We find many parents are concerned about the appearance of their child’s feet, especially when it comes to a foot that appears very flat. Many doctors will tell parents that their child will grow out of flat feet and discourage treatment. And for some this is correct, however in my 15 years of treating 100’s of children, I have found that lot do not.
So when is it appropriate to be concerned and when is it appropriate to seek treatment?
Well if you ever have concerns then you should seek advice from someone who looks and treats children’s feet everyday. It is far better to learn there is nothing to worry about than regret that you never took your child to be assessed.
Our Podiatrists are skilled with being able to assess a child’s foot and determine the appropriateness of treatment. In most cases if the child’s flat foot is causing pain or causing developmental delays (delays in gross motor skill milestones, balance etc), then it is treated. If there is no pain but the foot does not sit within the parameters of what is considered normal for that age group then it is monitored – ie watch and wait, or it is treated simply and with discretion. If the foot has a normal appearance for their age group and not causing any issues then the podiatrist will be able to put your mind at ease identify it as such and give general advice.
Contact us now to have your child checked by one of our experienced podiatrists.