To put many parents at ease, only a small percentage of babies are born with any type of foot deformity. The feet will appear flat initially but the arches will gradually develop in most cases over the first 5-6 years. Children’s body proportions, shape and alignment change as they grow. At times they be “clumsy” and trip easily but this is usually temporary until muscles and ligament structures strengthen.
It is important to note that children do not develop “straight” legs until they are about seven years old. So there is no need to panic if your child is bow-legged, knock-kneed or flat-footed. Depending on their age, this is most likely just a normal stage of their development. If there is something about your child’s development that concerns you as a parent, we encourage you to bring your child in for an assessment.