Facts About Children
Q. Is it normal for babies to have fat feet?
A. Yes. Babies are born with a fatty pad in the inner longitudinal arch that
disappears soon after baby starts walking.
Q. When is it normal for babies to start walking?
A. Thirteen months is the average age, the normal range being between nine
and eighteen months.
Q. Is it normal for babies to be bowlegged?
A. Children are bowlegged up to two years of age as it is part of the development
of the lower limbs. This developmental stage can be altered if the child was
an early walker.
Q. Why is my child knock-kneed?
A. After the bowlegged (genu varum) stage, the growing child goes through
a knock-kneed (genu valgum) stage between the ages of two to seven, reaching
maximum at age four. This stage is usually more noticeable in girls due to
differences in the pelvis affecting the angulation of the legs. This stage
may also be prolonged in the early walker who also had an extended bowlegged
stage.
Q. What can you do about pigeon toes?
A. Pigeon toe, or an in toeing gait, is usually associated with knock-knees.
Assessment by a Podiatrist is necessary. A softer shoe is advised since it
reduces the deformity. We all know that we tend to go pigeon toed in a rigid
shoe, eg, a boot. Orthotics may also be required.
Q. How long does it take for the bones in the foot to harden?
A. Ossification generally occurs around 18 years of age but can extend into
the early twenties. The bones of the foot ossify earlier than the bones of
the leg. Females tend to ossify a few years sooner.
Q. What shoes are best?
A. The child's foot is not a scaled down adult foot, it is triangular in shape
with a broad forefoot and a narrower heel. Be sure when buying shoes to have
a proper fitting.
Important points;