how do we help a toddler with bowed legs? besides wearing special shoes?

Answer 1

My 19 month toddler has bowed legs. (more so that most toddlers her age) Our pediatrician was very concerned so he gave us a referral to an orthopedist. Three months ago we took her to the best childrens hospital in our area. They ordered some tests: xrays on her legs and hips, blood test to see her calcium levels, iron, and to rule out diseases like rickets or blouts disease but that is VERY RARE so even don't worry about that. They also checked her out walking and running etc.

After all that they said there was nothing they could do now. The doctor showed us my daughter is capable of standing striaght even though she doesn't. Her bones and muscles all checked out good. She said most likely my toddler would slowly outgrow this by age three. I had bowed legs as a toddler too and out grew by age 3. I'm seeing very small improvements in my daughter every month. For now the doctor made some recomendations:

Continue with proper and balanced nutrition. This should always be a priorit. esp calcium enriched products (cheese, yogurt, milk, fortified OJ diluted w/ water)

~Make sure he/she gets 10 minutes a day of sunlight for vitamin D absorbtion.

~Always have him/her in supportive shoes with flexible soles. Particularly for girls flimsy sandals should be avoided

~Encourage him/her to sleep on her side or back and not her stomach all the time.

~I try to encourage my daughter to participate in a variety of different activities (running, dancing, mommy and me swim classes, little gym class) in hopes of helping her strength and fitness.

We also will be bringing her back to the orthopedist on her 2nd birthday to chart her progress.

Also the doctor told us that many years ago the legs braces (like you see on forrest gump) were the norm for treating bowed legs but since then they have learned that is usually not the way to go and is not appropriate treatment for a developing toddlers.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

I would consult a physician to see if there are any other alternatives. I think it depends on the severity of the bowed legs. My legs are just slightly bowed. In fact no one even notices unless I point it out. I never had to receive any treatment.

Answer 3

particular, i think of that's surely known and not something to fret approximately. infants in many situations discover some thing they like to do and that they’ll do it for a at an identical time as. My son replaced into relatively like that too for incredibly a at an identical time as. He replaced into surely keen approximately shoes. He might line up all people’s shoes on the door, superb and neat, so as with the aid of coloration. He had to attempt all people’s shoes on consistently. He might ask human beings to take their shoes off so he could positioned them on too (kinfolk). He might consistently get into all people’s closets (mine or grandma’s, etc.) and take all the shoes out, try them on, walk around with them on, line them up. It replaced into incredibly humorous. He doesn’t try this in the time of any respect anymore inspite of the shown fact that, it replaced into purely for maybe 3 months.

Answer 4

This is just my opinion.

Physical therapy would be good.
Don't hold the child on your hip, it causes the legs to spread.
same with...
Infant Walkers, carriers, etc.

~faith