Children's Podiatrist
Looking for a children’s podiatrist in St Albans or the surrounding areas? At the AGM Centre, our paediatric podiatrists are experts in diagnosing and treating foot conditions in young children and teenagers.
When is a children’s podiatrist needed?
A children’s podiatrist is the best person to assess and treat foot conditions in children. Common conditions include:
- Ingrown toenails
- Verrucas
- Flat feet
- Sweaty feet that can cause fungal infections
- Toe walking
- Other foot abnormalities
Our paediatric foot specialists, based in St Albans, can identify whether your child needs a biomechanics assessment or another foot or toenail treatment.
Treatment from a children’s podiatrist
It’s important to seek care from a children’s podiatrist if you’re worried about your child’s feet, toenails or the way they walk.
As young children are growing, they can experience abnormal movement which can eventually lead to pain in the foot, back and hips.
Gait Analysis for children
When most children begin to walk, they start with their feet pointing outward. This is because they have a rotated hip position that helps to stabilise them on their feet.
By around the time your child is 8 years old, their balance should stabilise so that both feet usually face about 15 degrees outward.
If the “out toe” continues to be facing at an exaggerated angle past this age, this may cause pain and discomfort through conditions such as knock knee or bow legs.
A children’s podiatrist can identify any abnormalities through gait analysis and a biomechanics assessment. This involves analysing how your child moves both statically and while they’re moving. Using techniques to help analyse the gait, a children’s podiatrist can quickly pick up any abnormalities in your child’s lower limbs that may require treatment.
If it’s decided that your child will need treatment, one popular option is child orthotics. These are custom-made inserts that help children with any deformities in their lower limbs that may be causing a problem, or could cause a problem in the future.
Treating children with flat feet or other foot deformities
A podiatrist can identify foot deformities in very young children, as well as teenagers. Flat feet are very common in infants and children, but they can start to create problems for your child. We recommend that you seek treatment for your child if they start to experience:
- Pain or cramping in their feet or lower limbs
- A collapsing of the foot arch which can be noticed when they’re moving
- An awkwardness or strange difference in the way your child is walking
- A withdrawal to partake in physical activity, or they’re beginning to get fatigued quickly
Ingrown toenail treatment for children
Ingrown toenails are often caused by tight, ill-fitting shoes. As children grow quickly and can often have shoes that don’t fit well, ingrown toenails are a common childhood problem.
It’s important to seek treatment from an expert podiatrist for an ingrown toenail, as they can become infected.
Symptoms of an ingrown toenails can include:
- Red or painful swelling around the toenail
- A toenail that has curved into the toe
- Pain or pressure when your child is wearing shoes
Verruca treatment for children
Verrucas, also known as plantar warts, are most commonly caused by foot-to-floor contact. As children are often exercising barefoot in school gyms, or around swimming pools, they’re more susceptible to verrucas.
Treatment for verrucas in children can differ, and our paediatric podiatrists will ensure that your child is treated in the most painless way possible.
Contact us
If your child is suffering from toenail or foot pain and discomfort, or you think they’re experiencing any symptoms described above, our children’s podiatrists can help.
Please send a message below and one of our experts will be in touch.
Podiatry Enquire Form
Our Podiatrist will attend to your feet and discuss what further treatment if required