“Back to school” season is upon us! Kids are looking forward to new classes, new friends, and a new school year. The stores are filled with notepads, binders, and pencils.
Have you ever worried about your child’s feet as they go back to school?
Children have many foot problems parents may not even be aware of. Many times the child will have an issue for several months and just not tell anyone. These issues include warts and ingrown toenails. Warts are caused by a virus that attacks our feet. They form deep, painful lesions, usually on the bottom of our foot. Children will frequently catch the virus at pools or gyms. Each wart has its own blood supply and will need to be killed at its life source. We do this by shaving down the hard, dead skin on top of the wart and killing the wart with an acid. Sometimes the warts also needs to be removed or excised.
Ingrown toenails are also common among children. Some kids are born with them and some can even get them from an injury to the foot. Injuries can happen by stubbing the toe or someone stepping on it during athletics. They will notice their nail become painful. In many cases it will also be red, hot, swollen and oozing. These are all signs of infection and your child should come to the office immediately for evaluation. When the nail is painful or infected, a sliver of the nail must be removed. First we numb the toe, so that you do not feel any pain.
Kids love to run and jump and play, whether it is at recess or gym class. Ankle sprains are very common. The most common is twisting your ankle inwards. When ankle sprains are not treated properly with rest, ice, and compression, they can get worse. Even if you think an ankle sprain is mild, you should make an appointment to have it evaluated. There are cases where your child may have a broken bone and not even realize it!
Lastly, do not be surprised if your child grows an entire shoe size this year! While your child is getting ready for back to school, if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s feet, call Hollowbrook Foot Specialists today for an appointment at (845) 298-9074. We are serving the Hudson Valley from Wappingers Falls.
By: Samantha DelRegno D.P.M.
