Hyperhydrosis, or excessive sweating is caused by over active sweat glands on the bottom of the foot and is especially common in adolescent children who are going through hormonal changes or physical stress. It can also occur frequently with children who are involved in a lot of sports and are stuck in gym shoes and socks the majority of the day.
Excessive sweating of the feet can lead to blister formation, athletes foot, skin breakdown, and painful calluses. With lingering moisture, inevitably, foot odor becomes a real problem for the child.
Treatment of Hyperhydrosis:
Treatment can include powders, creams and antiperspirants. Using an over the counter antiperspirant on your feet daily can help reduce moisture and odor. There are also prescription topical medications to prevent the sweating at a cellular level.
It is very important to remind your child to change socks frequently, and air out shoes and liners of the shoes each night. Teach your children about the importance of wearing socks in all of their shoes and how they can prevent the spread of infection and odor. The ideal sock for your child to be wearing is a synthetic cotton/poly blend.
Tinea Pedis, or Athletes Foot, commonly affects children after puberty. It is easily contracted due to the prolonged use of closed toe shoes, resulting in hot, sweaty feet which promotes the growth of the fungus. Athletes foot appears as itchy, scaly areas on the soles and sometimes will form painful cracks in between the toes.
Treatment of Athletes Foot includes topical or anti fungal medication or in severe cases a combination of both. Recurrence is common due to fungus being so common in the environment so make sure your child uses the medication as directed and does not stop as soon as they symptoms are gone.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Ankle Sprain's in Children: How to Treat
Ankle sprains are on of the most common injuries we see in children. Children these days are part of so many sport teams and don't forget gym class... What causes an ankle sprain??
Most of the time an ankle sprain is caused by a twist or blow to the ankle causing the ankle to turn at abnormal angles. There are three ligaments that are on the outside of the ankle that are commonly injured. The job of these ligaments is to hold the ankle in a neutral position. Once these ligaments have been injured the ankle can become weak and instability can occur.
Often times the first symptom of an ankle sprain will be swelling, often the size of a golf ball. Most of the time once the swelling goes away parents, children and even coaches think they are healed and it is okay to get back to activities. This is way to soon!!!
An ankle sprain affects the balance of your ankle and the ankle ligaments need time to heal and become strong again. Getting back to activities to soon makes re-injury more likely and you run the risk of having a weak and unstable ankle.
Other symptoms of an ankle sprain are pain, bruising, stiffness in the joint, and pin point tenderness.
So you think you have sprained your ankle.. How do you treat?
The treatment of an ankle sprain depends on the severity of the sprain. Initial treatment should always include rest, ice, elevation and compression. Anti-inflammatory can be helpful for reduction of swelling and pain. Most times the ankle is weak and needs to be immobilized. A lace up ankle brace or soft cast may be necessary to help the ankle rest, regain strength, and return to activities pain free. Long term instability can be prevented with physical therapy.
If you have fallen down and gone boom, make sure you have your child evaluated by a Podiatrist who can give you the recommendations on how to get your child back to full activity and participating in the sports he or she loves.
Most of the time an ankle sprain is caused by a twist or blow to the ankle causing the ankle to turn at abnormal angles. There are three ligaments that are on the outside of the ankle that are commonly injured. The job of these ligaments is to hold the ankle in a neutral position. Once these ligaments have been injured the ankle can become weak and instability can occur.
Often times the first symptom of an ankle sprain will be swelling, often the size of a golf ball. Most of the time once the swelling goes away parents, children and even coaches think they are healed and it is okay to get back to activities. This is way to soon!!!
An ankle sprain affects the balance of your ankle and the ankle ligaments need time to heal and become strong again. Getting back to activities to soon makes re-injury more likely and you run the risk of having a weak and unstable ankle.
Other symptoms of an ankle sprain are pain, bruising, stiffness in the joint, and pin point tenderness.
So you think you have sprained your ankle.. How do you treat?
The treatment of an ankle sprain depends on the severity of the sprain. Initial treatment should always include rest, ice, elevation and compression. Anti-inflammatory can be helpful for reduction of swelling and pain. Most times the ankle is weak and needs to be immobilized. A lace up ankle brace or soft cast may be necessary to help the ankle rest, regain strength, and return to activities pain free. Long term instability can be prevented with physical therapy.
If you have fallen down and gone boom, make sure you have your child evaluated by a Podiatrist who can give you the recommendations on how to get your child back to full activity and participating in the sports he or she loves.
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