PAEDIATRIC (CHILD) FOOT CARE

Children are rapidly growing from early development onwards. Children are growing so fast that not all bones are formed at birth. Bone maturity does not occur until approximately 13 - 15 years of age. The walking gait is constantly developing, and we do not reach a heel-to-toe gait pattern (considered normal) until approximately the age of 3.  The younger population is more prone to plantar warts, ingrown toenails, foot trauma and biomechanical faults as they grow into maturity.

TREATMENT

As problems arise, we encourage you to bring in your child. Treatment can be offered at the Royal City Foot Clinic right away. We will start with a comprehensive gait and biomechanical analysis and if deemed necessary, a treatment plan will be put into place. Children's feet are still growing and therefore, the foot may not need treatment at all as the issue can sometimes solve itself as it develops naturally. We suggest seeing a Chiropodists yearly to ensure proper foot progression is happening through these early years. 

WITHOUT TREATMENT

Without treatment, some conditions can become problematic. For kids, feet are considered fat, flat and floppy until the age of 3. However, afterwards overly flat feet or feet that in-toe/out-toe may need corrective action. Without it - the child may experience gait problems for the rest of their life. 

Warts which go untreated may develop further and ingrown toe nails can become infected or reoccur. If surgery is required for reoccurring ingrown toe nails - it's worth it to mention that performing required surgery on a young healthy patient is easier and the patient will recover quicker than a patient who is older and frail.