Your child’s feet health is very crucial, and you should take great care from birth. Your child may develop some foot complications in the womb or as they grow, and if not treated, they will affect the way your child runs, walks, their posture, and they may develop chronic pain. The good news is that a Scottsdale pediatric foot care specialist can detect such complications early and offer treatment to give your child a better life.

There are different foot complications that your child may develop. Some are noticeable, while others you will require your doctor to do some examination to detect them. Therefore it is advisable to take your child for regular foot care check-ups.

Common foot complications

Flatfoot

When your child has flatfoot complications, he/she will complain of pain, be slow in walking, and not be actively involved with other children.

In-toeing

 If your child has this complication, you will realize that one or both feet point inward, your child will be sitting on knees and tripping.

Achilles tendonitis

Your child will experience pain at the back of the leg and heel, especially when put in motion. They will also have some swelling at the tendon just above the heel.

Some common pediatric foot problems

Ingrown toenails

An ingrown toenail is a situation where your child’s toenail grows into the skin encircling the toenail of the big toe. You will realize some swelling in the toenail area, tenderness, and the affected toe look reddish.

Athletes foot

Your child may contract an athlete’s foot, a contagious fungal infection affecting your child’s feet soles, between the toes, and can spread to toenails, causing fungal nail infection. Your child will develop a scaly rash accompanied by itching, burning, stinging, and it can lead to blisters.

Plantar warts

Your doctor will let you know that plantar warts are non-cancerous skin growths caused by a viral infection, and it affects your child’s heel. The mass can form in the apex layer of your child’s skin or inside of the foot.

Heel pain

Your child will experience pain at the back or bottom of either one heel or both due to inflammation caused by repetitive pressure on the growth plate in your child’s heel bone. The child will have pain because the new bone is still developing at the growth plate. Heel spurs, bursitis, or irritated nerves below the heel

Treatment options in foot care

Your doctor will recommend your child’s treatment depending on the condition.  For problems like athlete’s foot and plantar warts, your doctor will prescribe medication to kill the fungus and the virus.

If your child has ingrown toenails, your doctor may lift or cut the nail ends for quick healing. Your doctor may also recommend you soak the affected foot in warm water with antibiotic ointment to lower infection risk.

For complications like in-toeing, your doctor will recommend exercises, casting, and bracing. Flatfoot, your doctor may advise you to change the type of shoe worn, have custom foot orthotics, and if all does not work, surgery may solve the problem.

If your child is experiencing any foot problem, do not hesitate to call or book an appointment online with Phoenician Foot & Ankle Specialist.