21 mo old walking pigeon-toed after 3 mo of walking

[lkmiscnet]

Our DS is walking pigeon-toed. At his ped appt several months ago (before he started walking), his ped mentioned to switch his shoes around so the left is on the right and vice versa for maybe a month if he ended up pigeon-toed.

He must have given her some indication that he might be pigeon-toed. Perhaps how he was standing in her office or cruising...

However, I'm not sure if that advice applies now that he is fully walking. It wouldn't seem like it would be very comfortable for DS to wear his shoes on opposite feet.

I left a message for his ped last week, but haven't heard back and am anxious to know.

I'm not sure if this is something he will outgrow or when I should, indeed, become concerned. Anyone else have this experience?

[Peony]

The vast majority of children will "outgrow" it being it will gradually correct its self. Most of the time nothing needs to be done. It is is severe then it would of been evident before this. Pigeon toed is called in-toeing and is actually fairly common. My 21 month old out-toes which is rarer, and it really affects his balance and ability to do things. I am just guessing by all the incorrect things I have been told by various docs that the opposite shoe thing is old medical advice. That does not sound like something a PT would suggest for proper balance development, etc...! I've gotten the best advice on what to do with my DS from EI therapists but he qualifies for other issues, even the ortho docs we have seen were not helpful or gave us advice that was actually harming him in another area. I'd probably just watch him for a while since it something that often improves with no assistance. 

[emm09]

DD is slightly pigeon toed and it's beginning to correct itself.  She's 22 months old and has been walking since she was a year old.

My nephew was severely pigeon toed and my SIL did the shoes on the opposite foot trick on him. He was able to walk just fine and it wasn't uncomfortable for him at all.  It did seem to help a bit but he was still pretty pigeon toed for several years.

[lifeguard]

I am still quite pigeon toed. My mother brought me to all sorts of specialists as a child to correct it & ultimately it wasn't correctable for me.

I would certainly try the switched shoe thing. Yes, it was uncomfortable for me but I was also a bit older. Judging by how ds can put his shoes on the wrong feet & walk around without complaint I'm thinking for the younger ones it's not as much of a concern.