Your Children’s Feet

You worry about your children’s teeth, eyes, and other parts of the body.  You teach 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 throughout a lifetime?

Many adult foot ailments, like other bodily ills, have their origins in childhood and are present at birth.  Periodic professional evaluation 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 knees, hips, 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.

Children rarely complain of pain in their feet or legs.  When they do, most people believe them to be “growing pains”.  However, the achiness or tiredness may be the result of severe tendonitis due to joints being out of position or misaligned.

Kids with flat feet tend to become sedentary and cannot walk or play sports for long periods of time due to over working muscles and excessive pressure on hips, knees, ankles and foot joints.

Kids with high arches tend to experience more ankle, knee, hip and lower back pain because they cannot tolerate the shock which occurs when they walk or run.  Proper evaluation of a child by a Chiropodist can prevent future disabilities in life.

Shoes for Children

Good shoes are especially important to avoid problems in developing feet.

Some tips:

Check shoe fitting often to be sure shoes aren’t too small.  Children’s feet are so flexible, they can be crammed into shoes sizes too small and the child may not complain.

Try to avoid children wearing hand-me-downs shoes.  They are permanently molded to the original owners’ foot.  You can check the sizing of a shoe by tracing around your child’s bare foot while standing.  Compare the outline of the foot with the sole of the shoe.  If the shoe appears too narrow, you may be inviting foot problems.

Advice for Parents

Problems noticed at birth will not disappear by themselves.  You should not wait until the child begins walking to take care of a problem you noticed earlier.  Remember that lack of complaint is not a good sign.  The bones of growing feet are so flexible that they can be twisted and distorted without the child being aware of it.

Going barefoot is a healthy activity for children under the right walking conditions.  However, walking on bare-foot on dirty pavements exposes children’s feet to the dangers of infection through possible accidental cuts and sprains or fractures.

Another potential problem is plantar warts, a condition caused by a virus which invades the sole of the foot through cuts and breaks in the skin.  They require ongoing treatment and can keep children from being active.

Be careful about applying home remedies to children’s feet.

Preparations strong enough to kill certain types of fungus can harm the skin. Contact your Chiropodist for a consultation at (905) 632-1414 whenever you have questions about your child’s foot health.

FOOT HEALTH QUIZ FOR YOUR CHILDS' FEET

Check the statements below as they apply to your child.

Does your child stand or walk on hard surfaces for more than 4 hours daily?

Does he/she participate regularly in any physical sport? (basketball, tennis, soccer, etc.)

Is your child between the ages of 5-12?

Has he/she had a prior injury to his/her knee, back or neck?

Do the bottom of his/her shoes wear evenly?

Does he/she complain of joint pain while standing, walking or running?

Is one of his/her legs shorter than the other?

Does he/she have knock knees or bow legs?

Does he/she have obvious foot problems? (bunions, corns, flat feet, etc.)

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, it's worth your while to have your child's feet examined.  Call 905-632-1414 to book a consultation with Salima Kassam, DCh.