When it comes to the health of your children, you do everything you can to help them grow up healthy and strong. You get them vaccinated, take them to the dentist and optometrist, and you do your best to ensure they eat a nutritious diet that will help them grow. But are you aware of the important role foot health plays in a child’s overall development?
Ill-fitting footwear can irritate kids’ feet and aggravate existing conditions caused by injury, heredity, deformity, or illness. APMA offers parents guidance for keeping kids in shoes that fit properly and protect their feet:
- Take the child with you while shoe shopping and have him or her try on the shoes. Every shoe fits differently, so even if you’re buying your child’s correct size, the shoe still may not be comfortable. Have the child try on footwear with the socks or tights you expect will be worn with the shoes.
- Always measure a child’s foot before buying new shoes. Children’s feet grow so quickly that their shoe size can literally change from month to month.
- Shop late in the afternoon when feet are largest, and make sure to fit the shoe to the larger foot. Everyone’s feet swell by the end of the day, and no one has feet that are exactly the same size. One will always be slightly larger.
- Never buy shoes that are too large or need a “break-in” period. Shoes should be comfortable immediately. “Buying shoes for kids isn’t like buying a too-large coat that you know they’ll grow into,” Dr. Burk says. “Shoes that are too big can irritate a child’s feet, and even lead to tripping or injury.”
- Let kids have a say—within reason. “Of course parents will have to guide children toward good choices,” Dr. Burk says. “But allowing kids to have a say in the shoe-buying process can help promote healthy foot habits down the road.”
Once your child takes the new shoes home, keep watch to ensure the shoes stay comfortable and in good shape. Examine the child’s feet at the end of the day for signs of irritation. If your child always wants to remove one or both of the shoes, it may mean the shoes are uncomfortable.
Finally, says Dr. Burk, “Never hand down footwear.”
“Just because a shoe size fits one child comfortably doesn’t mean it will fit another the same way,” he notes. “Plus, sharing shoes can spread fungi like athlete’s foot and nail fungus.”
On top of other our suggestions, with footwear, checking for APMA approval is always recommended. Check our blog for more articles, tips and tricks.
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