What We Treat in Children and Teens

Heel pain in active kids (Sever’s disease)

The most common cause of heel pain between ages 8 and 14 isn’t an injury — it’s calcaneal apophysitis, or Sever’s disease: irritation of the growth plate in the heel during growth spurts, especially in soccer, basketball, and gymnastics kids. It is very treatable. Most children improve with activity adjustments, calf stretching, heel lifts or cushioned insoles, and time — without ever needing to stop sports entirely. What it shouldn’t be is ignored for a full season while your child plays through pain.

Flat feet and fallen arches

Here’s the honest answer most parents don’t get: flexible flat feet are normal in toddlers and often improve on their own as the arch develops through childhood. Many kids never need treatment. We treat pediatric flatfoot when it causes pain, fatigue, tripping, or activity avoidance — with stretching, supportive shoes, and custom orthotics when they’re actually warranted. If your child’s flat feet are painless and flexible, we’ll tell you that watching and waiting is a legitimate plan.

In-toeing, out-toeing, and gait concerns

“Pigeon toes” and out-turned feet worry parents more than almost anything else — and most cases are normal rotational development that resolves by age 8–10. A gait exam tells us whether your child is in the normal range or has something that benefits from early guidance. Either way, you leave knowing instead of wondering.

Ingrown toenails

Tight cleats, growth spurts, and enthusiastic nail trimming make ingrown toenails one of the most common reasons kids visit us. Caught early, they’re simple to fix. Infected or recurring ones can be permanently corrected with a quick in-office procedure under local numbing — see our ingrown toenail treatment page for how that works.

Plantar warts

Warts on the soles spread easily in locker rooms, pools, and gym class — and squeezing or “duct-taping” them for months rarely ends well. We offer plantar wart removal options matched to your child’s age and pain tolerance, from gentle topical protocols to in-office removal.

Sports injuries and ankle sprains

Growing ankles sprain differently — what looks like a mild sprain in a child can involve a growth plate. We evaluate ankle and sports injuries with growing bones in mind, get imaging when it matters, and build return-to-play plans parents and coaches can actually follow.

What a Visit Looks Like

1. We listen first. You tell us what you’ve noticed; your child tells us what hurts (or doesn’t). No rushed two-minute exam.
2. Watch them move. We examine feet and ankles and watch your child stand, walk, and sometimes hop or run — gait tells us more than an X-ray for many childhood concerns.
3. Plain-language answers. You leave knowing whether this is normal development, something to watch, or something to treat — and why.
4. A plan that fits a kid’s life. Stretches that take five minutes, shoe guidance that survives the school year, and treatment that keeps them in the activities they love whenever possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

At what age can a child see a podiatrist?

Any age. We see toddlers for gait and structural questions, school-age kids for warts, ingrown nails, and heel pain, and teens for sports injuries. If you’re unsure whether it’s “worth a visit,” call and ask — our staff will tell you honestly.

Will my child grow out of flat feet?

Often, yes — flexible flat feet frequently improve as the arch develops through childhood. The exceptions are rigid flat feet, painful flat feet, or flat feet that make a child avoid activity. Those deserve an exam rather than waiting.

Is heel pain from growing pains or an injury?

In active kids 8–14, heel pain during sports seasons is most often Sever’s disease — growth-plate irritation, not a true injury. But persistent pain, swelling, limping, or pain after a specific twist or fall should be examined. The treatment for each is different, which is why the diagnosis matters.

Do kids’ ingrown toenails need surgery?

Usually not. Early ingrown nails often respond to conservative care and better trimming technique. If a nail is infected or keeps coming back, a minor in-office procedure with local numbing fixes it permanently — most kids are back in shoes the next day.

Does insurance cover pediatric podiatry?

Medically necessary care — exams for pain, injuries, infections, warts, and ingrown nails — is generally covered like any other specialist visit. Our staff verifies your child’s coverage before the appointment; call (810) 206-1402 and we’ll check.

Care Parents Can Trust

Balance Foot & Ankle is led by Dr. Tom Biernacki, DPM, with offices in Howell and Bloomfield Hills serving families across Livingston and Oakland County. Kids are treated gently, parents get straight answers, and nothing is recommended that your child doesn’t actually need.