Podiatry Services Strengthen Orthopaedic Support for High-Acuity Needs

Cincinnati Children’s now offers pediatric podiatry services through the Division of Orthopaedics, connecting children with common to complex needs to higher-acuity care. 

Sadie Wylie, DPM, joined the division this fall as a staff podiatrist, establishing the first full-time pediatric podiatry program at Cincinnati Children’s. Wylie is now seeing patients at the Burnet, Green Township and Crestview Hills locations. She will also see patients at the Eastgate location.

A Critical Addition to Comprehensive Care

Through the newly created podiatry program at Cincinnati Children’s, Wylie sees pediatric patients to address common medical issues and those with more advanced concerns. For patients with complex needs, it fills a gap in care that couldn’t be provided in the community—a pediatric setting with safe procedural settings, including anesthesia options when needed and Child Life support.

“In my previous work in private practice, I was seeing a lot of pediatric patients and realizing it was hard to get escalated care for those who needed it,” she says, referring to situations when a child may need more advanced or aggressive treatment. “There would be a barrier for kids who couldn’t tolerate an in-office procedure.”

Wylie, who is board-certified in foot surgery, says that having podiatry now as a service at Cincinnati Children’s frees up time for general and orthopaedic surgeons who were previously having to perform procedures for conditions like ingrown toenails.

“I’ve heard from specialties like dermatology and orthopaedics that this helps providers who maybe didn’t know who to refer to previously,” she says. “Other specialties were cross-covering these children before. I think we’re setting a precedent through this program by showing there’s a need for it, and by working so cooperatively.”

Through the new program, Wylie treats patients who are referred to pediatric podiatry for issues like ingrown toenails, fungal infections, warts, splinters and foreign bodies in the bottom of the foot. Although she says that most referrals come from emergency departments and urgent cares, she adds that many also come from pediatricians—and that parents can self-refer patients.

Within the next few years, Wylie hopes to grow the program to include another podiatrist or two. She also notes that podiatry residents from the University of Cincinnati will serve rotations through podiatry at Cincinnati Children’s, providing opportunities for education and research.

(Published November 2025)

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