Childrens Podiatry

Children's Podiatry

Our practice has a special interest in the treatment of children's foot problems. We offer complete foot assessments for growing pain, flat feet, sever's disease, knock knees, in-toeing and of course all those nasty warts and ingrown toenails. Using the latest GALLOP assessment tool (Gait and Lower Limb Observation of Paediatrics) together with pressure platforms and video analysis we can help track your child's development over time. If you have any concerns about your child’s feet, their skin, nails, walking, running, shoe wear or tripping and falling, we are here to help.

Our Podiatrists are trained to treat common, chronic and acute problems in children of all ages. From toe walking in toddlers through to osteochondroses such as severs disease (bony growth plate problems) in teenagers.

For children with disabilities such as autism or developmental delays, Podantics Podiatry is Registered to receive funding through the NDIS.

Common Concerns for Parents:

- Painful feet or ankles
- Unusual shaped feet or toes
- Severe in-toeing or out-toeing
- Limping
- Flat feet
- Warts
- I ngrown toenails
- Bunions
- Growing pains
- Children who are late in walking
- and more....
These are all problems that may need professional attention.

Basic Foot Care in Kids

Teaching your children how to trim their nails, care for their feet and showing them what shoes they should be wearing at a young age is one of the most important things you can do for your children's feet. At Podantics Podiatry, we offer children's basic foot-care consultations that help educate your children on how to look after their feet. During the consultation we are able to give specific advice to your children regarding the problems that their feet may face in the future and teach them strategies to minimise problems in the future.

Preventing Problems in Adulthood

In many cases, foot problems in adult life can often be prevented or reduced through early intervention in childhood. Bunions, hammer toes, curly toes and flat feet are common foot problems we see every day. While some of these things may have a genetic cause, which results in them being passed down from generation to generation, the good news is that they can be well managed with early intervention. At Podantics Podiatry, we believe in trying to prevent your foot problems in the next generation by providing education and advice to you, so that you can make an informed decision on how you would like to manage the concern.

Structural & Developmental Complications

Although most children are assessed from birth for any major deformities, most abnormalities do not become apparent until the child begins weight bearing and/or start walking

The child’s foot is not just a small-scale model of an adult foot. It's shape is not finally determined until growth ceases at the end of the second decade of life. As such, the early childhood period is an important time for correcting any developmental and structural abnormalities.

Podiatrists diagnose and treat children’s foot problems by carefully examining the feet and legs, while also considering other factors such as family history, sports or other physical activities, shoe wear and other medical conditions.

Common Foot Conditions

Growing pains- These pains are believed to be caused by growing too much too quickly but, can also be related to mechanical misalignment. If it is persistent and continuous, it is important to have your child properly assessed.

Paediatric Flatfeet- Most children with flat feet have no symptoms. In fact, flat feet are a normal part of development during pre-school years. However, in instances where they have trouble participating in physical activities or sports, appear to walk or run awkwardly, or complain of pain or cramping, an assessment should be sought to diagnose and treat the source of pain.

Sever's Disease (Calcaneal apophysitis) - Sever's Disease is a painful inflammation of the growth plate in the heel. It typically affects children between the ages of 8 and 14 years old, because the heel bone (calcaneus) is not fully developed until at least age 14. Until then, new bone is forming at the growth plate (physis), a weak area located at the back of the heel. The repetitive stress on the growth plate that is caused by the pull of the Achilles tendon can lead to inflammation and pain in the heel

Ingrown Toenails- Tight shoes or socks, or incorrect nail trimming are the most common cause of ingrown toenails in children, although sometimes the tendency for nails to curve inward is inherited. When the nail breaks the skin, bacteria that live on the skin can cause infections in the tissue surrounding the nail. Parents should never try to dig the nail out at home as this can introduce new bacteria and only worsen the symptoms. Proper clearance of the nail edge in a sterile environment followed by procedures to eliminate the infection should be performed and supervised by a podiatrist.