Common problems with children:
- Ingrown toenails
- Flat feet
- In toed/out toed gait (walking)
- Tibial varum (bowed legs)
- Growing pains (especially at the heel and knees)
- Clubfoot
- Toe walking
What to look for:
- Abnormal walking patterns
- Abnormal shoe wear patterns
- Tripping
- if the child complains about pain/sore feet
- Delayed milestones (eg. walking, jumping)
At 6 months of age, footwear isn't necessary for young babies. Socks for warmth is satisfactory and are ideal as they can stretch and allow for growth. Most children will begin to start standing and walking from 12 months of age. During this stage, the feet grow rapidly, so it might be necessary to buy new shoes every few months to ensure appropriate fit.
It is best to get your child's feet properly measured by a trained person for their first pair of shoes to ensure the right fit. After then, it is important to have your child's foot re-measured on a regular basis (approximately every 3 months) to ensure the shoes are still appropriate. This doesn't necessarily mean they will need new shoes, it is just to check the current shoes still fit correctly.
Length:
A thumb space between the end of the longest toe and the edge of the shoe is right. The shoe shouldn't be compressing too tightly on the sides of the foot.
Last:
The last of the shoe should be straight, and not curving inwards, to ensure proper development of the feet.
Fixation:
Ideally, the shoes should have either laces, velcro straps or buckles to ensure proper fixation on the feet and allow proper foot function.