FIVE SIGNS YOUR CHILD MAY HAVE A FOOT PROBLEM

Foot and ankle problems in children often go unnoticed. Signs and symptoms can be subtle, and sometimes children can't explain what's wrong. It's important to protect growing feet and have problems checked out early.

Below are are five warning signs parents should watch for.

1. Your Kids Can't Keep Up with Their Peers: If children lag behind in sports or backyard play, it may be because their feet or legs are tired. Fatigue is common when children have flat feet. The muscles in the feet and legs tire easily because the feet are not functioning as well as they should.
2. Children Voluntarily Withdraw from Activities they Usually Enjoy: If they are reluctant to participate, it may be due to heel pain — a problem often seen in children between the ages of 8 and 14. Repetitive stress from sports may cause muscle strain and inflammation of the growth plate, a weak area at the back of a child's heel.
3. They Don’t Want to Show You Their Feet: Children may feel pain or notice a change in the appearance of their feet or nails but don't tell their parents because they fear a trip to the doctor’s office. Surgeons encourage parents to make a habit of inspecting their child's feet starting at a young age. Look for any changes such as calluses, growths, skin discoloration, or redness and swelling around the toenails.
4. Your Child Often Trips and Falls: Repeated clumsiness may be a sign of in-toeing, balance problems or neuromuscular conditions.
5. The Child Complains of Pain: It is never normal for a child to have foot pain. Injuries may seem minor, but if pain or swelling last more than a few days, have your child's foot examined.

A child with any of these signs or symptoms should be promptly examined by Dr. Foley or Dr. Ornelas.

SNUG CLEATS, REPEATED KICKING LEAD TO INGROWN TOENAILS

Soccer fields are filled with the future soccer stars of the sport this spring. And just like college or professional players, juveniles suffer their fair amount of injuries This is a bad time of year to be a juvenile toenail. Dr. Foley sees a lot of children with ingrown toenails during soccer season.

"It seems like every child is enrolled in a league and some, more than one," says Dr. Foley "The young kids wear hand-me-down cleats that don't fit exactly right. The older kids like tighter cleats to get a better feel for the ball and the field." A former collegiate player at UCLA, Dr. Foley had her share of injuries growing up.

"Ingrown toenails are such a small problem with such big pain. If you hit the corner of that affected toe, it shoots an intense pain that lingers." Unfortunately, many children don't tell parents about the problem because they're afraid to miss a game. "By the time they come to my office, a small problem has turned serious," she says. Young soccer players sidelined by an ingrown toenail may be able to get back into the game pain-free thanks to a simple, 10-minute surgical procedure.

During the short procedure, Dr. Foley numbs the toe and removes the offending portion of the nail. Various techniques can permanently remove part of a nail's root too, preventing it from growing back. Most children experience very little pain afterwards, and can resume normal activity the next day.

Parents should teach their children how to trim their toenails properly. Trim toenails in a fairly straight line, and don't cut them too short. "Keeping toenails trimmed correctly sounds like something so simple. You'd be amazed how many people, children as well as adults do it incorrectly," Dr. Foley says.

Parents have to make sure their children's cleats fit, since a child's shoe size can change within a single soccer season. If a child develops a painful ingrown toenail, soaking their foot in room-temperature water and gently massaging the side of the nail fold can reduce the inflammation.