Fairhope, Brewton, Atmore Phone (251) 928-6768
The human foot is a very complicated part of the body and the feet of young children are soft and pliable, so abnormal pressures can easily cause the foot to deform. The foot of a child grows rapidly during the first year, reaching almost half their adult foot size. That first year can be very important in the development of the feet.
Foot pain and symptoms in children is not common compared to adults due to the flexibility and resilience of the tissues. Ingrown toenails can occur and will probably need treatment. Non-specific growing pains in the leg* are a common complaint of children, often causing a deep ache like leg pain* during the night. There are some specific causes of growing pains, especially in the heel, called Sever's disease or calcaneal apophysitis and at the knee, where its called Osgood-schlatters disease. Clubfoot is a relatively rare deformity at birth that may still cause problems in later life after correction. Feet that sweat profusely or have a smelly odor can also be a problem in the older child.
Flexible flatfoot or a pronated foot in children is usually painless in young children, but may cause an ache, especially if the child is overweight or older. In the very young child, there is often a 'fat pad' in the arch area of the foot which gives an appearance of a flat foot, when it is not. If the foot also rolls inward at the ankle* (pronates), then this may be cause for concern. In the majority of cases, most will grow out of it, but some do not. At Southeast Podiatry, we can treat with foot orthotics if indicated its severe, causing symptoms and if both parents have flat feet, as this indicates that they may be less likely to grow out of it.
Many adult foot problems can have their origins in childhood, so attention to footwear in children can minimize the risk of these problems in adults. Poorly fitting children's shoes can cause a number of problems in adults. Given the high level of pain and discomfort that these problems can cause, it is obviously logical to attempt to prevent these problems by ensuring that the child's shoe is fitted appropriately. Foot problems in children are usually preventable by correct fitting footwear.
It may pay for a child to be seen by top podiatrist if:
If you have any of these symptoms, call us at Southeast Podiatry to make an appointment with Dr. Brent Harwood or Dr. Bradford Egly.
