If children are having problems with their feet, whether they’re 2 years old or 12, they deserve the care of an expert who will know how to treat the issue and get them on the right track for healthy feet. The following are a few pediatric foot problems and how they should be addressed:
Pediatric Foot Conditions
- Clubfoot: When a child is born with clubfoot, parents often feel anxious and concerned. Fortunately, most cases of clubfoot can be successfully corrected with a gentle casting technique, followed by the wearing of a special brace at certain times of the day or night. The vast majority of cases are successfully treated with these methods; very few require surgery.
- Flatfoot: If your child’s arch does not develop in his feet as he grows, he may experience pain. This condition should be regularly checked by a pediatric foot specialist, and persistent cases may need arch support, casting, or therapy.
- In-toeing or pigeon toes: This condition typically corrects itself by the time a child turns eight, and does not typically cause serious issues. Surgery is needed only in rare cases.
- Additional toes and/or webbing between the toes: A variety of deformities can occur on the foot while the child is developing in utero. These include more than five toes on a foot (polydactyly), more than five toes with webbing between the toes (polysyndactyly), and webbing of two or more toes (syndactyly). Most cases of extra toes and/or webbing are successfully corrected with surgery by a qualified pediatric foot and ankle specialist.
- Vertical talus: When the talus bone at the ankle is incorrectly positioned, it causes the foot to point upward. Treatment for this condition includes stretching, casting, and usually surgery.
- Brachymetatarsia: This rare condition usually causes a malformed fourth toe, although it may affect any of the toes. A variety of surgical techniques can be used to correct this condition when it causes pain or problems with walking.
- Calcaneal apophysitis or Sever’s disease: Older children may suffer from this painful condition, caused by overuse of the foot. Conservative measures such as medication, rest, physical therapy, and casting will typically alleviate pain.
Interested In Learning More About Pediatric Foot Conditions? Contact Southern California Foot And Ankle Specialists
Drs. Rodriguez and Spencer specialize in conditions of the foot and ankle. For more information contact our Orange County office to schedule an appointment. We can be reached at 949-364-WALK. We look forward to treating you.