Barefoot is Best

I have such terrific toes; I take them with me wherever I goes; I have such fantastic feet; No matter what, they still smell sweet. Little feet might be cute and cuddly, but, says Nelfrie Kemp, being barefoot is an important step of their development.

Little feet and toes are just born cute. At birth our bones are cartilage, and through a maturing process called ossification, the transition to bone occurs at different ages for different bones in our feet (and bodies). Most toddler’s feet appear flat due to a fatty pad on top of the feet and on the inside of the foot. Through development and once walking, the arches should develop. It’s best for kids to be barefoot and exposed to all surfaces every day – grass, sand, climbing, running and jumping – which helps with their normal development and sensory awareness.

Babies

Socks, booties and babygrows should fit loosely around the feet and not cause the toes to curl in. With babygrows there should be space in the feet area even with their legs fully extended. Cut nails regularly to avoid them from cutting into the adjacent toes or causing discomfort in socks and babygrows.

Crawling

Their feet seem to take a pounding while crawling, but this is a very important role in normal development. As much as possible, avoid shoes while kids are crawling, and take care with socks which may cause them to slip. If their feet need to be covered, then an option is leather “shoes”/socks – manufactured by a well-known brand in SA, they are flexible, protective and lightweight, and come in very cute designs.

Walking

Milestones in kids’ development are important but if they are a few weeks behind in walking, it’s not the end of the world. If you are concerned, seek professional advice from someone who specialises in children. As mentioned, going barefoot is best, but when they do need to wear shoes, extreme care must be taken that the shoes do not interfere with or compensate their walking. Take care with shoes that are too soft and collapse under the foot, which can lead to altering the walking pattern.

Cracked skin

Although barefoot is best it can cause painful cracked skin especially around the toes and heels. Obviously there can be other skin conditions, but in general cracked skin is caused by dryness. Apply cream daily to their feet after bathing, and if you can, get them to wear socks for a while to keep the feet moisturised.

Shoe shopping

My advice is to buy a few pairs of shoes and try them on at home when your child’s feet are clean and they’re in the mood for trying on shoes. In the shop it’s possible they’ll fall in love with the incorrect shoe, while at home you can watch them walk and make sure it’s the correct fit.

When to seek medical advice

It’s difficult to give exact guidelines when to be concerned about a child’s feet and walking, but here are some guidelines: If you notice a deterioration in their mobility; if they trip and fall more than usual; if they avoid stepping over something, climbing or jumping; a change in behaviour – like wanting to be picked up or avoiding walking/ crawling; when other people are concerned about their crawl or walk – often grandparents notice these things.

FOR MORE INFO:

• Nelfrie Kemp
• www.nelfriekemp.co.za
• Insta: @nelfriekemp
• FB: @nelfriekemp