14 Month Old with a Leg Turn

My 16 month old son started walking well at 13 months... his right foot turned in a bit and it has not yet corrected itself. The ped said that if the turn will correct on it's own then by 6 weeks of walking all should be well. It has been 3 months for us and it is not improved so he will be seeing an orthopedist next week. Good luck to you and your little one.

Our youngest daughter had a foot that turned in also. Like you I was concerned. Our doctor told me that unless I wanted her hip broken (which was no)that it would be fine. He told me with time everything will work out.
She is now 12 and is one of the fastest runners on her soccer team. Her foot still turns in alittle but it doesn't seem to stop her. I guess it depends on how much the foot turns in and where it is. I am sure if you are confident with your doctor he/she will know the answer. If you are not happy, get a second opinion, or third until your worries are put to rest.
Shelley
Mother of 3 daughters

My daughter walkes at eight months. She had both legs turn in-we went through 6 doctors, leg casts and finally leg braces. She is 25 now and when she is tired her legs still turn.

Just keep asking until the answer makes sense to you.

On another note, my daughter developed great empathy for handicapped children, and still carries that with her to this day.

Good luck

My daughter started walking at 10 months and had slightly bowed legs w her feet turned in when she walked...the doctor would lay her on her stomach and bend her leg so her feet were toward the sky. She said if her shin/calf was straight that the problem would correct itself w/ time. She is now 2 years old and almost perfectly straight...it has definitely almost resolved and the doctor said w/in the next year it should be completely gone. I think it just depends on the severity. There are definite tests your doctor can do to see besides just letting her walk. Good luck and I am hopeful it will resolve on it's own.

Hi, S..
Have you taken your son to see a chiropractor? I work for an excellent family chiropractor in Oakland, Dr. Kristin Peters of Optimum Wellness Chiropractic on Grand Ave. I have seen her do many amazing things for infants and young children. As a research resource, check out www.icpaforkids.org. There are many helpful articles on that site. Good luck.
~ S.

I have a slight pigeon turn. Some people say its better to put shoes on the child's foot to straighten it out. My son and sister has the turned inward foot. Some people are stuck with it, and others get it fixed. Google can give you more insight.

Hey S.- My oldest son who is now 8 was very similar. He walked at 9 months and was a very big baby (over 9 lbs at birth). He too was bow legged and had a bit of a turned foot. Our pediatrician said that he should grow out of it and has. They don't really do a lot for it these days unless it interferes with their growth and movement. Just keep your eye on it. :)

S.,
When I began walking, I had a severe pigeon toed walk also. My parents took me to the dr. and the found out my right hip socket was turned inward. I believe it's called femoral hip revulsion, or something like that? Anyhow, these doctors tried to put me in some special metal brace to straighten out my feet and legs, I had to sleep with it on. I was just a little toddler! We went for another opinion, to the Shriner's children's hospital in San Francisco and they said the brace wasn't doing any good, that my hip would gradully straighten as I get older. Well, over all these years my hip has straightened out and I still walk with a tiny turn in on my right, but it's barely noticeable. I'm in my 30's now. Maybe this is what your little boy has, a rotated hip? Good Luck

My son also began walking at 10 months, he was very bowlegged and both of his feet turned, one more than the other. His Dr. has told us at many apts. he will "grow out of it". At his last apt. i was told to give it another year and if it doesn't get better he will be referred to a specialist. My son just turned 2, his legs aren't as bowed, they have actually gotten very straight on their own in comparison to what they were but, his feet still turn in which causes him to trip and fall a lot. It's only been 6 months since we were told to wait a year but, i plan on mentioning it to his Dr. again at his next apt. in May.

Hello S.,

What your son has is what they call femoral anteversion which means the hip is slightly turned inward. This is very common in kids and it rarely causes any problems unless its so severe that the child is falling often. My son has it and I took him to an orthopedist when he was eight years old. He took an xray of his hip and told me that as long as the growth of the bones was normal, there is nothing you can do. The only way to fix it is with surgery but they don't do those unless the parent asks for it or until after age 12. I will be taking my son again for another evaluation during the summer since he just turned 12 to see if its worthwhile to operate or not.

Just keep an eye on your son and if he is not walking well enough in the next 6 months or keeps falling too often then maybe you should seek a specialist opinion.

Good luck
A.

my oldest now 7 was very bowed legged when he first started walking and both his toes turned in. We got him in to shrinners at about 2 years of age. They said he was perfectly normal that he would grow out of it and he did. By about 3 yrs old his legs were not bowed any more. His toes turn in a little expecially when he runs but the doctors say he is tottaly normal. When thus all happened I was discussing it with my family and come to find out my 25 yr old sister is pigon toed aswell as my 18 yr old brother. This hasn't effected them at all they both are very athletic aswell as my son. My brother will be playing baseball and football @ the college level. So I hoped this helped I dont think there is much to worry about.

I went through something similar with my son (who walked well at 9 months) so many years ago and the first doctor recommended surgery. My son had an overly short tendon on the inside of his foot and an overly long one on the outside. Also, the bones appeared to be developing in a way that one was thicker than it should be and the other was thinner. The dr. proposed to split these bones open, taking the center out of one bone and inserting it into the center of the other bone. I couldn't bear the thought of my two year old in such tremendous pain (to be numbed by drugs) and in double connected leg brace for a prolonged period of time, so I got a second opinion. The next doctor prescribed orthopedic shoes, which he wore all the time at first. We had a clean pair for bed and another pair for walking. He wore these shoes made specially for him (they looked like old fashioned European shoes and we got tons of complements on them) until he was about 5 1/2. I also used to pull his foot and leg in a way that would straighten it out during the first year or two. He's 11 now and not in any way bow legged and his one foot isn't perfectly shaped but he wears regular shoes. The point of me telling you all this is that I am so glad we got a second opinion. Please know that you always have that option. Insurance companies by law must allow you a second and third opinion. Good luck and start massaging/pulling the foot and leg into a straighten shape until you find the right Dr. I can't remember the name of the doctor who prescribed the specially made shoes, but I could probably find it if you'd like. He was in Oakland, Ca. ____@____.com

Hi. I am a Chiropractor and have mentioned your question to my good friend and colleague Dr. Rhonda Emmert. She is also a chiropractor and specializes in psychoneuroimmunology and children's health in particular. This is what she had to say:

"Has your son been ruled out for right hip socket congenital anomalies?. Is there history of Thyroid illness or Diabetes in your family?

Leg and hip problems like this are prevalent due to insufficient adrenal function. And Adrenal function is correlated with Thyroid problems or Diabetes. Does your child also have mood issues, allergies or Asthma?"

I would suggest that first you find out about hip socket anomalies and then you could look into what you can do to support his adrenal function.

Dr. Emmert is working on a web site where she will have information available about issues such as adrenal insufficienies, etc., but it is not up yet.

I have posted a short biography when she answered another question, but I will post it here again for your information,

Rhonda Emmert, D.C., B.A. Nutrition, is co-founder of essencehealers/Patient Advocacy through Molecular Mindfulness, and has been practicing for 23 years in San Francisco. Dr. Emmert, was voted one of the ten best chiropractors in San Francisco Magazine, and is listed in America’s Top Chiropractors, 2007. She has built her practice by addressing her patient’s obscure and chronic conditions. She has devised a system of analysis, Molecular Mindfulness, that utilizes biochemistry as the avenue to systemic diagnosis. Dr. Emmert has a family-based practice; hence, she has seen the genetic implications that warrant biochemical healing at the deepest level. She takes her patients on for life.

I hope this helps, Dr. M. Herman

Your pediatrician should give you a referral to a pediatric orthopedist as soon as possible.