Concerned about DD's (24 months) feet

[Lionstar]

Took DD for a shoe fitting the other day as she was complaining her toes hurt. At the local independent shoe shop they measured her a 5 i.e. no change since last time, but they did say they were a bit concerned about her foot posture. Her feet are very flat - which is not unusual for 2, but she is also rolling over inwards on her ankles. I had noticed this before, but just assumed it was usual for toddler feet. They suggested taking her to a doctor as she may need orthotics.

Now I'm feeling guilty that she has a problem and I hadn't worried about it. She started walking at 10.5 months, but was well over one before she was at all confident. Even now her running is very uncoordinated, with more than a touch of a John Wayne swagger. She falls over A LOT. She can even fall over when standing still apparently doing nothing.

She doesn't wear shoes apart from to go outside. She is barefoot or wears socks or soft slippers indoors - even at nursery. All the internet research I did about shoes suggest the softest (or none) the better. However the ladies in the shop suggested she needed lots of stiffness with high ankle support.

Does anyone have any experience of kids feet. Have I been getting this wrong. Will my poor DD have bad feet for the rest of her life?

Put this under behaviour and development - you may get a quicker response!

It doesn't sound to me as if you've done anything wrong!

She could be hypermobile. I am, and the flat/rolling feet and falling over sound familiar. I would take her to the GP but try not to worry: hypermobility can just mean double-jointedness but she might need a bit of extra support.

My dd was born with positional talipes (she was a bit squashed in the womb and her feet were bent inwards) which although was sorted out within a few weeks but her ankles did roll inwards as a toddler. The advice I was given by a peadiatrician and a podiatrist was good supporting ankle boots. She is 11 now and if you look hard you can still them go over slightly in non supporting shoes but they don't seem to bother her.

Get referred to a podiatrist. Both my DDs have flat feet (DHs fault!) Both of them have had special orthotics made to go inside their shoes and are much more comfortable. (Cost a bloody fortune though!)You can get them on the NHS but the waiting list was very long round here and the orthotics not as good- the ones my DDs had made were from special scans they had done so they are custom made.

DD2 was born with positional talipes but the flat feet thing only really came to light when she was 8 and started to complain about pains in her feet and knees. THe doctor we saw also said she has auxilliary bones in her feet and these may need operating on when she is 16 if they don't fuse. SHe was always falling over her own feet when she was little.

Thanks all for your advice. I think I'll take her to the GP and see what he says. No point in sitting here worrying about it is there.