One of the essential parental roles is monitoring your baby’s health at all developmental stages. As a result, any deviation from normal or abnormal behavior should be closely monitored and reported to your care provider for early diagnosis and treatment. One of the concerns you should worry about is when your child’s mobility is affected because they are experiencing ankle or foot pain. In this case, you are encouraged to seek pediatric foot care services to help manage the pain before your child’s mobility is completely affected. Therefore, if you have noted that your kid is experiencing either ankle or foot pain that might be affecting their mobility or quality of life and seek relief, pediatric foot care Katy specialists are here to your rescue. They are qualified to offer pediatric foot care services to both children and teens. They also provide early diagnosis and treatment of various foot concerns, including plantar warts, ingrown toenails, and Sever’s disease. And if you are interested in learning more about pediatric foot care, read on.
What is pediatric foot care?
Pediatric foot care is a branch of medicine referred to as podiatry that specifically deals with diagnosing and treating ankle and foot concerns in children. Generally, kids’ ankles and feet often grow very fast, predisposing them to sprains, strains, and fractures. Therefore, if your child is experiencing foot or ankle pain, you should consult your physician immediately.
What types of concerns does pediatric foot care treat?
Examples of foot concerns that pediatric foot care treats include:
- Flat feet
When your child has flat feet, their soles usually come into contact with the floor each time they stand. Of importance to note is that every individual has flat feet during birth, but by age six, arches start forming. However, other kids never develop these arches, which increases their risk of developing other concerns like back and heel pain.
- Ingrown toenails
Ingrown toenails occur when the toes nail grows into the soft skin around the nail bed. It is common in adults, teens as well as children. Usually, as the nail grows into the nail bed, it causes irritation that makes your kid experience pain, redness, and swelling.
- Sever’s disease
Sever’s disease is primarily referred to as the inflammation of the growth plate, which mainly affects the back of the heel, especially for kids who like participating in sports activities. But there are several treatment options available to help alleviate pain, thus allowing your child to resume sports.
- Plantar warts
In most cases, plantar warts usually form on the heels and balls, which are typically weight-bearing areas. They are caused by human papillomavirus. Examples of warts treatments given include prescription-strength peeling medication and cryotherapy.
What happens during a pediatric foot care appointment?
During your visit, your care provider starts with reviewing your child’s medical records and discussing the symptoms they are experiencing, including pain, while performing certain activities. Your care provider examines the foot, ankles, and toes for bruising, redness, or swelling. Additional tests like imagining tests and those that help point sensitivity are also performed.
Your care provider offers the appropriate treatment depending on the cause of ankle or foot pain. Therefore, if your kid is experiencing either foot or ankle pain and you seek relief, you can start by consulting Vargas Foot & Ankle specialists today.
