How not to crack in front of all these mini-pairs of shoes that line up on the shelves of specialized stores for children? Sneakers, boots, ankle boots, moccasins… there are a multitude of models of all styles and colors that are intended for toddlers. A huge choice to be sure to put on your little one with taste and at the forefront of fashion… But is it really necessary?
Shoes… for walking
It is not uncommon to observe babies in the arms of their parents or comfortably installed in their stroller, shoes on their feet. For the Belgian Association of podiatrists, which lists a lot of advice for putting on shoes on its site, the latter are however of no interest. “They are certainly not necessary for the proper development of children’s feet”, can be read on their website. Worse, they are not without risk… Indeed, as long as the child does not walk, making him wear a pair of shoes is not recommended because it might hinder the formation of the muscles and joints of the feet.
Also, if you absolutely want to put on your little ones, you will at least have to wait until they start walking. But you still have to make the right choice of shoes… And this should not be taken lightly!
The good choice
Ideally, shoes for babies or very young children should mimic the feel of barefoot walking as much as possible. We will therefore prefer them to be flexible, especially at the level of the toes, so that the foot can “roll” correctly; and light, so as not to weigh down the knee joint, offer greater freedom of movement to children and thus promote the good development of their feet. The Association of Belgian podiatrists notes, however, that it will sometimes be necessary to turn to more rigid shoes, necessary in the event of sagging feet or congenital malformations. Likewise, shoes should never be too flexible: they should not bend, or barely bend, in order to ensure proper support for the foot.
Regarding the size, we will be careful that the length of children’s shoes corresponds to that of their feet, added regarding 12 mm to allow optimal walking.
