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Toddler: From there, your child’s legs will start to straighten out a bit and become more aligned with each other between the 24- and 36-month mark.Infancy: This is when your baby will show signs of bow-leggedness from the time of birth up to 24 months of age.But as your baby continues to grow, so do their corresponding limbs, which will go through various stages of development: How do children’s legs and knees develop?Īs you’ve probably noticed by now, your child is exceptionally flexible during infancy. It may be more pronounced in some babies over others, but on the whole, it’s a physical characteristic that almost all parents notice in their little one - and something they will most likely grow out of over time. There aren’t any concrete statistics on the matter, but yes, in general, most infants have at least some sort of bowing in their legs. If they weren’t bow-legged, can you imagine what labor and delivery would be like? The bent bow shape also allows for a comfortable fetal position when they’re extra snug in the uterus, especially those last few months. This is also completely normal in babies, after all, babies are born with roughly 300 bones (adults have 206) that will fuse and ossify over time. It can present in infancy all the way through adulthood and is usually considered completely normal in young children. One or both of the legs may curve outward to cause this gap, which in turn gives a trademark “bowed” appearance when walking. What are bowed legs?Īlso known by the Latin term “ genu varum,” bowed legs is a condition characterized by a distinct space between the lower legs and knees. So without further ado, let’s take a closer look.Ĭheck out more from our Baby & Toddler Development package to read more about thrush in babies, jaundice, baby hiccups, baby kneecaps, toddler flat feet, newborn eye color, and bone structure in babies. And since knowledge is power, it’s high time we all do a collective deep dive into the topic to help put your mind at ease - at least when it comes to bow-legged matters. After all, you’re dedicating your life to making sure this precious baby is taken care of, and you want to make sure you don’t overlook anything. According to the most recent search data available, that topic is searched nearly 10,000 per month.Įven so, that may not be enough to calm your nerves, which is entirely understandable. But if you are worried, know that you’re not alone in your frantic Googling. Your cute little cowboy or cowgirl is likely just fine, as bowed legs are a very common condition in young children.
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Does your little one look like they spent a long day in the saddle? Well, sidle on up and take a deep breath. And one of the things that routinely crosses parents’ list of concerns in that first year is bowed legs. Your baby is finally here, and you know what that means, right? Let the worrying begin! For real, though, it’s kind of what parents do.
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