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 Ask Dr. Jana
Walking Shoes | | | QUESTION | | | | Now that my baby is pulling up, what kind of shoes should he be wearing. I have always heard (from the Orthopaedists in the family) that babies didn't need high top "walkers", but my friends tell me otherwise. — Mary in Alexandria, Virginia | | | ANSWER |
June 3, 2000 | | | Now that your baby is pulling up, it will be easiest for him to learn to walk barefoot. While experts used to believe that high-top, rigid sole shoes were best, we now know that children use their feet to grip the floor and develop a sense of balance.
Next best to walking barefoot are the soft sole leather "pre-walkers" that are flexible and still allow your child's foot to move and grip the floor. Another commonly held misconception is that children have weak arches in their feet and need rigid arch support.
Children do not need rigid soles on their shoes to learn how to walk. I typically tell parents that shoes can serve several purposes; They serve to protect your child's feet if he will be walking somewhere where bare feet are not appropriate, they function to tie socks on your child's feet in cold weather, and they look good in photos if you're not partial to getting your child's portraits taken in bare feet!
Be on the lookout for older wood floors that may have splinters, outdoor hazards such as debris, rocks or hot surfaces, and then let your child enjoy his newly-found ability to explore the world by walking!
— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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