The age at which children take their first steps has no bearing on their intelligence or co-ordination later on, a new study indicates.

According to Swiss researchers, a child's first steps can be a major talking point for parents, with many perceiving this as a big turning point for their little one. They decided to investigate this further.

They monitored 222 children - 119 boys and 103 girls, all of whom were born healthy. The children were assessed seven times up to the age of two. They then underwent intelligence and motor tests every two to three years after they reached school age.

The study found that children sit up unsupported for the first time between four and 13 months, with the average being six-and-a-half months. They begin to walk unaided between eight-and-a-half and 20 months, with the average being around 12 months.

The researchers said that these results emphasise that there is major variation among children.

Furthermore, they found no link between when an infant sits up or walks by themselves and their performance in intelligence and motor tests between the ages of seven and 18.

In fact, children who walk later in life are just as intelligent and co-ordinated as their early-walking peers. As a result, the timing of the first step is of no consequence.

"That's why I advise parents to be more relaxed if their child only starts walking at 16 or 18 months," the researches said.

However they added that if a child cannot walk unaided after the age of 20 months, ‘further medical investigations are indicated'.

Details of these findings are published in the journal, Acta Paediatrica.