The first week of September has a way of exposing whatever happened to your child's feet over the summer. Sandals come off, the runners from last spring go back on, and suddenly there is a limp on the walk to school or a complaint about a sore heel after gym class. Children's feet can grow a full size in a few months, so gear and habits that worked in June may no longer suit the child heading back to class.

Here is a practical checklist for North York parents: what to look at before school starts, the foot problems that tend to surface in September, and the signs that a visit to a Chiropodist is worth booking.

Start With a Five-Minute Foot Check

Before the school routine takes over, look at your child's bare feet in good light. You are checking for:

• Redness or pressure marks that linger after shoes come off

• Nails that curve into the skin at the corners, or look thickened or discoloured

• Peeling or itchy skin between the toes

• Small rough growths on the sole, which may be plantar warts

• Calluses or blisters at the heel or the ball of the foot

Most of what you find will be minor. The point is a baseline. When you know what your child's feet looked like in August, a new complaint in October stands out instead of blending in.

Last Year's Shoes Probably Don't Fit

A summer in sandals hides a lot of growth. Before relying on last year's runners, have your child stand and check for about a thumb's width of space between the longest toe and the front of the shoe. Feet swell through the day, so try shoes on in the afternoon, and measure both feet, since one is usually a little longer.

The old pair has something to tell you too. Heavy wear along one edge of the sole hints at how your child's foot rolls when they walk, and that pattern is useful information to bring to an appointment. Our post on what a gait analysis shows explains how a walking pattern gets assessed professionally.

September Ramps Up Fast for Growing Feet

Summer activity is usually spread out. School concentrates it. Daily walks, gym class, recess and fall sports tryouts often land in the same two weeks, and for children roughly 8 to 14 that sudden jump in load can irritate the growth area at the back of the heel. Heel soreness after sport is a complaint parents commonly raise in the fall.

Sore muscles that settle overnight are a normal part of getting active again. Pain that returns with every practice, causes limping, or makes a child avoid an activity they normally enjoy deserves attention. A Chiropodist can assess whether footwear, activity load or foot mechanics are contributing.

Change Rooms, Pool Decks and Plantar Warts

School change rooms, swimming lessons and martial arts mats share one feature: warm, damp floors with lots of bare feet. That environment is how the virus behind plantar warts spreads, and it is also where fungal skin infections such as athlete's foot are often picked up. Three habits reduce the risk:

• Pack flip-flops or water shoes for showers and pool decks

• Dry between the toes after swimming, not just the tops of the feet

• Keep towels, socks and indoor shoes personal, never shared

If a small rough spot does appear on the sole, it helps to know what you are dealing with. Warts, corns and calluses can look alike yet behave differently. Our guide to telling warts, corns and calluses apart covers the differences, and the clinic's wart treatment page outlines the options a Chiropodist can offer when home care is not appropriate.

Small Habits That Prevent Bigger Problems

Three routines carry most of the weight in children's foot health:

• Nail trimming. Cut straight across, level with the tip of the toe. Rounding the corners deep into the nail fold is how many ingrown toenails start.

• Sock rotation. A fresh pair every day, and another after sport. Synthetic or wool blends handle sweat better than cotton.

• Taking complaints seriously. Young children often cannot articulate a fit problem, so behaviour is the signal. A child who repeatedly says a shoe hurts, or keeps pulling shoes off, is giving you useful information.

When to Book a Chiropodist Visit

Consider a professional assessment if you notice any of the following once school is underway:

• Limping, tiptoe walking, or a gait that looks noticeably different from other children the same age

• Heel or arch pain that keeps returning after activity

• An ingrown toenail that is red, swollen or weeping

• A wart that spreads, multiplies or hurts with walking

• Shoes wearing out unevenly within a few months

The Chiropodists at Donwood Foot Clinic in North York see children and teens as part of routine practice. A chiropody foot assessment looks at skin, nails, structure and walking pattern in a single visit, and if you have never brought a child to a foot clinic before, our first visit guide walks through what happens at an appointment. Routine care for the whole family is described on our medical foot care page. Extended benefits are accepted.

Frequently Asked Questions

My child never complains. How would I know their school shoes are too small?

Watch for indirect signs: red pressure marks after shoes come off, toenails that look bruised or thickened, toes that sit curled inside the shoe, or a child who pulls shoes off the moment they get home. Re-checking for a thumb's width of room at the longest toe every couple of months during the school year catches most growth spurts early.

Is heel soreness during fall sports something kids simply grow out of?

Soreness in that age group often relates to the growth area at the back of the heel and does tend to settle as a child matures, but that is not a reason to ignore it. Pain that recurs with every practice or causes limping deserves an assessment. Footwear changes, activity adjustments and cushioning under the heel are common ways a Chiropodist manages it while a child keeps growing.

Should a wart on my child's foot be looked at before school starts, or left alone?

Some plantar warts resolve on their own, though that can take many months, and a wart can spread to other spots or other people in the meantime. If it hurts when walking, is multiplying, or your child swims or trains barefoot, having a Chiropodist examine it early in the school year is a reasonable step.

Do I need a referral to bring my child to a Chiropodist in Ontario?

No referral is required and you can book directly. Some extended health plans do ask for one when you submit a claim, so it is worth checking your policy before the appointment.

If something on this list sounds familiar, appointments with our Chiropodists are available throughout the school year. Book online or call the clinic at (416) 445-1414.