Treatment for crooked feet for children

Scoliosis is one of the most common defects in children, the disease is not dangerous but affects the development of the baby. Early detection and proper treatment will have unexpected results.

When it is discovered that your baby has signs of scoliosis, parents will be very worried and wonder about the treatment. Join aFamilyToday Health to learn about the treatment for this disease!

How to treat crooked feet?

Most babies with a scoliosis need to be treated as soon as possible. Treatment should be started within a week or two of the baby's birth. However, treatment can still be effective if doctors start it at a later point in time.

The Ponseti method is considered the primary treatment for children with crooked feet. The doctor will gently straighten the baby's leg and place it in the brace to keep the leg in a normal position. Parents need to take their kids for check-ups every week for about a few months. The doctor will adjust the brace each time, and your baby's foot posture will improve slowly each time until it returns to normal.

The doctor will place multiple braces on the baby's leg, an average of about 5−6 braces used during the treatment. The exact amount depends on the degree of curvature of the foot. Sometimes between the 4th or 5th splint, the doctor will perform minor surgeries on the baby to release the Achilles tendon behind the heel. This surgery can be done simply with a local anesthetic.

Your baby needs another brace for 3 weeks to help heal the tendons. Then, your baby needs to wear a special shoe to fix his legs and ankles in place. This shoe is designed with metal threads to help hold the foot firmly from the ankle, heel and foot. Although it may sound uncomfortable to your baby, wearing these shoes is very necessary, helping your baby to completely heal and walk normally.

Babies need to wear shoes 23 hours a day for the first 2 or 3 months. After that, your baby just needs to bring it at night and at naps until they are 4 or 5 years old. Adhering to treatment for such a long time can be challenging, but it benefits your baby a lot. If not, the baby's feet may return to the original handicapped position.

About 30% of cases recur if parents stop using special shoes for their babies for treatment when the child is 3 years old. Stopping shoes for just a few hours a day or overnight increases the risk of recurrence. The Ponseti method is considered to be effective in treating babies with clubfoot. This method helps to adjust the legs of disabled babies with an 80-90% chance of success.

If Ponseti treatment isn't right for your baby or if it doesn't work then another option to treat your baby is physical therapy. A physical therapist will do exercises and stretches to correct the position of the foot.

Early detection and treatment is essential for babies with crooked feet. Parents can refer to the above information to choose the most effective treatment for their baby.