Most parents take their infant children to a general paediatrician without ever considering that their child might require more specialized care too. By dint of awareness campaigns, parents know that their babies have to be tested for hearing, seeing and speaking; it is easier to cure of correct disorders that affect these senses when the children are younger than when they are older because the organs, muscles and bones of young children are more malleable. For the same reason, it is better to find out as early as possible whether or not your baby requires professional foot therapy.
A Quick Once All
Schedule an appointment at a paediatric podiatry clinic so that the doctor/s can check your baby’s feet for any misalignments or problems. Many parents never notice flat feet, collapsed arches and other problems until their child is well past the age of trying to walk. Other problems like in-toeing and out-toeing develop later, when toddlers actually start to walk but even these can be identified soon if you have already visited a doctor and you know what to look for.
A Deeper Knowledge
Parents might go for a pedicure without ever once questioning why it is necessary to have one. Unless you do manual labour with your hands, our feet are the primary contact point with the ground and therefore the skin is exposed to all the elements as well as hardening quickly through rough use. It can become uncomfortable and even painful. Don’t just sit in the chair and swipe your phone when you are at an appointment; talk to the therapist about feet and health so that you have awareness about it and will be able to easily spot if something is wrong with your child’s feet. Salon employees are usually the first people to notice problems and then refer clients to the doctors, so tap into their knowledge. Go here http://dynamicpodiatry.co.nz/childrens-foot-care.html for more infotmation about childrens foot care.
Encourage Movement
It is very difficult to look after a crawling or walking baby, as babysitters will attest. Some parents therefore keep babies in playpens or cots or even high-chairs to limit their movement. Restricting their movements even with the best of intentions can sometimes cause irreparable harm however; children need to crawl and toddle in order to strengthen their leg muscles, flex their bones and eventually, learn how to walk. As annoying as it is to keep an eye on an ever-moving baby, it is better for them in the long run that they learn to move when they are ready to.