When it comes to dealing with teeny, tiny feet, you don't want to hinder those precious growing bones or damage their developing arches. Get their shoes right so they step off on the right foot at the very start!
The first year of a child's life is the biggest growth time for feet and by the time your little one is two their foot has reached around half their adult foot size! Before they
walk, a pair of cotton or wool socks is best as these natural materials allow the feet to breathe (baby feet perspire twice as much as adults). Start looking for that first pair of real shoes about four weeks after your child begins to walk they need a bit of time to get used to walking and it's recommended you let the muscles strengthen before they have to carry a shoe.
Let's go shopping!
Get your child professionally fitted for at lease their first pair of shoes. You can find trained fitters at specialty shoe stores and in some of the bigger department stores like David Jones and Myer.
Westmead Children's Hospital paediatric physiotherapist Kristy Rose recommends you get a fitting done on your child every six weeks in the first two years of wearing shoes and then seasonally.
Getting the right fit
Little feet come in all shapes and sizes so it's really important not to just stick them in a standard size and hope for the best. The variation is so great that Clarks make 32 sizes for a two-year-old foot!
Martin Tabachnik, managing director of kids shoe chain Shoes & Sox, takes us through what his trained fitters do when assessing a child's foot for a shoe.
'There are four main things a fitter looks at:
* Length: you want a fit that leaves a bit of growing room at the front (toe) end of the shoe.
* Width : toddler feet are often very wide as they have a protective layer of fat around the foot ligaments. You don't want the shoe to be tight anywhere on the foot.
* Heel: this should be cupped firmly and the fastening device secure so that there is no slip or rubbing.
*Walk: test fitters need to see the child walk in the shoe to assess if she can cope with that particular shoe.'
'One good pair of shoes per season for a toddler and a secondary canvas pair for occasional casual wear is plenty,' Martin says.
Potential problems
Flat feet, pigeon toes and knock-knees are all part of development children don't develop arches until they are about six and their legs don't straighten completely until a year or so after that. Brown suggests you look more at overall signs when it comes to the feet.
'It's time to get your child checked if they are tripping or falling regularly or if they don't want to or can't walk for periods of time. And of course if there's any pain in their feet or legs address it don't just dismiss it as growing pains.'
Rose reminds those whose children had a condition at birth like talipes (club foot) to get their feet checked every six months in the first few years of their development and then every 12 months after that.
What makes a good shoe?
* The material go for a soft, full-grain leather that will allow feet to breathe and retain it's stretch.
* Flexibility – shoes should bend under the ball of the foot as the child lifts their foot to walk.
* It absorbs impact the bottom of the shoe should be spongy (polyurethane soles are best) so that there's no jarring when your child puts their foot down.
* Comfort – otherwise you'll struggle to get your little one to wear them!
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Text by Sandra Sharpham; first appeared in Oct/Nov '07
M&B
