Some children, when asked to walk normally, can simply put their heel down on the ground before their toes. However, as soon as no one is observing them, they revert to toe-walking because it is habitual (idiopathic toe-walking). Cerebral palsy is commonly associated with toe-walking that persists beyond 2 years of age. A congenitally short tendocalcaneus causes persistent toe-walking even though the child can toe-heel and heel-toe walk. These latter gaits are awkward and are less comfortable for children until 6 to 8 years of age, when their toe-walking disappears.