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I'm worried about DS's ankle / leg development

3 replies

bigredtractor · 01/03/2012 20:33

Hi, our DS is 17 months old but isn't walking. He pulls himself to standing and cruises around the furniture, but will only walk for short distances - if we hold his hands. He takes weight on his legs fine.

I've noticed that his left foot points forward and he bends his left knee when he takes steps. His right foot points outwards at a 45 degree angle, he walks on the outside edge of that one foot and his right leg stays straight / stiff when he takes steps. He also constantly taps or wiggles his left foot, but never his right.

He was a late crawler (11m) and (comparatively) late stander so we haven't bought him any shoes yet - we had read not to, until he was walking indepndently for a few weeks.

While he was sitting on my knee before bed I felt his left foot then his right and the right one feels much harder over the bridge - as though there's a solid lump of bone / gristle.

Soooo... in a long-winded way, what I'm asking is, does this sound like normal foot / ankle development for a baby close to walking? Did your babies' feet point inwards or outwards at first? I'm tempted to take him to see the GP or to the baby clinic for a quick check that the bones are developing normally, but wanted to canvas a bit of opinion first. We haven't seen the HV / nurse since his last jabs, over 5 months ago, so there hasn't been an opprtunity for anyone to look at him.

WWYD?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
LadySybilDeChocolate · 01/03/2012 20:35

You need to take him to the GP and ask for an orthopedic referal. It could be something, it could be nothing. You need to let them have a look and decide though.

survivingwinter · 02/03/2012 20:40

It could be fine or it could need treatment or physio - in which case the sooner the better, so I would as pp suggested take him to the HV or GP to check it out.

bigredtractor · 02/03/2012 20:57

Yes, I will do, I think. Had both feet been the same I'd be less concerned but his left foot has straightened up while his right one hasn't

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