Baby Foot Problems

Baby Leg Cramps
A muscle cramp is when a muscle within the body tenses or stiffens up.  Babies can suffer from baby leg cramps, which are often painful and can occur at any time. The cramps are sharp, sudden, and involuntary and may last for a few minutes, after which they will gradually subside.  They can have an effect on any muscle, however, the most common areas are in the calves and feet.

Most baby leg cramps are not an emergency and if you feel your baby is suffering, basic stretching and massaging can assist.

During a discomfort episode, you may want to try these tips to help resolve the muscle spasm.
 

• Massaging the legs.
• Stretching out the leg muscles. This may be tricky for younger children.
• Placing a warm cloth or heating pad on the sore leg. Be careful not to burn the skin and do not use during sleep.

If the discomfort does not seem to improve, ask your health care provider if it is OK to give your baby an over-the-counter pain medicine, for example acetaminophen or ibuprofen  (never administer anything without checking first). Ask about the appropriate dose for your baby. Under no circumstances give aspirin to a baby. Aspirin use in youngsters has been linked to a life-threatening condition known as Reye's syndrome.

Baby Foot Problems
Baby's feet usually appear flat due to the fact that they enter this world with an additional fat pad inside the arch area.  This is because their muscles are not developed enough to support the arches when they first begin to stand. In actual fact, the arch does not generally become apparent until they are about 2 1/2 years of age.

At the time your baby is born, your ob-gyn, and after that, your pediatrician, will look for noticeable baby foot problems or abnormalities in your baby's feet and legs. They will check their hips to make certain they are not dislocated, tickle the bottom of their foot to check for the correct neurological response (the toes should fan out), and will actually count to make certain there are ten toes.

One of the most common deformities are baby foot problems. Foot deformities have been found in nearly 5% of all newborns. Most of these foot deformities are treated with nonsurgical treatments, and in numerous cases can simply be observed. Nevertheless, it is important to understand the deformity to make sure proper treatment is being made available and avoid any baby foot pain.

Below are some common baby foot problems:

1. Metatarsus Adductus
This is a common foot problem found in newborn babies and affects approximately 1% of children.  The appearance of the sole of the foot is described as 'bean shape' and the toes point inward.
 

2. Clubfoot Clubfoot is really a birth defect that causes a newborn baby's feet to point down and inward. Whilst clubfoot isn't going to lead to discomfort, it may result in long-term problems, affecting the child's ability to walk. However, if clubfoot is properly treated, the deformity can generally be corrected in early childhood.

3. Congenital Vertical Talus
Congenital vertical talus is an uncommon cause of a flatfoot in newborns. It is often related with other chromosomal or congenital conditions.  It is recognized by the child having a flat foot with a 'rocker-bottom' sole.

4. Polydactyly
This term indicates extra limbs and can be hereditary; however, it is known to occur without previous family history of the condition. The usual treatment of polydactyly of the foot would be to surgically remove the extra toe. The timing of surgery is delayed until the baby is about one year but before they begin to walk.

5. Congenital Curly Toes
This condition arises when one of the toes is rotated or bent. The treatment of a curly toe deformity would be to cut the tendon around the bottom of the toe to relieve the pressure causing the bend.
 

 6. Overlapping Toes
An overlapping toe is usually a condition of the 5th digit (the baby toe), when it crosses over the top of the 4th toe. This condition happens in varying degrees, and in some children, it isn't a problem. In others, an overlapping toe can create issues with footwear, and may well require a surgical procedure to correct the deformity.

Your Baby's First Steps

Most babies can pull themselves up to stand and begin to take their very first steps somewhere in between the ages of 8 months and 12 months. Near their first birthday, they can generally stand and take a few steps holding onto furniture.  Only if your baby shows signs of delayed walking or you notice your baby has bow legs or is walking on tiptoes, should you be concerned.

All babies' first steps are awkward and appear much more like lurching than walking. As their leg muscles develop, they go  from crawling, babies, pulling themselves up, to standing on their own. 

There is a wide variation from one particular baby to another in learning to walk. One content baby may not walk until 3 or 4 months after another. That does not necessarily signal baby leg problems or delayed walking. Both babies will most likely be equally healthy and in a position to run and play as they get older.

Child Leg Pain
Lots of youngsters suffer from child leg pain and this pain usually occurs at night and effects children between the ages of 4 and 12.  Although the pain is distressing, it is harmless and is a phase that will pass.

Growing pains are not related to growth spurts and therefore, some physicians prefer to call it recurrent nocturnal limb discomfort.

Children who are more active and have flexible joints are more likely to suffer with growing pains than less active children.  The condition also appears to be hereditary.

What to do
Should your child be suffering, you may administer ibuprofen or paracetamol to alleviate the pains.  Providing your child with this medication at bedtime, following an active day can help them from being bothered with the pain during the night.  Always check with your physician or pharmacist regarding the correct dosage.

If your child is under 16, do not give them asprin unless specifically told to do so by your physician.

Massaging your child's leg can also help with the pain.

Supportive footwear, for example trainers, may help with the symptoms of child leg pain.

Other related posts:

http://yourchildsfoot.blogspot.co.uk/
http://motheringtimes.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/growing-pains-in-children.html