Children’s Foot Problems Need Treatment as Early as Possible

Any abnormalities in a baby’s feet should be medically evaluated at the youngest age possible--when it is easiest to treat.

As children grow, their bones and muscles change dramatically in terms of the angle and rotation of the joints and the length of bones.

In some cases, abnormalities in a baby’s feet occur while still in the mother’s uterus, but most infants tend to outgrow them.

But if there are structural defects, the problem may get worse as the child gets older and may interfere with proper growth.

Clubfoot is a condition in which the foot is rounded into the shape of a club, and tilts inward and down. The front of the foot may also be rotated. This type of deformity should be treated very early.

Treatment usually consists of applying repeated casts gradually to bring the foot’s tissues into correct alignment. If this casting fails, clubfoot may be surgically treated, and in addition, splints and braces may be used to help the foot grow properly.

In-toeing and out-toeing usually result from pressure on the hips or legs when the child was in the mother’s uterus. They will often improve without treatment.

However, in-toeing may also be caused by a more serious condition called “forefoot varus” in which the front of the foot is curved inward. This condition may require casts on the feet, as well as special shoes or braces to gradually push the forefoot into correct alignment over a period of weeks or months.

Flatfeet are common in infants and young children, and often result from relaxation of the ligaments. Ligaments in children are very soft, so that when the child puts his foot down on the floor, the foot splays down, eliminating the arch. Children outgrow this type of flatfeet.

However, the child may have hereditary flatfeet or other conditions that eliminate the arch of the foot. In rare cases of congenital bone malformations, special footwear or surgery may be needed.

In most cases, foot problems resolve on their own, but occasionally they don’t. Sometimes they get worse as the child grows and starts walking.

Since you don’t know which problems will correct themselves, it is best to have them medically evaluated as soon as possible.