Children’s feet
The most common reasons we see children in the office are:
- Any lesion on the sole of the foot could be a plantar wart if painful or not. Many times these have been misdiagnosed as splinters. Treatments vary from the very conservative use of topical medications to the use of local anaesthetic to surgically remove the wart.
- Children’s skin is very soft and therefore they are more subject to the nail growing into the skin and thus causing an inflammation and ultimately an infection with discharge. Many times children are afraid to tell their parents about this problem until it becomes painful to the touch. At times this can be treated with soaks and topical antibiotics or the ingrown portion can be treated by local anaesthetic to remove the small-ingrown sliver of nail. If this is a recurrent problem this sliver can be removed permanently.
- Children should not complain of pain in their feet when they walk any distance or run. If they do, this problem can be helped by home exercises and/or inserts (orthotic devices) for their shoes.
- Leg pains at night are generally not growth pains but are an indication that their foot and leg muscles are not functioning properly and home exercises and inserts also can help this.
- The foot is our foundation and like the foundation of a house if it is not functioning properly structural problems will occur i.e. low back pain.
- Flat feet ’ many times I see patients in our office because the parents have noticed they have flat feet the children may not even complain of pain. It is always advisable to see a podiatrist for a consultation to see if treatment is necessary. A family history of foot complaints in parents and grandparents can be a good indication if help is needed.
- Many times we see children because parents have noticed that their gait pattern is toeing in our out. Toeing in children often trip over themselves and of course this is more concerning. These children are often treated by, home exercises, night braces, shoe adjustments and inserts depending on the severity.
- Peeling, redness or cracking of the skin in children is most common and can be an indication of athlete’s foot or an eczema condition and can be treated by topical medications.
- Itching feet can also be caused by the above conditions.
- Bone protrusion no matter what side of the foot should be explored even it they have no pain. I have seen large bunions on 9-year-old children.
We have specialized in children’s foot care for the past 25 years. Our staff knows how to treat children with gentility and care and for this reason we receive many referrals from pediatricians.
To set up an appointment, call 416-485-4421.