littleSTEPS Foot Orthotics for Kids are designed to fit all kids from toddlers to teens.

Children with flat feet and other foot problems often have difficulty walking, running, or playing sports due to pain and/or impaired coordination. littleSTEPS®products are specifically designed for kids to deliver a prescription based correction, the closest you will find to custom! littleSTEPS® are composed of a unique blend of materials specifically chosen for kids to provide optimal strength, support and comfort -with a non-skid soft edge feel.

Five Signs Your Child May Have a Foot Problem

(American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons, visit ACFAS.org)

Your child cannot keep up with his peers

Your child withdraws from activities they usually enjoy

Your child does not want to show you his foot

Your child often trips and falls

Your child complains of pain – IT IS NEVER NORMAL FOR A CHILD TO HAVE FOOT PAIN!!



Foot Facts

It is normal for a child’s foot to appear flat up until about the age of 2 due to a thick layer of baby fat that fills the arch area. As long as the child is otherwise healthy, and the foot is flexible and free of pain, then no treatment is necessary.

Most children will begin to walk by 12-14 months, although there is a great deal of developmental diversity among children.

As a child begins to walk, they will initially be unsteady, with awkward and erratic movements, as their brain learns to coordinate movement. During this time it is common for a child to walk on their toes.

Within several months of a child’s first steps, they will begin to master their movements. They should begin to walk flat on their feet instead of on their toes.

A child’s arch becomes more obvious around 3 years of age when the fat pad disappears. At this age it is normal to observe a good arch when the child is sitting or lying down. Upon standing however, the arch may look very low. In most cases, this may be completely normal.

When a child’s arch is severely flat, coupled with an inward bowing of the ankles and Achilles tendon, they may have a true flexible flatfoot. This is also known as “developmental flat foot”. This is a foot that has a normal looking arch when non-weight bearing and a flat arch in standing. Typically this condition is not painful, but may lead to postural concerns and poor muscle development.

It is uncommon for a child with a normal foot to complain of pain.

Any complaint of limb or foot pain from a child should not be taken lightly. . “Growing pains” are not normal and are usually not the cause of foot and leg pain. Any child complaining of pain should be seen by their doctor to rule out a potentially serious condition.

In rare cases, some children may be born with a malformation of the ankle bone that causes a rigid flat foot, coupled with the appearance of a “rocker-bottom” foot. This condition, although extremely rare, is cause for serious concern and warrants an evaluation by a physician.

There are other serious joint problems, such as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, that cause foot pain in children. This is the reason that foot and leg pain in children is always cause for concern.

We also offer prefabricated adult foot orthotics.