Led by Stewart Morrison of the University of Brighton, a post-doctoral research team seeks to answer the question:

What are the foot-care and footwear needs of children and young people with learning disabilities? 

Foot problems are reported to be a very common health issue in adults with learning disabilities, yet poorly understood in children and young people with learning disabilities.  There are some research studies that have reported foot and footwear complications in children with Down’s syndrome but this topic area still remains under-researched.

There are some foot problems which are more likely to affect children and young people with Down’s syndrome in particular, such as flat footedness.

The researchers often see children in their clinic with foot problems and understand the common frustrations that parents experience with managing these issues, as well as problems with finding good shoes for their children.  Access to foot-care services is important, yet limited awareness about the types of foot problems children experience, and the challenges their parents face, is a barrier to ensuring people understand their needs and offer the appropriate services needed to manage foot problems.

Summary of findings available here.

If you would like more information, please contact: Stewart Morrison, School of Health Sciences, University of Brighton S.C.Morrison@brighton.ac.uk