Bowed Legs And Blount's Disease

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GENERAL INFORMATION

DESCRIPTION
A child has bowed legs when the ankles touch and the knees do not touch. Bowed legs are part of a baby's normal growth and development and become easily observable at about age 2-1/2 months. The legs may remain normally bowed in appearance for several years. If a child remains bowlegged there may be an underlying disorder of bone malformation or an underlying bone disease sometimes called Blount's disease. Blount's disease occurs more frequently between ages 1 and 3 but may occur as late as 9 years through adolescence. Girls are more likely to be bowlegged than boys.

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Appropriate health care includes:

• Doctor's diagnosis and treatment, possibly with night braces.
• Surgery to provide relief of symptoms, if simple measures don't correct the problem

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

• Curving or bowing of the child's legs just below the knee.
• Walking with the affected knee flexed, causing more bowing.

CAUSES

Blount's disease:

• Abnormal growth center at the upper part of the child's tibia (shin bone).
• Rickets (vitamin D deficiency).
• Bone malformations present at birth.

RISK FACTORS

• Walking earlier than average.
• Obesity.
• Short stature.

PREVENTING COMPLICATIONS OR RECURRENCE

• If the cause is rickets, give the child 400 units of vitamin D daily.
• Other causes: No preventive measures known.

BASIC INFORMATION

MEDICAL TESTS

• X-rays of the child's knees and legs to look for underlying bone deformities.
• Blood tests to rule out metabolic bone diseases.

POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS

• Severe knee-joint complications.

PROBABLE OUTCOME

• Normal bowed legs usually correct themselves by age 4 or 5 years but may persist until 8 years.
• Bowed legs caused by abnormalities can be corrected only by treating the underlying disease.

TREATMENT

HOME CARE

When indicated, your physician may recommend night braces to pull the legs slowly into a straighter position. If simple measures don't correct the problem, surgery will usually provide relief of symptoms.

MEDICATION

• Medication usually is not necessary for this disorder.

ACTIVITY

• Maintain normal activity for your child's age and size.

DIET & FLUIDS

No restrictions.

OK TO GO TO SCHOOL?

Yes.

CALL YOUR DOCTOR IF

Your child's legs seem unusually bowed, getting worse or persisting beyond age 3.

From the Complete Guide to Pediatric Symptoms, Illness & Medications by H. Winter Griffith, M.D. © 1989 The Putnam Berkley Group, Inc.; electronic rights by Medical Data Exchange.