Does Your Child Need to See a Podiatrist?

• The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
• We all have a finite amount of time on this earth (so make every moment count!).
• The Packers are one million times better with a healthy Rodgers playing under center. (That was painful to write.)

Another indisputable fact—there isn’t anything parents wouldn’t do for their children.

Parents want their children to be happy, healthy, and have every opportunity they can for success—however that may be defined—in this life.

Naturally, part of ensuring your child’s health is knowing when to take him or her to see the doctor. In this context, it’s easy to think about pediatricians or family practitioners, but it would be a mistake to overlook the importance of knowing if your child needs to see a podiatrist.

Why is this important? Well, because a child’s foot health is the gateway to a world of opportunity. Feet allow us all to stand, walk, run, and jump—all of which are part of a healthy, normal childhood.

Sports and other physical activity can be an instrumental part of child development. Sure, there are times when too much importance is placed on athletic endeavors, but organized sports help establish healthy lifestyle habits, encourage social development, and ingrain values like hard work, discipline, and contributing to a team.

For a child to derive the tremendous benefits from sports, he or she needs to have healthy feet. And this is where podiatrists come into play.

But how do you know if your child needs to come in for an office visit? Well, there are several signs, including:

• Your child tells you he or she is in pain. This one is pretty obvious, but it can also be pretty rare. Children are naturally predisposed to want parental approval. Some kids, then, believe telling parents about foot or ankle pain will disappoint them.
• Your child withdraws from favorite activities. This is more likely to clue you in to child foot pain than having your son or daughter say something.
• Something appears out of the ordinary. If your child has flat feet, walks with his or her toes pointed inward, has the early signs of a bunion—yes, they can happen to children—or anything else that looks amiss, bring your child in to have the situation assessed and treated.

Of course, as a general rule of thumb, it’s simply best practice to schedule an office visit if you feel treatment is needed or are unsure his or her foot development is normal. We will be happy to take a look and then determine what is happening, and if anything needs to be done about it.

For more information about child foot care—or to request an appointment—contact Wisconsin Foot Center today by calling (414) 425-8400.