| Starting
to Walk
It is unwise to force a child to walk. When physically
and emotionally ready, the child will walk. Comparisons
with other children are misleading, since the
age for independent walking ranges from 10 to
18 months.
When
the child first begins to walk, shoes are not
necessary indoors. Allowing the youngster to go
barefoot or to wear just socks helps the foot
to grow normally and to develop its musculature
and strength, as well as the grasping action of
toes. Of course, when walking outside or on rough
surfaces, babies' feet should be protected in
lightweight, flexible footwear made of natural
materials.
Growing
Up
As a child's feet continue to develop, it may
be necessary to change shoe and sock size every
few months to allow room for the feet to grow.
Although foot problems result mainly from injury,
deformity, illness, or hereditary factors, improper
footwear can aggravate preexisting conditions.
Shoes or other footwear should never be handed
down. The feet of young children are often unstable
because of muscle problems which make walking
difficult or uncomfortable.
Sports
Activities
Millions of American children participate in team
and individual sports, many of them outside the
school system, where advice on conditioning and
equipment is not always available. Parents should
be concerned about children's involvement in sports
that require a substantial amount of running and
turning, or involve contact. Protective taping
of the ankles is often necessary to prevent sprains
or fractures. Parents should consider discussing
these matters with their family podiatrist if
they have children participating in active sports.
Sports-related foot and ankle injuries are on
the rise as more children actively participate
in sports.
Advice
for Parents
Problems noticed at birth will not disappear by
themselves. You should not wait until the child
begins walking to take care of a problem you've
noticed earlier. Remember that lack of complaint
by a youngster is not a reliable sign. The bones
of growing feet are so flexible that they can
be twisted and distorted without the child being
aware of it.
Walking
patterns should be carefully observed. Does the
child toe in or out, have knock knees, or other
gait (walking) abnormalities? These problems can
be corrected if they are detected early. Going
barefoot is a healthy activity for children under
the right conditions. However, walking barefoot
on dirty pavements exposes children's feet to
the dangers of infection through accidental cuts
and to severe contusions, sprains or fractures.
Another potential problem is plantar warts, a
condition caused by a virus which invades the
sole of the foot through cuts and breaks in the
skin. They require protracted treatment and can
keep children from school and other activities.
Be
careful about applying home remedies to children's
feet, as many can cause irritation and damage
to the feet. |
