ds2 is very-nearly-1yo and cruising happily. BUT his feet turn out a lot -- should i get him checked out?

[Tutter]

they're somewhere between quarter to three, and ten to two, iykwim

it was MIL that pointed it out to me - she thinks it's unusual

do you think they will straighten with practice, or could there be a problem?

[louii]

When Ds first started to walk his feet were turned out a lot, easier to balance and find centre of gravity with a wider base i think.

Think its pretty common.

[Tutter]

ah, thanks

she also though his eyes were crossed as a newborn

mils sent to try us, no?

[louii]

Poor child, crossed eyes and walking like a duck.

Indeed Mil's who'd have them

[Tutter]

lol louii - yes, he's a beaut

the crossed-eyes thing is apparently because the bridge of the nose is wide in infants - as it narrows eyes look more 'normal' (although i'd never noticed a problem with them anyway)

[namechangecosfeelingsad]

Tutter - your permission to hijack with a related walking question please?

[Tutter]

go for it, hopeyourenotsosadnow

[namechangecosfeelingsad]

Merci beaucoup! (Really should change my name back now, I'm not sad anymore).

My 18mo DS has a really wobbly gait when he walks - people have commented on it and described it as a stagger, John-Wayne walk etc.

He's been walking well since 13m, is really active and does not appear to be in any pain whatsoever, but do you think there might be any cause for concern? Or just a balance thing like Tutter's DS?

[namechangecosfeelingsad]

He did roll (rolled off a changing table at 14w - hope that's not related!!) and crawled at 8m, at great speed.

I hadn't ever really worried but after a couple of comments in a week in made me wonder if there might be anything. I'll try to explain it better - he walks with his legs quite far apart and sort of plonks them down side by side so that he is tottering, rather than striding with his feet going out in front of him - does that make sense?

[Blandmum]

dh's feet used to do this, as an adult, if he wasn't concentrating.

didn't stop him learning to be a fighter pilot tho!

[AnotherFineMess]

Thanks Fio. (Changed name back!). I think I'll just keep an eye on him and mention it at next HV check (makes note to self - must arrange one of these before he leaves home).

He seems stronger and more coordinated in general than DD1 did at his age, so I haven't got any major concerns.

[Elibean]

dd is 20 months, and walked at 18 months - her right foot turns out, and she drags it slightly when she walks. She's now been referred to the paeds ortho surgeon at our local hospital, and for a hip scan (just in case, they think its most likely hypermobile ankle joints in which case an insole is probable solution).

I asked the HV about it earlier, when both her feet turned out - the R one more, but both - and she said exactly same as Fio. Essentially, if they are walking steadily and still have any unusual position, then they need to be checked - any earlier, and they'll just say come back later.

Actually, a friend's dd is a few months further down the line than ours, with identical problem, and she is just being watched by physios still - apparently they often don't treat until school age.