8 Year Old Newphew Who Suddenly Couldn't Walk

I am a podiatrist - or was for 12 years in the UK, until I moved to the USA.

There are just a few things this could be

1. as the first lady said - sever's disease - not common, but not too uncommon.

2. Tarsal coalition.

3. plantar fasciitis.

you can google all three, to see which matches his symptoms, then see which treatment to use - all three have a similar treatment plan, of steroids, casts, anti inflammatories, rest and stretching etc

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First- calm down. I have heard about this from my mother-in-law who not only has 3 boys but was an RN for years. This happens to some children in which their bone or bones are growing at an increased rate and can be extremely painful. It usually passes. If you can oversees, see if there is a Physical Therapist to help him out. They are used to this. My mother-in-law's best friend also works at a PT office. Beyond that, accupuncture.

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Any podiatrists out there?

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I guarantee it's Sever's Disease. Look that up and you will be informed. It's nothing dangerous but the pain is real. Ice his foot, massage it for him and keep him off of it for a few days and it will get better. If you choose to go to the doc they will tell you the same thing. I just had a tenant whose daughter had this. She wouldnt stay off of her foot to let it heal so she ended up having to wear a boot thing for a little while... a couple of weeks or so. Mom just gave her tylenol, she is 8 yrs old and is fine now.

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This happened to my daughter about a year ago. Same thing..went to the doctor and they did x-rays etc. Told me it was a virus and it could take up to 2 weeks to right itself. I left the doctors office and took her to our family chiropractor. He believed she jarred her knee somehow and adjusted her knee and spine. She was running full speed pretty much as soon as we left his office. He encouraged me to have her be quiet for the evening but that was impossible. She was ready to run. She has been running ever since. I wish you the best. It is so difficult when we encounter the unkowns with our children! God Bless!

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My son was 2 or 3 at the time it was 4th of July at my sisters I remeber him tripping but he didn't cry or anything the next day he woke up couldn't walk on it he was crawling to get around I took him into the ER they did blood work all came back great an X-ray should nothing so the end result was twisted sprained & keep him hydrated the muscles cramp up when your dehydrated he may have over worked his muscles from the knee down behind his calf to foot from just tripping in the yard.He was all better less than 48 hrs but it was scary

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i don't know! But my thoughts are with you

Have you considered alternative healing practitioners? Reiki and/or intuitive counselors? Also, hypnotherapy to see if your beautiful nephew's sub-conscious might be able to offer insight.

I could be a bone bruise - I have had one of those and he should be starting to get better unless he keeps re-injuring it. If it has been over a month or six weeks it probably isn't a bone bruise. I don't think x-rays, mri's, blood test or anything else will help diagnose it so it is just for him to keep off of it or to treat it gently.

N.

Planter's wart? I had them as a teen and they were quite painful. I can see an 8yr not wanting to walk. Hard to see, easy to treat. He should se a podiatrist (may have spelled wrong but it is a foot specialist).

Consider arthritis. My stepson was 8 and we were at the beach. He suddenly had trouble walking because his joints ached. His father has severe arthritis. So I gave him baby aspirin until we got home and he could get back to his mom. His mom then put him on a non-arthritis diet (don't ask me) and within six months he was much better. I know he eliminated red meat. You could do some research on the net. It could be a form of gout. I know that he is really early for gout, but weird things are happening to our kids now.

It sounds like plantar fasciitis, but he seems awfully young. I guess it could be caused by growing. I had something similar in my knee when I was about 10. The ligament didn't keep up with the bones. It could be what is happening in his heel and creating the plantar fasciitis.

I am just recovering from it and it is awful. Rest it and stretch the back of the legs. Have him roll his foot over a bottle of frozen ice. Just put some water in a plastic bottle and freeze it. Remember to leave some room for expansion of the ice or you will pop the cap off and make a mess in the freezer.

I'm not a doctor and don't feel qualified next to the podiatrist who answered you, but my grandmother had this same symptom and it turned out to be a bone spur...a growth on one of her bones that dug into the fleshy parts of her foot every time she stepped. I think she said it was from too much calcium, so she got a calcium deposit.

Take him swimming a couple of hours every day so he stays in shape. It will also help his heal. He could have a spur. Accupunture helps with his condition. So does homeopathy. What country are you in? I work all over the world and have contacts who can recommend someone for him.

He probably has plantation faciitis. Does it feel like walking on broken glass? If so he needs to ice foot order night splints online and change to better shoes