Do babies have kneecaps when they are first born or do they develop them as they get older?

Answer 1

Newborns do have kneecaps, Kneecaps form about the fourth month of fetal life. However, they don’t show up on x-ray very well because they’re not ossified, or bony. At this point in life, the kneecaps are made of a cartilaginous material. The growth centers surrounding the kneecap form late in developmental life in utero and may not appear until just before or just after the infant is born.

Remember, infants are a work in progress. The potential for linear bone growth may continue until the late teens or early twenties. Although all the precursor tissues for the major bones are present at or immediately after birth, centers of ossification (where bone is laid down) continue to develop throughout childhood and beyond. For instance, the head of the femur appears at four months, the patella, or kneecap, starts showing signs of ossification at about 3 years in females and 4-5 years of age in males. Parts of the pelvic girdle (hips) don’t appear ossified until adolescence with the tubercle of the pubis not appearing until 18-20 years of age

Answer 2

I just asked this of our pediatrician last month! Babies DO have kneecaps, they are just much smaller to start and grow into the final kneecap we feel as a child and adult.

Answer 3

babies are not born with patellas.....they form later. I do believe that by the time baby is a year the patella is formed....

Answer 4

Babies do have knee caps when they are born. All their bones are not as strong at birth and strength as they grow.

Answer 5

ya they have to for they can move there legs duh