Childhood foot problems can cause pain and may affect your child's ability to walk normally. Kids Health from Nemours reports that some of these conditions may resolve without treatment as your child grows, but others may persist, become more severe or be related to other conditions. If your child displays any signs of a foot problem, he should see a doctor to rule out serious conditions or diseases.
Symptoms
Symptoms of foot problems vary based on the condition but may include calluses, feet that turn in when standing or heel or foot pain when walking, running or standing. Other potential signs of a foot problem are walking with the toes turned inward, limping and trouble walking or jumping.
Considerations
Arch problems in young children are not always a cause for concern, but you should always have a doctor evaluate these problems. Family Doctor reports that your child's feet may appear flat until an arch forms when she is 2 or 3. Although flat feet can be a problem for some children, others experience a problem called cavus foot that occurs when the arches are too high.
Cavus Foot
Cavus foot can be an inherited structural problem of the foot or can develop if your child has a condition such as muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease or stroke. Cavus foot prevents an even distribution of weight over your child's foot, causing instability in the foot. The American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons reports that a high arch owing to a neurologic disorder or other medical condition is likely to worsen, whereas a cavus foot due to other causes usually does not change in appearance.
Walking Problems
Intoeing, also called pigeon toes, occurs when your child walks with her toes pointing inward. The problem can develop if your child's feet were pressed inward while you were pregnant. Family Doctor reports that the feet will straighten as children grow in 9 out of 10 children with this problem. Intoeing can also develop if your child's leg bones are turned inward.
Some young children walk on their toes rather than on the soles of their feet when they first begin walking. If this gait does not change when your child becomes more accustomed to walking, your doctor may recommend an in-depth evaluation. Kids Health reports that persistent toe walking after age 2 or toe walking on only one leg may be linked to cerebral palsy or another nervous system problem.
Treatment
Children who develop persistent toe walking may need to wear a special cast that stretches the calf muscles, permitting them to walk normally after treatment. If your child complains of pain due to flat feet, placing foot inserts in his shoes may help reduce pain. Intoeing caused by twisted bones in the leg may require surgery in severe cases, according to Family Doctor. Children with cavus foot may benefit from wearing high-topped shoes that provide ankle support, wearing a brace or using a custom orthotic shoe insert to stabilize the foot.
