New Born's: Try not to restrict your baby's development by avoiding tight shoes, booties, socks, blankets or anything else that constricts the foot. Avoid baby carriers or swaddling techniques that straighten the legs too much. These can affect hip development. Allow them to kick and exercise their legs and feet as much as possible.
Toddlers: Discourage poor sleeping and sitting positions such as sleeping on their stomach, or kneeling with their feet turned out (W sitting). When sitting, encourage children to sit with legs crossed, as this encourages normal hip and knee development.
Walking frames and baby walkers can place unnecessary stress on bones and muscles if used too prematurely and too often. Babies will begin walking naturally when developmentally ready, which usually occurs between 9 and 18 months. Walking earlier will not speed up their development, but may hinder it later on.
Preschoolers: Make sure laces are done up properly. If your having problems with laces, go for velcro for your everyday shoes. Getting the hang of tying up shoes can be tricky, but hang in there and practice when ever you can.
Practice drying between your toes each day.
Something not quite right? When you watch your kids run and play, look for things that don't look quite right to you. In our experience, parents are generally a pretty good judge of when their kids need a little extra help. In particular, look for things such as:
If you do notice something when watching your kids, don't be alarmed. In the majority of cases, the solutions to children's foot problems are simple, painless and non-invasive. Often, they can be treated with exercise, shoe modifications, custom made insoles (orthotics) in the shoe, and time.
