Does Your Child Need a Podiatrist?

Fairfax County parents come to Clifton Foot & Ankle Center with questions about their child’s feet. For example:

• Is my child wearing the right shoes for their sport?
• Can you tell me if she’s sprained her ankle?
• Why does his big toenail look so inflamed?

When a kid shows you something is wrong with their feet, take the problem seriously. Make an appointment with our board-certified podiatrist, Dr. Kenneth R. Wilhelm.

Why should you choose a podiatrist?

A podiatrist is a physician or surgeon with specialized training in the feet and ankles. We’re privileged to call children and teens some of our most cherished patients. Dr. Wilhelm’s warm and calm bedside manner puts kids at ease. His 23+ years of foot and ankle experience allow him to diagnose and treat your child with care and expertise.

Here’s another reason to see an expert podiatrist: some foot problems that affect kids can travel with them into adulthood. Checking them out now can save them years of discomfort.

Some of the most common pediatric podiatric conditions we see include:

• Ingrown toenails – excessive redness, swelling, and pain around a toenail (usually the big toe) indicate that your child’s toenail is growing into the skin. Ingrown toenails are caused by poor trimming practices and shoes that are too tight. Some kids are prone to ingrown toenails if they play sports or ingrown toenails run in the family.
• Warts are growths on the skin that appear when a virus invades through a small cut or scrape on the foot. They can grow singly or in groups. Warts aren’t dangerous but can be painful, especially on the bottom of the foot. Once your child gets a wart, it can spread to other parts of the foot and be difficult to cure.
• Sports-related injuries can include sprains, broken bones, tendinitis, and other problems with overuse.

Children may not be the best at telling you their feet hurt. As a parent, look for signs of foot and ankle problems, such as a slowdown in activity, a sudden desire to stop playing a favorite sport, or frequent tripping and falling. If you have any concerns about your child’s feet, make an appointment with us by calling (703) 996-3000. You may also contact us online.