Children’s Foot Doctor

Foot Doctor for the Entire Family

Here at Houston Foot Specialists, we take great pride in providing effective foot and ankle care for patients of all ages in our community. This is especially true when it comes to the care and treatment we provide for your children. There are several common childrens foot problems we see on a frequent basis, but you will likely be relieved to know that they are often successfully resolved without the need for surgical intervention.

Common Childrens Foot Problems

Our Houston podiatrist office will provide first-class care for any lower limb issue affecting your child, but some do tend to be more common than others. These include:

  • Gait Abnormalities When a child first starts walking, parents may be concerned when they notice either in- or out-toeing. Intoeing tends to be more common and can be caused by either unusually-curved feet (metatarsus adductus), a twisted lower leg bone (tibial torsion), or a twisted upper leg bone (femoral anteversion). The good news is that these will often resolve themselves in timeand without long-term issuesbut it is still a good idea to have us take a look and make sure there is not a bigger problem.
  • Heel Pain This is a problem many individuals face, but when it comes to children and adolescents, the most common source is a condition called Severs disease. Now, theres no need to worry this isnt actually a disease. Instead, Severs is a condition that develops when the heel bone reaches physical maturity faster than the Achilles tendon does. This causes a pulling on the back of the heel bone, which is especially painful for your growing child either during or immediately following physical activity. Treatment is centered on managing the pain, as the condition goes away once the Achilles tendon finishes its growth process.
  • Ingrown Toenails Children can be particularly susceptible to ingrown toenails on account of their growing feet. Because their feet grow so rapidly, shoes can become tight pretty quickly. When shoes are tight, toes are crowded in the front, which presents the opportunity and likelihood that nails will start to grow into the soft flesh flanking them. Another source of ingrown nails, though, stems from trimming practices. If you clip your childs nails too short, or rounded, it increases the risk of them becoming ingrown.
  • Plantar Warts For various reasons, kids have an increased risk of developing plantar warts. These warts grow on the bottom of feet, are transmitted by the common human papillomavirus (HPV), and are contagious. Now, they are generally harmless and will go away in time, but warts are embarrassing, can cause discomfort when on the sole of the foot, and may take up to a couple of years to disappear. We provide safe, easy wart removal services for you and your family.
  • Sports Injuries Children tend to be, and should be, quite active. This is great for physical development and conditioning, but there is always a certain degree of injury risk. With regards to sports injuries, these can include ankle sprains, turf toe, and broken bones. Fortunately, our treatment plans for injuries like these typically consist of conservative methods and we are able to avoid the need for surgery.
  • Juvenile Bunions Bunions are commonly associated with womens footwear, but the truth of the matter is that they are often the result of an inherited foot condition. This means that children can develop bunions, just like adults. It is important to start treating a juvenile bunion at the earliest opportunity, since an untreated bunion will progressively worsen. Surgery is the only way to completely correct a bunion, but we do not perform bunion surgery until the patient is older and bones are no longer growing.

Complete Childrens Foot Care

There are measures you can take to aid in your childs foot care. Make sure your child has activity- appropriate footwear that fits correctly. Get your son or daughter in the habit of a regular stretching program for his or her lower limbs. Always clip your childs toenails straight across and keep them roughly even with the edge of the toes.

For more information on childrens foot care, or to request an appointment for your son or daughter, simply give Houston Foot Specialists a call at (713) 467-8886. You can also use our online request form to schedule an appointment with our Houston, TX podiatrist office right now.