Children’s Feet

As children grow and develop, you may notice multiple changes in their feet. It is essential to know that children’s feet are different from adult feet. As children regularly go through rapid growth phases you may notice a vast range of complaints from you child.

Common foot complaints in children include:

• Flat feet

• Deformity e.g Club foot

• In-toeing

• Knocked-knees (Genu valgum)

• Increased falling or tripping

• Pain when walking or running

• Growth pains (commonly in knees, heels, and muscular)

At certain ages, changes such as flat fleet and knocked knees occur and often are completely normal at certain milestones; however, some of these changes may be problematic at other ages.

A podiatrist must assess your child to determine if intervention is necessary depending on their developmental stage. Generally a child will be assessed on several different areas to determine if these changes are part of their growth or a structural issue that will follow them into adulthood.

It is also vital to ensure that your child is wearing appropriate footwear and our podiatrists will be happy to give you guidance on which shoes are best for your child.