Infants
The size and shape of your baby’s feet change quickly during their first year. Because a baby’s feet are flexible, too much pressure or strain can affect their feet’s shape. It’s important to allow your baby to kick and stretch his or her feet. Also, make sure shoes and socks do not squeeze the toes.

Toddlers
Try not to force your toddler to walk before she is ready. Carefully watch the gait once she or he begins to walk. If your toddler’s toe touches down instead of the heel, or she always sits while others play, contact our office. Some toddlers have a pigeon-toe gait. This needs to be evaluated to determine the level of the problem and whether treatment is necessary.

When foot care is needed
To help with flatfeet, special shoes or custom-made shoe inserts (orthics) may be prescribed. If your child rolls in to an extreme, with a lowering of the arch and the heels, when viewed from the back, roll in and are not vertical to the ground, there is a minor corrective surgery that can help put the foot in the correct position so it can develop normally. This can prevent the development of bunions, hammertoes, etc.

To correct mild intoeing, your toddler may need to sit in a different position wile playing or watching TV. There are special orthotics or inserts that can hold the foot in a corrected position and train the foot to walk straight. If your child’s feet turn in or out a lot, a thorough examination is recommended.

The foot’s bone structure is well-formed by the time your child reaches age 7 or 8, but if a growth plate (the area where bone growth begins) is injured, the damaged plate may cause the bone to grow oddly. With a doctor’s care, however, the risk of future bone problems is reduced.

Remember to check your child’s shoe size often. Make sure there is space between the toes and the end of the shoe. Make sure their shoes are roomy enough to allow the toes to move freely. Don’t let your child wear hand-me-downs.