Foot care in childhood

Article of opinion of Dr. Fátima Carvalho Podologist responsible for the Clinical Center of the Foot. Foot care in childhood prevents problems in adulthood.

"The cucumber is small." It is a popular expression that is widely used in our daily lives, and its meaning fits perfectly in one of the messages that podiatry professionals strive to leave to the people in General: We must all take a preventive approach to the health of our feet because many problems that negatively affect our feet and our posture eventually appear in childhood and adolescence, worsening over time. years.

In this way, as parents or guardians, we must ensure that there are abnormal signs of correct growth, or that we take the right steps to avoid potential problems.

The first three years of a child's life constitute the period when established the basic form of feet, and even early changes in the feet, caused by several factors: heredity , the position of baby sleep in the cradle, or even during pregnancy to fetal position. At this early stage, the edges of the newborn's foot should cause a lot of concern because these are areas where there is more heat lost as well as lower limb temperature, still cuddling them from the cold with the putting on socks and shoes.

Up to eight months, the skeletal structure of the feet is still under development, which means that any abnormal pressure can cause deformities. In this period when the feet are flexible and flexible, and where the child adopts certain behaviors, such as sitting on the legs with feet apart or starting to walk on tiptoe, it is possible to prove the existence) of some characteristic problems, such as flat feet or walking with the feet.

In preschool and school age, it is important that a diagnosis and treatment appropriate to the growth and physical maturation of the child be carried out, always aiming at the prevention of infection. Evolution of structural problems, as well as sequelae in adulthood. It is crucial that at this stage, parents are aware of the healthy aspects of the concept of appropriate footwear for each growth size of their child. The use of inadequate footwear can lead to a number of problems, ranging from skin reactions to structural changes, compromising the shape and functionality of the feet.

Changes in the lower limb that can occur in pediatric age include changes in walking, sequelae

To avoid these problems, it is essential to follow the tips described below :

• The child must crawl,
• The nail cut must be done when the child sleeps, and in a straight line,
• When choosing your child's shoes, you should take in features such as stiff buttress, leather sole, laces, and this should be skin and closed (avoid Most "apparent" defects of the feet in the first year are natural and should be normalized during years
• If at three years of age continue to manifest changes (foot pain, frequent falls, changes in the structure of the fingers, etc.) should consult a podiatrist

Podopediatria, also known as e child psychiatry, is the area of ​​chiropody responsible for the study of changes and diseases of the child's foot, from childhood to adolescence The Fátima Carvalho Clinical Center, located in the Unit of Integrated Care of the Santa Casa da Misericordia of Amarante, has for mission to provide a service of excellence in the delivery of podiatry care that guarantee the health and the wellbeing. to be of the foot. For more information, see: http://centroclinicodope.pt/