What causes bowed legs in babies?

What causes bowed legs in babies?

Bow legs develop for a number of different reasons. The most common cause of bow legs is a condition called physiologic genu varum. When your baby was developing in the uterus (womb), they were in a cramped position. Some of your baby’s bones had to rotate while they were was in your uterus so they could fit in the small space.

Physiologic genu varum is just your child going through the normal developmental process. If your child’s legs haven’t straightened by 2 years old, there may be another reason. These include:

• Blount’s disease. Blount’s disease (tibia vara) is a growth disorder caused by an issue in the growth plate of your child’s shin bone. Blount’s disease is more common in African American children, children who are overweight and children who walked early.
• Rickets. Rickets is caused by a calcium or vitamin D deficiency. Deficiencies in these important nutrients make your child’s bones softer and weaker, causing his or her legs to bow. Rickets is very rare in the United States but still occurs often in developing countries.
• Dwarfism. The most common type of dwarfism is caused by a bone growth disorder called achondroplasia. This disorder can cause bow legs.
• Other bone issues. Fractures that haven’t healed correctly and abnormally developed bones (bone dysplasia) can cause bow legs.
• Fluoride or lead poisoning.