Why Your Child’s Feet and Ankles Are Swelling
Noticing your child’s feet or ankles looking a little puffy can be a moment of concern for any parent. Swelling, aka edema, can happen for many reasons, but for children, the common causes are a bit different, and more than likely benign. However, it’s our job at PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center to educate you on all the possible causes, so that you can make the right decisions for your little one. But first: what is happening to your children’s ankles, anyway?
What is Pediatric Edema?
At its simplest, pediatric edema is just fluid accumulation in a child’s tissues. It's not a condition in itself, but a symptom. Imagine a sponge soaking up water; that's kind of what happens when excess fluid moves out of tiny blood vessels (capillaries) and gets trapped in the surrounding tissues. This can make the skin look stretched or puffy, and if you press on it gently, it might leave a temporary indentation. Let’s explore why this happens in children.
Common and Benign Causes of Swelling
Like adults, children can get puffy feet after a very active day. If your child has been running, jumping, or standing much longer than usual, their feet might swell. This usually happens because increased blood flow to working muscles and gravity cause fluid to collect, and it typically resolves with rest.
Summertime fun also often comes with swollen feet. In hot weather, blood vessels naturally widen to help the body cool down, which makes it easier for fluid to leak into the surrounding tissues and appear puffy.
Even a minor injury, like a simple twist, a small bump, or a bee sting, can cause localized swelling around the injured area, as this is the body’s natural response, sending extra fluid and healing cells to the site.
When to Be More Concerned About the Swelling
While many cases of pediatric edema are benign, swelling can sometimes be a sign of a more significant health issue:
Kidney and Liver Issues: When these organs aren’t working properly, fluid can build up in the feet and ankles.
Medication Side Effects: Certain medications can have fluid retention as a known side effect. Always check with your pediatrician about any new medications.
Infection: Localized swelling accompanied by redness, warmth, pain, or fever around a cut or scratch can indicate a spreading bacterial infection (like cellulitis) that needs prompt treatment.
Note: if your child's swelling is sudden, severe, painful, affects only one side, or is accompanied by other symptoms like fever, difficulty breathing, or changes in urination, seek medical attention.
At PodiatryCare, PC, and the Heel Pain Center, we treat a wide variety of foot and ankle ailments. Dr. Matthew Tschudy, Dr. Rebecca Wiesner, Dr. Kristen Winters, Dr. Laura Vander Poel, and the rest of our team are ready to serve our Hartford County patients. To schedule an appointment at our Enfield location, call (860) 741-3041; for an appointment at our South Windsor location, call (860) 644-6525.