Your Child’s Foot Care: Every Step Counts
CHICAGO — Parents anxiously await their child’s first steps. All eyes and video recorders are positioned to catch this momentous occasion, but according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons (ACFAS), all the steps a child takes after that are equally important.
"Unless there is an obvious major foot health problem, parents tend to ignore their children’s foot care," says Edwin J. Harris, DPM, FACFAS, a Chicagoland foot and ankle surgeon specializing in pediatric foot care. "There seem to be so many other concerns – general health issues, proper development and just daily care – that parents overlook their children’s feet, just as they do their own."
Harris recommends that parents observe their child’s walking and shoe wear patterns. Things to watch out for include:
If you have concerns about your child’s foot health, contact a foot and ankle surgeon. For the name of a foot and ankle surgeon in your area, visit www.FootPhysicians.com, the ACFAS patient education Web site.