This is a collaborative post
All parents worry about the wellbeing and health of their children, so understand the significance of regular check-ups and looking after important things, like their child’s feet. Making sure your child has healthy feet throughout their childhood is vital as it can determine whether they develop properly and can help to prevent health complications in later life.
As your child starts to grow, their needs will differ and so will their feet, requiring different types of care. You will therefore need to understand how to spot signs of potential problems and act on these before they escalate.
So, what can you do to ensure your child’s feet remain healthy and properly looked after?
Try to get them walking barefoot
Allowing your children to walk barefoot as much as possible is great for the development of their feet. Whilst shoes can look great and provide additional warmth, they don’t allow your child’s feet to develop naturally. By ditching the shoes, you enable them to improve the strength in their growing tendons and subsequently their balance.
Whilst it’s great to let them run around with bare feet, you need to be cautious of the terrain that they are walking on. Opting for barefoot shoes can improve safety by providing additional support for their sensitive feet, whilst still mimicking the effects of barefoot walking.
Make sure their shoes fit properly
Your child will eventually need a more formal pair of shoes even if you usually opt for barefoot walking. Always go for comfort over style, as they will likely grow out of these quickly anyways. Shoes shouldn’t be overly stiff so that the feet are encouraged to grow naturally on their own.
The shoes should also provide suitable support. Those with leather bottoms are ideal for early walkers due to their increased traction. When they reach the running or active stage, a more athletic shoe will be best.
Children’s feet tend to grow by around a half size every few months, so it is crucial that you are constantly measuring their feet and examining how the shoes fit. Avoid shoes that feel too tight as this can affect the development of the feet and lead to pain. Buying shoes in advance that are too big may cause your little one to slip or fall.
Maintain good hygiene
Whilst it may seem like a chore to get your children to bathe and wash regularly, it’s important that they do so. Soaking and cleaning their feet a few times a week can help to prevent nasty infections and is a good habit to teach for the future.
Ensure that they are dried properly afterwards and trim the nails. These should be straight across, as opposed to being rounded, to prevent any ingrown toenails.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post