Zeehan S. Husain, DPM
Charles G. Kissel, DPM
Michael S. Schey, DPM
Angela
Stoutenburg, DPM
Board
certified by the
American Board of
Podiatric Surgery.
Pediatric Feet
You worry about your
children's teeth, eyes, and other parts of the body.
You teach washing, brushing, and grooming, but what do you do about
your child's feet— those still-developing feet which have to carry the
entire weight of the body through a lifetime?
Many adult foot ailments, like other bodily ills, have their
origins in childhood and are present at birth.
Periodic professional attention and regular foot care can minimize
these problems in later life.
Neglecting foot health invites
problems in other parts of the body, such as the legs and back.
There can also be undesirable personality effects.
The youngster with troublesome feet walks awkwardly and usually has
poor general posture. As a
result, the growing child may become shy, introverted, and avoid athletics
and social functions. Consultation
between the podiatrist, pediatrician, and other medical specialists helps
to resolve these related problems before they cause long-term issues.
Your Baby's Feet
The human foot, one of the
most complicated parts of the body, has 26 bones and is laced with
ligaments, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves.
Because the feet of young children are soft and pliable, abnormal
pressure can easily cause permanent deformities in the feet as well as in
the knees, hips, and low back.
A child's feet grow rapidly
during the first year, reaching almost half their adult foot size.
This is why foot specialists consider the first year to be the most
important in the development of the feet.
Here are some suggestions to
help you assure that this development proceeds normally:
 | Look carefully at your
baby’s feet. If you
notice something that does not look normal to you, seek professional
advice immediately. Deformities
do not always correct themselves |
| Cover your baby’s feet
loosely. Tight covers
restrict movement and can retard normal development. |
| Provide an opportunity for
exercising the feet. Lying
uncovered enables the baby to kick and perform other related motions
which prepare the feet for weightbearing. |
| Change the baby’s
position several times a day. Lying
too long in one spot, especially on the stomach, can put excessive
strain on the legs and feet. |
Starting to Walk
It is unwise to force a child
to walk. When physically and
emotionally ready, the child will walk.
Comparisons with other children are misleading, since the age for
independent walking ranges from 10 to 18 months.
When the child first begins to
walk, shoes are not necessary indoors.
Allowing the youngster to go barefoot or to wear just socks helps
the foot to grow normally unrestricted and to develop its musculature and
strength, as well as the grasping action of toes.
Of course, when walking outside or on rough surfaces, your baby's
feet should be protected in lightweight, flexible footwear made of natural
materials.
Growing Up
As a child's feet continue to
develop, it may be necessary to change shoe and sock size every few months
to allow room for the feet to grow. Although
foot problems result mainly from injury, deformity, illness, or hereditary
factors, improper footwear can aggravate pre-existing conditions.
Shoes or other footwear should never be handed down.
The feet of young children are
often unstable because of muscle problems which make walking difficult or
uncomfortable. A thorough
examination by a podiatrist may detect an underlying defect or condition
which may require immediate treatment or consultation with another
specialist.
The American Podiatric Medical
Association has long known of the high incidence of foot defects in the
pediatric population and recommends foot health examinations for school
children on a regular basis.
Sports Activities
Millions of children in the
United States participate in team and individual sports. Many participate outside the school system where advice on
conditioning and equipment is not always available. Parents should be concerned about children's involvement in
sports that require a substantial amount of running and turning or involve
contact. Protective taping of
the ankles is often necessary to prevent sprains or fractures.
Parents should consider discussing these matters with their family
podiatrist if they have children participating in active sports.
Sports-related foot and ankle injuries are on the rise as more
children actively participate in sports.
Advice for Parents
Problems noticed at birth may
not disappear by themselves. You
should not wait until the child begins walking to take care of a problem
you have noticed earlier.
Remember, that lack of
complaint by a youngster is not a reliable sign.
The bones of growing feet are so flexible that they can be twisted
and distorted without the child being aware of it.
According to podiatrists,
walking is the best of all foot exercises.
They also recommend that walking patterns be carefully observed.
Does the child have toes pointing inward or outward, have
knock-knees or bow-legs, or other gait abnormalities?
These problems can be addressed if they are detected early.
Going barefoot is a healthy
activity for children under the right conditions. However, walking barefoot on dirty pavements exposes
children's feet to the dangers of infection through accidental cuts and to
severe contusions, sprains, or fractures.
Another potential problem is plantar warts [LINK],
a condition caused by a virus which invades the sole of the foot through
cuts and breaks in the skin. They
require treatment and can keep children from school and other activities.
Be careful about applying home
remedies to children's feet. Preparations
strong enough to kill certain types of fungus can harm the skin.
Whenever you have questions
about your child's foot health, contact a podiatrist in your community.
