Warning Signs Your Child's Feet Aren't Developing Properly

Children’s health issues are sometimes hard to recognize. After all, their ability to describe symptoms often comes down to, “it hurts.” This is true for many foot problems, and it may be up to you as a parent to recognize warning signs that your child’s feet aren’t developing properly. 

You’ve got a partner in the team at Hudson Valley Foot Associates. As specialists in pediatric foot care, we routinely see the subtle problems caused by developmental irregularities. We’ll diagnose and treat these to help your child get back on the right footing. 

Common pediatric foot development concerns

While children are prone to many of the same foot conditions as adults, they’re not always unusual or unexpected. For instance, flat feet are common in children, but these aren’t a problem if not causing pain, since arch development continues until about the age of seven. 

Other foot “issues” that are usually outgrown include: 

• Pigeon toes (in-turned toes)
• Outward turned toes
• Delayed start to walking
• Tip-toe walking
• Bowed legs
• Knock knees
• Odd-shaped toes

Since these conditions are often normal in infancy and toddler years, it’s hard to know when your child should advance away from these issues. Knowing the warning signs that come with delayed development may help you recognize when pediatric foot care becomes necessary. 

Signs that your child has a foot problem

There are several common behaviors and conditions that point toward foot development delays or other podiatric issues. If your child displays one or more of the following five signs, it’s time to check in with Hudson Valley Foot Associates. 

Frequent trips and falls

Repeated clumsiness can be common as kids learn to navigate the world. When your child is normally sure-footed and begins to trip and stumble frequently, it might be a sign that in-toeing is persisting longer than normal. 

Tired legs

Flat feet make walking and running inefficient. While kids’ energy often seems boundless, your child might seem to wear down faster than their peers or tire easily when running. 

Withdrawing from favorite activities

When your child steers away from activities and games that they usually enjoy, it may be because of foot pain. Repetitive strain injuries start to show up around the age of eight in children who are active in sports. They may be suffering from low-level aches and pains that don’t warrant complaint, though still strong enough to limit your child’s enthusiasm. 

Hiding their feet

Checking your child’s feet regularly can help you spot physical symptoms of foot problems like calluses, irritation, and other changes in appearance. When your child hesitates to show you their feet, it may be from embarrassment about their appearance or worry about a potential doctor’s visit. 

Complaints of foot pain

Foot pain in children is unusual, so follow up on any complaint about their feet hurting, particularly if there’s no reason, such as a long hike or intense sports match preceding their comments. Pain that lasts more than a few days, or that’s accompanied by swelling, may be due to a lingering development delay. 

With five New York State locations, Hudson Valley Foot Associates have a convenient office for you. Call or click to schedule a consultation and exam for your child today.