Children’s feet can grow rapidly even up to two sizes in six months. So make sure you account for growing when buying shoes. It’s a tricky assessment because shoes that are too big can also cause problems because they allow the foot to slide forward and can damage toes and toe nails. A good fit is about a finger’s width from the end of the shoe to the tip of the big toe. Tight shoes can cause blisters, corns and calluses on your child’s toes, blisters on the back of the heels or worse, ingrown nails, which can become infected. If you notice any of these problems the Podiatrist at Fitter Feet can provide treatment, just give us a call for an appointment.
Teach your children how to trim their toenails properly. Trim toenails in a fairly straight line, don’t cut down the sides and don’t cut them too short.
Make sure your children’s shoes fit. The width of a shoe is just as important than length to allow toes to grow straight. Make sure that the widest part of the shoe matches the widest part of your child’s foot. Feet can grown quickly and suddenly so check the fit of your children’s shoe regularly. Don’t be tempted to make small shoes last until the end of term, toe deformities can occur quickly in shoes that are too small.
If a child develops a painful ingrown toenail, parents can reduce the inflammation by soaking the child’s foot in room-temperature water and gently massaging the side of the nail fold.
The only proper way to treat a child’s ingrown toenail is with a minor surgical procedure, Book an appointment for a free assessment at Fitter Feet. Parents should never try to dig the nail out or cut it off. This type of ‘home’ treatment carries a high risk for infection. Our Podiatrists may supply antibiotics to children with infected ingrown toenails.