Podiatric disorders among children with Down syndrome and learning disability

Dev Med Child Neurol. 1995 Feb;37(2):131-4. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.1995.tb11982.x.

Abstract

This study investigated podiatric pathology in seven- to 14-year-old children with Down syndrome (DS) and non-Down syndrome learning-disabled and non-learning-disabled age-matched controls. Several conditions, including pes planus, fissures, split toenails, increased plantar flexed first ray and a wide hallucal cleft were found to be more common in the DS group. Pes cavus and foot rigidity were more common in the non-DS learning-disabled group. In all groups the majority of children wore laced shoes, which were most ill-fitting among children with a learning disability. Approximately one-third in each group had abnormal foot-pressure prints. Greater care and professional awareness of podiatric pathology in children with learning disability is recommended.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Down Syndrome / complications*
  • Female
  • Foot Deformities / diagnosis
  • Foot Deformities / epidemiology*
  • Foot Deformities / etiology
  • Foot Diseases / diagnosis
  • Foot Diseases / epidemiology*
  • Foot Diseases / etiology
  • Humans
  • Learning Disabilities / complications*
  • Male
  • Matched-Pair Analysis
  • Pressure
  • Prevalence
  • Shoes