Back-to-School Foot Screenings: Why Your Child's Growing Feet Need Professional Attention

It’s time to head back to school, and that means new supplies, clothes, and shoes. But what kind of shoes? Is your child wearing the proper footwear to support their foot’s healthy growth and development? Are they walking in a way that will keep their feet, legs, and back safe from injury?

If your child plays sports, proper foot health is more important than ever. The stresses that rugged play puts on your child’s developing feet may cause them problems in the future.

At North Park Podiatry, we offer pediatric foot care, whether it’s time for your child’s back-to-school foot screening or they have foot pain or an injury.

Our expert podiatrists ensure your child’s feet are healthy and well-aligned, and provide any necessary treatment recommendations at our San Diego office.

Do your child’s growing feet need a podiatric screening? Here’s why they could benefit.

Screening detects problems soon

Just as your dentist keeps tabs on how well your child’s teeth are growing, podiatrists examine your child’s foot shape and function. A dentist may make a referral to an orthodontist if their permanent teeth don’t have room to erupt properly. Likewise, we may recommend orthotics or another treatment to improve your child’s foot alignment.

All children have flat feet when they’re born. Usually, by toddlerhood, their arches have developed. However, your child’s feet may still be flat. If so, customized orthotics lift their arches and help absorb shocks to avoid injury and pain.

Other potential issues include:

Growth plate inflammation
Sever’s disease (often misdiagnosed as plantar fasciitis)
Achilles tendinitis
Clubfoot
Bunions
Hammertoes
Foot fractures

We also examine their gait to be sure their joints are in alignment. If they under- or over-pronate their feet, they may need orthotics to correct that problem so that they don’t stress their ankles, knees, or hips.

In addition, we ensure that their shoes fit them properly and leave enough room in the toe box for their toes to lie flat when they step. We may recommend different types of shoes for your child.

For instance, some popular shoe brands might not offer the support your child’s feet need to develop well.

Screening helps prevent injuries

If your child is an athlete, odds are higher that they’ll experience an injury at some point. Our job is to minimize the chance.

We provide pointers on how to avoid painful and itchy conditions, such as athlete’s foot, plantar warts, and toenail fungus, all of which can be spread in a gym or pool.

Make sure your child always wears sandals or flip-flops in public spaces and never shares towels, shoes, or socks.

Screening helps develop good habits

Your child needs to be able to take good care of their feet for life. We show them how to properly wash and dry their toes and feet to minimize the risk of athlete’s foot and other transmissible infections.

We also demonstrate how to safely and correctly cut their toenails. Toenails should always be kept short and straight. Rounded toenails can grow into the nail bed, causing a painful ingrown toenail.

Foot screening is important for diabetes

If your child has diabetes, it’s extra important to bring them in for regular podiatric screenings. Diabetes can destroy the blood vessels and nerves in the feet, dulling sensation. Your child may develop a puncture, sore, or ulcer and not even feel it. Without treatment, it could become infected.

Before buying your child’s next pair of shoes, make sure their feet are developing correctly. Schedule your pediatric podiatric exam in San Diego by phone or via the online appointment form today.