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CHILDREN'S FEET

At birth, the bones in your baby's feet are not completely formed and are still mostly cartilage. Until a child reaches their mid/late teens, the cartilage will gradually ossify and form bones. The appearance and function of childrens' feet are therefore completely different to adults'. A thorough examination, knowledge of how the feet and lower limbs form throughout childhood, analysing milestones and knowing what is "normal" and "abnormal" is imperative. Podiatrists know what is normal for a child of a particular age group, can recognise what will resolve with time versus what may require monitoring only, and issues which may require further treatment.

You should consult a podiatrist if you notice the following or want to just have your child's feet and/or lower limbs examined.

  • Pain in feet or legs after activity or sport
  • Repeated pain in feet or legs through the night
  • Walking on tip toes
  • Feet, legs or gait (walking pattern) looks different or non-symmetrical
  • Excessively high or low-arched feet.
  • Excessively rolling in or out.
  • In-toeing or out-toeing gait pattern
  • Uneven shoe wear.
  • Abnormal knee alignment (eg genu valgum)
  • Repetitive knee, ankle pain
  • Rashes, hard skin, prominences' or lumps