A review of 404 'late walkers'.

A survey of all known 18 month old Oxfordshire children who had not yet walked unassisted and who were born in the four year period between July 1, 1976 and June 30, 1980 was carried out. A total of 275 children aged 18 months with no previously suspected cause for late walking were referred by health visitors; 257 of these children were assessed neurologically and developmentally by a paediatrician at home. Nine cases of cerebral palsy (3 X 5%) and 6 cases of minor neurological abnormality (2 X 3%) were newly diagnosed. A register of all other 18 month old 'late walkers' (129) who were already known to paediatricians and were either normal (17) or had known causes for late walking (112) was compiled for the same four year period. The total incidence of pathology among all late walkers (404) in these two groups was 32%.