You watch your children for health, growth, and development problems, but what about their foot health? This is important, too, as many podiatric issues begin in childhood. Here at Family Foot and Ankle Associates of Maryland, Drs. Marc Goldberg, Michael Frank, and Adam Lowy provide comprehensive podiatric care for children in Olney, Camp Springs-Clinton, Silver Spring, and Kensington, MD—read on to learn more.
Pediatric podiatric care
Your child's feet and ankles are subject to all kinds of stresses stemming from rapid growth/development, sports, changing shoe sizes, and congenital deformities. It takes an examination at one of our offices in Olney, Camp Springs-Clinton, Silver Spring, or Kensington, MD, to filter through your child's symptoms and analyze their nails, bone structure, and function. Also remember: children are not adults. As such, their feet have needs unique to their special stage in life.
Common pediatric foot problems
At Family Foot and Ankle Associates in Maryland, Drs. Frank, Lowy, and Goldberg see and treat:
- Ingrown toenails
- Plantar warts
- Fungal toenails
- Athlete's foot
- Toe walking
- Toeing in
- Flat feet
- Overpronation
- Deformities such as club feet
- Sever's Feet, a condition characterized by pain in the growth plate in the heel
- Bunions, an acquired bump on the side of the foot
How parents can help
As you raise your child, be sure to observe how your child's feet look and operate. Also, use and model common sense foot care habits. In particular:
- Watch how your child walks, including how the feet land on the floor and if they toe-in or toe-walk.
- Trim nails straight across with clean clippers to avoid ingrown toenails.
- Keep feet clean and dry, and put clean socks on your child every day.
- Make sure that your child's shoes fit properly, especially because young feet grow and change quickly.
- Avoid plantar warts, cuts, bruises, and abrasions by putting shoes on your child when they are playing outdoors. EverydayHealth says this simple intervention prevents several foot and ankle problems.
Learn more
At Family Foot and Ankle Associates of Maryland, our three podiatrists and their caring team want your children to have happy feet. So, please call an office near you for a podiatric exam. In Olney, phone us at (301) 924-5044. In Camp Springs-Clinton, call (301) 868-7670. For the Silver Spring area, contact us at (301) 439-0300. In Kensington, MD, phone (301) 868-7670.