Back To School Tips: Don’t Neglect Your Child’s Foot Health

The development of your child’s foot is vitally important to ensure that they can enjoy a healthy, active, happy adult life. And proper footwear is an important part of a child’s foot health. So today, Dr. Hubert Lee of CarePlus Foot & Ankle Specialists is sharing information you need to know about your child’s feet.

Painful feet and legs are common among adolescents and children, but it is in no way normal.

Any type of foot pain should be examined if:

• Symptoms last for 48 hours or more;
• Your child is tripping or falling;
• There are any visible differences between your child’s legs and feet;
• Your child withdraws from activities.

Some of the most common areas of concern for parents include:

• In-toeing or out-toeing;
• Flat feet;
• Bowed legs;
• Ingrown toenails;
• Plantar warts;
• Delayed crawling or walking;
• Skin rashes.

The start of the new school year typically means that you’ll be taking your child to shop for new school shoes. There are certain benefits that quality shoes provide, while improper footwear can exacerbate existing ailments.

Watch for signs of redness, blistering, and/or irritation that may be caused by shoes that are too small or big. Closely examine the heels of your child’s shoes for unevenness as this could be an indication of something more serious.

Here are some tips for getting properly fitted shoes for your child.

• Because feet can swell, shop for shoes later in the day.
• Take your child with you while shoe shopping;
• Involve them in their foot health.
• Shoes should feel comfortable right away, not after being broken in.
• Choose shoes for the foot that is the longest since they are seldom the same size.
• Try on the shoes with the same socks that they will be wearing with them.
• Get fitted by someone trained and knowledgeable.

It’s important that you have your child’s feet assessed by a podiatrist each year, beginning around the age of three. Your podiatrist can educate parents regarding proper footwear and normal development of your child’s feet and provide management options if treatment is required.

Before you go shopping for new school shoes, contact the office of Dr. Hubert Lee at CarePlus Foot & Ankle Specialists at (425) 455-0936 to book your child’s annual foot checkup or schedule it online.