaviour of tip-toe walking in children with autism.

If you think about standing on your tip-toes and the sensation it creates in your calves – that feeling of tightness – this could easily be a sensation Franklin enjoys, knowing his constant need to get more proprioceptive input (aka sensory seeking ninja!).