Tripping and getting back up is a process every child goes through as they learn to walk and get more acquainted with life on two feet. As a parent, you’ve probably watched your child trip more than a few times as they transition from crawling baby to teetering toddler to running child, but when does youthful clumsiness become something more concerning? If you’re worried that your child is tripping and falling too often, this blog is for you. Below, we explore what could be causing this excessive tripping and what you should do if you’re concerned that your child is tripping too often.
My Child Keeps Tripping
We can’t sit here and put a specific number on how much is too much when it comes to child clumsiness and tripping over their feet. That said, we do recommend that you try to keep an eye on your child and compare them to their contemporaries when they are together. If your child is consistently falling more than others or is having a hard time keeping up with kids their age, it may be wise to have a conversation with your pediatrician or a foot specialist. That’s not to say that something is certainly wrong, and it’s quite possible that they’ll age out of whatever issue they are dealing with, but it’s worth at least getting a professional set of eyes on.
Aside from tripping more than their peers, other signs that suggest you may want to discuss your child’s walking or movement habits with a medical professional include:
- Walking appears difficult, uncomfortable or painful for your child
- Your child mentions that certain movements are painful
- Their feet are turned significantly outward or inward when moving
- They continue to walk on their toes (toe walking) past the age of six
- You notice visible gait issues when your child is walking
Again there is no guarantee that there is a major issue afoot if your kid is tripping more than others. Perhaps a simple explanation exists, like they are wearing a shoe that is slightly too big for their feet and it’s throwing off their proprioception, or they are simply going through a growth spurt and adjusting to their growing body. We’ll be happy to assess your child’s foot and ankle health and determine if hands-on treatment is necessary or if you should simply continue with watchful waiting.
As we’ve talked about on the blog in the past, early identification is key when it comes to pediatric foot issues. Stopping a problem in its infancy is incredibly important for the long-term health of your child’s feet. It may not turn out to be something serious, but if a problem is present that does warrant additional care, you’ll be glad that you discovered the issue and began treatment sooner rather than later, because that can make all the difference.
Tripping is a normal part of life, but if you have concerns over your child’s tripping or movement habits, reach out to a professional for an assessment. It could be normal for kids their age, or it could warrant some simple intervention options. We’re confident that we can provide the right type of care for your child’s foot needs. Reach out to Dr. Silverman or click around on our website for more information about pediatric foot concerns.