A child’s foot is constantly undergoing rapid development and change until they become an adult. During this time, children could have growing pains, heel pain, in-toeing gait or may seem like they have flat feet.
At Every Step Podiatry, we assess foot function, muscle length, joint range of motion, footwear and any other abnormalities that may be presented.
Make an appointment with Every Step Podiatry for a biomechanical assessment if you notice your child:
- Frequent trips and falls
- Complaints of pain at the heels and/or legs which may increase with activity
- Uneven shoe wear
- Skin rashes or hard skin, lumps or bumps on your child’s feet
- Walking on tip toes and/or unsymmetrical walk
- Or any other concerns about your child’s feet
Growing Pain
A child’s foot grows in length and changes in shape with growth. Arch development is an individual thing, if your child has pain or has a flat foot a podiatrist can assist.
Due to rapid growth in length and width while young, frequent changes in the size of shoes and socks may be necessary. Do a size check at least every one to three months up to the age of three, every four months up to the age of five and every six months from five years.
Heel Pain
Heel pain may also occur in growing children, usually between the ages of 8 to 14, and may be worse after supporting activities. If your child is experiencing pain at the back of the heel that has limited their activity or causes them to limp, a podiatrist can help. At Every Step Podiatry, our experienced podiatrists will be able to determine whether or not the heel pain is related to the developmental process and give advice about ways to alleviate symptoms.
Skins and Nails
Problems with the skin and nails on your child’s feet may occur from time to time. Conditions like:
- ingrown toenails
- Athlete’s foot
- warts
require treatment from a podiatrist. Children tend to be more susceptible to warts than adults. A plantar wart is often on the sole of the foot that appears to be hard and flat, with a rough surface and well-defined boundaries. Our podiatrist can assist with treatment.
Walking
Children usually begin to walk anytime between 10 and 20 months of age. It is important to remember that each child is unique and moves through the developmental stages at their own pace.
When your child first begins to walk, shoes only be used when protection is needed from the ground. Allowing children to go barefoot or to wear very soft shoes helps the foot to typically develop and assist in strengthening muscles. At Every Stage Podiatry we offer a range of Gemkobaby pre-walker shoes.
Sometimes children walk with their feet pointed inwards (in-toeing) or outwards (out- toeing). In most cases, these variations in walking are normal and children will grow out of these walking styles by the age of two. If this walking is only on one foot or leg, your child is tripping more than their friends, podiatrist may be able to assist. Children under the age of three may sometimes walk on their tip toes and this is a typical developmental stage. Any child over the age of three and still walking on their tip toes (toe walking) should be assessed by a podiatrist.
Footwear
- Always have both feet measured for length and width.
- The shoe should fit the natural shape of the foot, especially around the toes.
- The toe of the shoe should allow the toes to move freely and not be squashed from the top or sides.
- Shoes should fit comfortably around the heel and not be too loose or tight.
Every Step Podiatry - Sydney Podiatrist 