Pediatric Foot Care
in Missouri & Illinois
About Pediatric Foot Care
Whether it’s a precious baby’s first steps or a quick maneuvering teenager’s winning soccer goal, healthy feet and proper pediatric foot care make milestones in a child’s life possible. Starting at birth, paying close attention to your little one’s feet from proper grooming to gait will ensure a solid foundation as your youngster grows. After all, their feet are meant to last a lifetime!
The human foot – one of the most complicated parts of the body – has 26 bones, including an intricate system of ligaments, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves. Because the feet of young children are soft and pliable, abnormal body forces can cause deformities.
A child’s feet grow rapidly during the first year. For this, podiatrists consider this period to be the most critical stage of the foot’s development.
Suggestions to help ensure normal development
Look carefully at you baby’s feet. If you notice something that does not look normal to you, contact a pediatric foot care specialist. Many deformities will not correct themselves if left untreated.
Keep your baby’s feet unrestricted. No shoes or booties are necessary for infants. These can restrict movement and can inhibit toes and feet from normal development.
Provide an opportunity for exercising the feet. Lying uncovered enables the baby to kick and perform other related motions which prepare the feet for weight bearing.
Change the baby’s position several times a day. Lying too long in one spot can put excessive strain on the feet and legs.
Sports play a significant role in millions of American children’s lives, whether on a team or played as individuals. Parents should be mindful of sports that require a substantial amount of running and turning, or involve contact. These can easily translate into sports injuries. Protective taping of the ankles is often necessary to prevent strains or fractures. Parents should consider discussing these matters with their family podiatrist if they have children participating in sports. Sports-related injuries are on the rise as more children participate actively in sports.
Tips to help your child athlete
Make sure to buy sport-specific shoes. This will not only help improve your child’s performance, but also helps keep them free from serious foot and ankle injuries.
Don’t forget the socks! Without the right socks even the best athletic shoe won’t score points on or off the field. The right athletic sock should be made of a natural/synthetic fiber blend, as this helps wick away moisture best. The socks should also not contain any large seams which could cause blisters or irritation.
what patients ask about regularly
Our Facility
We are proud to provide a state-of-the-art facility for the highest quality foot care available. It is one of our top priorities to protect the well-being of our valued patients. X-rays are performed in the office.
Booking Appointments
If you would like to make an appointment, please contact our office by phone or request an appointment online. Our office facilitates communications and emergency calls and appointments are available and welcome, especially for new patients seeking help.
Financial Questions
We will be more than happy to submit all insurance forms for you and help you recover the most from your benefits. We will do everything we can to help you afford the treatment you need and want. For patients who require major work, a complete payment plan is designed with an appropriate payment schedule. Forms of payment accepted by the office are check, cash, or any major credit card.
Cancellations
If you are unable to keep an appointment, we ask that you kindly provide us with at least 24 hours notice. We ask for this advance notice so that we can offer this appointment to another patient. A fee may be charged if a patient does not show up for an appointment without sufficient notice.
