In many ways, kids’ feet are very different from those of their parents. Softer bones, growing bodies, congenital deformities, and other factors mean they face very different challenges (and often require very different treatments) from adults.

There are advantages to this situation—kids generally recover quickly from injury, and some conditions may spontaneously improve without much treatment at all. However, since kids have their whole life ahead of them, it is extremely important that any foot conditions that could cause developmental issues or complications later in life are addressed immediately.

Do your child’s feet look strange or out of place? Are they experiencing any pain? Are they exhibiting strange walking gaits or behaviors? If so, make sure you bring them to the pediatric foot care experts at Foot & Ankle Specialists of Nevada.

Common Child Foot Pain Conditions

Although far from a comprehensive list, some of the most common pediatric conditions we treat include:

• Intoeing / Pigeon Toes. Your child walks with toes that appear pointed inward, and may also sit in the “reverse W” position. This condition may be caused by an inward rotation in the foot bones (metatarsus adductus), shin bones (tibial torsion), or hip bones (femoral anteversion). Some cases of intoeing may correct spontaneously without treatment, while others may require treatments such as physical therapy and orthotics.
• Flat Feet. Due to soft and flexible bones, children commonly have a flexible flat foot in which the arch “collapses” under body weight but returns in other circumstances. Most of the time, this corrects itself eventually. However, there are other congenital flat foot conditions (both flexible and rigid) that will not self-correct and will require treatments such as orthotics, stretching, physical therapy, or surgery.
• Toe Walking. An overly tight Achilles tendon or other developmental issue may cause your child to do most of their walking on tiptoes. If this continues to happen beyond age 2, your child should be evaluated. More serious treatment remedies (including physical therapy and potentially surgery) may be indicated if the problem persists until age 5 or 6.
• Heel Pain. Young adolescents, usually from about age 9 to 14, are especially susceptible to a heel pain condition known as Sever’s disease, or calcaneal apophysitis. At this age, the relatively soft growth plate of the heel bone is exposed and growing rapidly. This combined with a high level of physical activity may lead to swelling and irritation in the growth plate. Most of the time, this can be treated conservatively.
• Ingrown Toenails. In this condition, the corner or edge of a nail grows in rather than out, digging into soft flesh. This may produce pain or even an infection. Recurring ingrown toenails in kids is generally evidence of a genetic predisposition. We will remove the ingrown edge and then perform a chemical destruction of that part of the nail root. This keeps the problem from returning, and the procedure both has a high success rate and is usually not painful.
• Warts. Kids often develop warts on hands and feet, due to underdeveloped immune systems. Sometimes warts go away on their own, but if your child’s warts are causing pain, embarrassment, or have lasted for at least 6 months, they should be treated. We offer a range of options, including topical acid therapy, laser treatment, or sometimes oral medications. Deep, painful warts may need to be excised surgically.

Treating Your Children with Care and Compassion

Nothing is more important than the health of your child, and we strive to make our practice a welcoming and friendly atmosphere for both you and your child. From infants to teenagers, we offer advanced, evidence-based treatment solutions delivered with warmth and compassion.

To make an appointment with our team, complete an online contact form or give us a call at (702) 213-9093.