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5 Signs Your Child has a Medical Foot Problem
The ability to run freely is a hallmark of childhood. As a parent, you want to ensure your child can enjoy their early years, exploring and taking it all in. While you might not immediately think of it, that means protecting their growing feet.
Samantha Childers, DPM, Ricky Childers, DPM, and our team at North Central Texas Foot & Ankle can help you do precisely that. If you notice anything off with your child’s feet, don’t hesitate to visit our offices in Decatur and Roanoke, Texas. We offer specialized care for children’s feet to help keep kids mobile in their formative years.
How do you know it’s time to pay us a visit? Here are five warning signs to watch for:
#1: Trouble keeping up
Watch your son or daughter as they play with their peers. If they seem to be tiring faster than other kids their age, it might not be a stamina issue. It could be a sign of flat feet, which makes the muscles in their legs and feet work harder.
If your child’s arches aren’t developing like they should, we can help to develop a treatment program for them. Doing certain exercises and adding arch supports to their shoes may be all they need to keep up with their friends.
#2: Heel pain
Heel pain is fairly common in children, especially as they go through growth spurts. Sever’s disease (calcaneal apophysitis) causes this heel pain in many kids and teens, especially those between the ages of 8 and 14. This condition causes heel pain as a result of repeated stress on the growth plate in your child’s heel as it develops. Fortunately, many cases of Sever’s disease can be treated with shoe inserts and physical therapy.
#3: Irritation around their toenails
Periodically, check your child’s feet. If you see any redness or swelling around the edges of any of their toenails, it could be a sign of an ingrown nail. Fortunately, ingrown toenails can be easily treated when they’re caught early.
#4: Clumsiness
If your son or daughter seems particularly accident-prone, their klutziness might stem from a problem with their feet. If you notice that they seem to trip and fall more frequently than normal, visit our team so we can evaluate their feet.
#5: Withdrawal from their favorite activities
Sudden loss of interest in things they used to love is a red flag for any parent, but there could be a simple reason behind it. Your child might be opting out of sports or games because running around makes their feet hurt.
If you notice your daughter or son pulling back from things they used to enjoy, ask them why. If they say it’s because of foot discomfort, visit us so we can diagnose and treat the issue — and get them back to doing what they love.
For help addressing any of these warning signs and specialized care for your child’s feet, call or message one of our offices today to schedule an appointment.
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