Q: My friend's daughter who is two years old was born normal and is very smart. Recently, she has started walking on her toes and legs apart. We took her to a neurologist who could not name any disease but said it is a spastic problem. Now we don't understand how a child born normal with all developments normal, suddenly gets this problem. Can you please suggest what is the problem with this child and what can be done?

A:If the child is otherwise normal and only has toe walking, it means that her group of muscles at the back of the leg are having increased muscle tone or spastic and that may be the cause of her toe walking. This can only be helped by aggressive occupational therapy or physiotherapy. At times you may not have any obvious cause for this. In neurologically normal babies and other muscles being normal most often it responds well to exercises. Sometimes these babies may require little orthopaedic intervention to relax the ankle. I don't think there is any thing to panic, just work hard on her leg and ankle and I am sure she will be fine.