As you know, prevention is much more effective, and important than treatment. If you prevent a problem, treating it in the future may not be necessary. There is no scenario that adhering to this principle becomes more important than when we are treating our children or in Pediatric Medicine. Podiatry has always focused on pediatric prevention. In the 70’s the Arthroeresis procedure was pioneered by a Podiatrist for correcting and preventing the problems associated with pediatric flatfoot. This was a minimally invasive procedure that effected the way the foot grew to prevent the development of future foot problems that would require more extensive surgery and cause other issues to develop.
Getting your little ones to the Podiatrist is just as important as having routine dental exams. Diagnosing foot problems in kids can prevent surgery and treatment in their adult life. I have always include discussion about possible manifestation of your diagnosis in your kids feet and provide consultation for my patient’s children as part of the follow-up care on your visit.
My thought is that if a doctor cares, he or she will always include in their discussion an invitation to examine the patient’s kids feet in the their upcoming visits. This is consistent with the philosophy that if we catch things early, we can prevent them. That is the premise of Aesthetic Foot Surgery, and a good doctor takes that concept and extends it to the next generation.
Children can present with early signs of all basic diagnoses. Flat feet, bunions, warts and even hammertoes have all been described in children as young as five. Providing you with the most advanced surgical techniques to correct foot problems has always been our goal, but remember to bring in your children for preventative diagnosis and treatment, so we can avoid surgery in the next generation.
