A baby’s first step is a source of great joy to the parents. At the same time, it is also the time to realize that this is the beginning of the use of the feet that must stay healthy for the rest of the child’s life. The feet are the parts of the body that often have the greatest stress placed on them. We tend to ignore them until they start giving trouble. Beginning a child’s foot care regimen at an early age improves the chances of avoiding foot problems in later life.
Here are the basics of foot care for children:
- Children do not grow at an even rate year after year. Keep an eye on the size of a child’s feet and the fit of the shoes. Replace them as soon as they become tight. Wearing badly fitting shoes is a major cause of deformed feet in children.
- Teach children to walk with their toes straight in front of them. Some children have a tendency to walk with their toes pointing either in or out. This weakens the feet and can also affect the alignment of the whole body.
- Ensure that the feet are washed every day with warm water and that all the soap is rinsed from the skin.
- Make sure that children dry their feet completely, especially after swimming of walking on wet surfaces.
- Cut the toe nail in a straight line. Do not curve the edges along the contours of the toe. This can lead to in grown toenails and other problems.
- Do not ignore corns and/or calluses. They could be the sign of a more serious foot condition. At the least, they could indicate that a badly fitting shoe is being worn.
- Ensure that the shoes being worn are clean both outside and inside
- Teach children about the dangers of fungal infections like Athlete’s Foot. Explain how it is caused and the discomfort that result. If an infection does occur, do not try home remedies. In the case of children, it is safer to consult a Podiatrist to eliminate the dangers of the infection spreading or other complications arising.
- Knock knees, bow legs, pigeon toes and other deformities of the legs and feet are often caused by foot problems. Consult a medical professional as soon as a condition is noticed. A complete cure is often possible if the condition is diagnosed early and treatment begun.
- Older children are often driven by peer pressure to wear shoes that do not suit their feet. It can be difficult to make children understand that comfort and foot health are more important considerations than style.
Children and parents both accept bruises, cuts, scratches aches and pains are part of the growing process. While this is true, that does not mean they should be ignored, especially if the feet are affected. Tired and aching feet are often taken as part of life. This is not correct. It is a sign of something being wrong, especially in the case of children.
