It is critical to understand a few things when it comes to your children’s feet. Don’t purchase new school sneakers until it is close to the start of the new school term. The reason is simple; kids tend to have growth spurts over the July/ August holidays. You don’t want to be in a position where the new sneakers are too tight. Getting your children’s feet checked by an orthopaedic surgeon or podiatrist during the holidays, if they complained previously about pains or discomfort, is a good idea. Getting their feet measured is also important, to know their correct shoe size.

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 minimise 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, paediatrician, orthopaedics and other medical specialists, helps to resolve these related problems.

The human foot is one of the most complicated parts of the body; it 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 deformities.

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 varies.

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, and to develop its musculature and strength, as well as the grasping action of toes. Of course, when walking outside or on rough surfaces, babies’ 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, due to 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.

Sports Activities

Children participate in team and individual sports, many of them outside of school, 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. If sports-related foot and ankle injuries occur, they should be checked immediately. Sometimes children require physiotherapy or conditioning training.

Foot Tips

• 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’ve 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.
• Walking patterns should be carefully observed. Does the child toe in or out, have knock knees, or other gait abnormalities? These problems can be corrected if they are detected early.
• Going barefoot is a healthy activity for younger children under the right conditions. However, walking barefoot exposes children’s feet to the dangers of infection through accidental cuts,  to severe contusions, sprains or fractures. Another potential problem is plantar warts. It’s a condition caused by a virus, which invades the sole of the foot through cuts and breaks in the skin, and tend to be painful sometimes. They require treatment and can keep children from sports and other activities.
• Be careful about applying home remedies to children’s feet.
• Whenever you have questions about your child’s foot health, contact a podiatrist or orthopaedic surgeon.

Shopping for Footwear

There are specific features that quality shoes provide, while improper footwear can aggravate existing conditions. Be watchful for signs of irritation, redness and or blistering, that may be caused from shoes that are too big or small. Examine the heels of the shoe for asymmetry. Uneven wear could be a sign of something more complicated.

When buying shoes, consider these guidelines:

• Take your child shoe shopping and involve them in their foot health.
• Shop for shoes later in the day as feet can swell.
• Shoes should feel comfortable immediately. There is no need to “break them in”.
• Buy shoes for the longer foot; feet are seldom the exact same size, so have the feet measured when standing.
• Try them on with the same sock that will be used with them.
• Get fitted by someone that is knowledgeable and trained.

Your podiatrist has been trained specifically and extensively in the diagnosis and treatment of all manners of foot conditions. This training encompasses the intricately related systems and structures of the foot and lower leg, including neurological, circulatory, skin, and the musculoskeletal system, which includes bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves.

Your feet mirror your general health . . . cherish them!