Institutional development · Research, innovation and assessment · United Kingdom
Surrey study finds toddlers with Williams syndrome start walking later but with similar gait
A University of Surrey-linked paper in Perceptual and Motor Skills reports that children with Williams syndrome begin walking unaided later than peers, though overall walking quality soon after onset is comparable.
Why it matters: Researchers studying early motor development in children with Williams syndrome have new comparative data on first unsupported walking against neurotypical toddlers.
According to the University of Surrey, a journal article led by postgraduate research student Gloria Yoshkova, published in April 2026 in Perceptual and Motor Skills, compared first unsupported walking in toddlers with Williams syndrome and in neurotypical peers.
The study found that children with Williams syndrome started walking independently significantly later than neurotypical children, the university reported.
Within a month of starting to walk, their overall walking quality did not differ significantly from that of peers, with only subtle differences in movement patterns, according to the findings.
The university said the results underline the value of closely examining early motor development, since subtle movement differences may be linked to later difficulties and could inform targeted interventions.
Editor’s view
Scott James, Research and Innovation Editor
For researchers and practitioners working with children with Williams syndrome, the reported finding is that later walking onset was not matched by significantly poorer walking quality within the first month, with the authors pointing to subtle movement differences as a possible basis for targeted interventions.
