Have you noticed that you child's feet seem to turn inward? Have you noticed other children with the same problem? This problem is called pigeon-toes,or in-toeing. It is a common condition in infants and young children.

No one is sure why children are born pigeon-toed. It may be due to the position the baby had in the mother's womb. Occasionally, there can be problems with the ankles, knees or hips that can also cause pigeon-toeing.

Pigeon-toeing is usually first noted by the parents. Occasionally, before the child starts walking, a health care provider will notice this at a well baby visit. In most cases, your provider will fully examine your child. Occasionally, the provider needs to take X-rays to look at the ankles, knees and hips.

Most cases of pigeon-toes are outgrown and require no treatment. Occasionally, a healthcare provider will recommend certain stretching exercises to be done at home. These are usually done during feedings when the infant is young and involve repetitively and gently moving the foot to a straight position. This may be enough to straighten out the foot.

If these exercises do not work, your provider may recommend surgery. This is very rare, and most providers do not recommend this until the child is at least five or six years old. Because most children will outgrow this condition, the best treatment often is time.

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