- With Mayo Clinic emeritus consultant
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
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Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Dr. Jay Hoecker, an emeritus consultant in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, brings valuable expertise to MayoClinic.com in general and primary care pediatrics. He has a particular interest in infectious diseases of children.
Dr. Hoecker, a Fort Worth, Texas, native, is certified as a pediatrician by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. He was trained at Washington University's St. Louis Children's Hospital, and in infectious diseases at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has been with Mayo Clinic since 1989.
"The World Wide Web is revolutionizing the availability and distribution of information, including health information about children and families," Dr. Hoecker says. "The evolution of the Web has included greater safety, privacy and accuracy over time, making the quality and access to children's health information immediate, practical and useful. I am happy to be a part of this service to patients from a trusted name in medicine, to use and foster all the good the Web has to offer children and their families."
Children's health (3)
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- Flu shots for kids: Should healthy kids be vaccinated?
Preschoolers (4)
- Gender identity: A possible concern for preschoolers?
- Separation anxiety in preschooler: Is this normal?
- Toe walking in children: A cause for concern?
- see all in Preschoolers
Elementary students (5)
- Baby teeth: When do children start to lose them?
- Trampoline jumping: Safe for kids?
- Depression treatment for children: What works?
- see all in Elementary students
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Question
Toe walking in children: A cause for concern?
Should I be concerned that my 6-year-old constantly walks on her tiptoes? What causes toe walking?
Answer
from Jay L. Hoecker, M.D.
Toe walking is not unusual in younger children who are just beginning to walk and otherwise growing and developing normally. However, toe walking after age 3 years should be evaluated by a doctor.
In many cases, toe walking in older children is simply a habit and not a sign of an underlying problem. Doctors refer to this as idiopathic toe walking. But toe walking accompanied by other signs and symptoms may be due to a serious underlying condition, such as cerebral palsy or autism.
Talk to your doctor about your child's toe walking. Your doctor may recommend an evaluation, including a neurological examination and testing for language and other developmental delays. If the results of these exams are normal, your child won't need treatment and will most likely outgrow her toe-walking habit.
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