Children’s Podiatrist
Childrens Podiatry
Children benefit from annual podiatry check-ups to ensure their walking patterns support their growth.
As children grow their joints and bones develop and change.
Therefore it is beneficial to have them assessed to ensure their growth and development match their age.
If any abnormalities are detected, our podiatrists can manage these early for the best outcome.
What Is The Difference Between Treating Children & Adults?
Children’s feet are not just little adult’s feet. Baby’s feet have soft cartilage, which develops into bone as they grow and mature.
As children grow, their hip, knee, ankle, and foot position change all the time.
Children have growth plates (cartilage), which allows their bones to grow; it is this extra cartilage which increases joint mobility.
Also, when your child’s bones grow, their muscles need to stretch to catch up. It is this tightening of muscle tissue, commonly referred to as “growing pains.”
Children have specific developmental milestones and conditions that they are faced with at various ages and stages of growth. A child’s needs vary significantly from that of an adult.
Our pediatric podiatrists have a thorough knowledge of these conditions and the best course of action to alleviate your child’s pain or correct their problem.
It is essential to seek advice early because the good news is, as your child is growing, they will usually respond to treatment quickly.
Orthotic Therapy for Kids
As children are growing and developing, orthotics can make a dramatic change to how they walk, run, and also support their growing feet. Early intervention of an orthotic can often prevent weak muscle, joint, and gait habits from being carried into adulthood.
Orthotics can also help with growing pains by improving joint function and eliminating the common cause of heel pain in children. Erica Dash Podiatry has a specific orthotic with a unique heel cushion to assist with Severs disease.
Our podiatrists can also make a massive difference to a child with pigeon toes by using foot pressures to help them self-correct.
At Erica Dash Podiatry, we do not use orthotic labs who have not seen or assessed your child. It is your consulting children’s podiatrist who manufactures your child’s orthotic. This process reduces errors in arch contour and fit and improves the overall function of the device. Benefits include no two to three-week wait for your orthotic, as all orthotics are manufactured on-site; usually within the hour if time has been allocated.
If sufficient time has not been allocated then you can collect your orthotics on the same day or within 24 hours, often making Erica Dash Podiatry’s orthotics the Orthotic of Choice for your child.
What is “Paediatric Podiatrist”?
A paediatric podiatrist is a qualified professional with a special interest in the growth and development of children’s feet.
All of the podiatrists at Erica Dash Podiatry Clinic have a particular interest in children and biomechanics – as it is a prerequisite of gaining employment with the company.
Erica Dash Podiatry pride themselves in investing in the latest technologies and being able to offer the broadest range of treatment options on the Central Coast.
Children’s Shoe Guide
Always look for a natural fibre shoe with a soft, pliable leather sole – this allows your little one to bend and move their feet freely when they are learning to walk. Avoid tight, constrictive hard-soled shoes.
After your child has been walking for six weeks, it is then time to have them fitted for their “first shoes.”
Choose a shoe that fastens to their foot with enough room at the front for growth (about a thumb width) and deep enough in the toe box that your child can wriggle their toes.
The sole still should be semi-flexible.
A small heel is the best as the calf muscles won’t be strained, particularly during growth spurts.
A sturdy heel counter, firm midsole, and flexible toe area lace-up fastening is best; however, if your child struggles with laces, velcro is the next best thing.
Ensure there is a thumb width at the front for growth. A durable, non-slip sole is also essential.
Podiatry Services for Children
The experienced team at Erica Dash Podiatry offer the complete feet treatment for your children. Our podiatrists may offer one or a combination of the following treatment options for foot problems. Our podiatry team give teens and toddlers professional, up to date knowledge using the latest technology in their state of the art consulting rooms
Dry Needling
Dry Needling is an excellent choice of therapy for children as it relaxes muscle tissue and lengthens the muscle in a short space of time.
It is an effective treatment in children as their muscles usually respond quickly, this therapy is great for patients of any age and can work well with stretching.
Dry Needling is an effective treatment for children suffering from chronic conditions such as Severs disease, growing pains, Achilles tendinitis, heel pain, plantar fasciitis, knock knees, and in the toe. It can help relieve pain associated with Osgood Schlatter’s disease.
Shockwave Therapy
Shockwave therapy uses acoustic waves and mechanical pulses to release trigger points in muscles.
When used to treat chronic conditions, shockwave therapy creates pressure waves; these pressure waves create an increase in new blood vessels and a release of proteins to stimulate healing.
It is particularly useful in treating children with muscle spasticity such as cerebral palsy.
Joint Mobilisation through Muscle Energy
Massage
Ingrown Toenail Surgery
Every attempt is made to avoid surgery, particularly in children at Erica Dash Podiatry. Always conservative means are tried first.
However, for chronic ingrown toenails or severely incurvated nails, we do offer nail surgery under a local anesthetic.
Children with ingrown nails often recover quickly from surgery and are back to playing sport usually within two weeks.
Cryotherapy for Plantar Warts
It is an excellent solution to plantar warts in children as it is relatively quick and painless.
Home Visits
Our team of friendly mobile podiatrists are fully registered and are available for a full range of in home podiatry services in the comfort of your own home.
Orthotics
If you experience foot, knee or leg pain in your daily activities then a professionally fitted custom orthotic could be the answer to your foot problems.
Dry Needling
Dry needle therapy can be very effective in treating a range of conditions including chronic muscle pain, neuromuscular problems, and sports injuries.
Schedule Your Appointment
Erica Dash Podiatry is family friendly treating a wide range of foot and leg complaints of patients of any age or stage of life - See All Podiatrists
Call us at 02 4367 0177 or fill out our online contact form to schedule your podiatry appointment today!