A baby’s feet grow rapidly during the first year, reaching almost half their adult size. This is why specialists consider the first year to be the most important in the development of feet. Leading orthotics and biomechanics clinician Dr Charlotte Hawkins explains: “People are generally aware of the facts relating to the development of babies’ feet, yet they don’t always consider just how fragile and susceptible to damage they are. At birth, the bones in a baby’s foot are not fully formed. They are made of soft, spongy cartilage that can be pushed out of shape by ill-fitting garments such as socks and babygrows.”
Startrite training manager Charles Boyce has been advising on children’s foot care for 27 years. He says: “There are three key stages in a baby’s development. For newborns/pre-crawling, barefoot is best as the foot can develop naturally without constrictions. For crawling babies, Startrite advises the feet are protected against bumps and scrapes by wearing soft pre-walkers that enable the feet to breathe. From this point on, feet should be checked regularly and all shoes should be professionally fitted. It is not until babies are walking confidently that more supportive footwear or first shoes should be considered.”
Startrite is England’s oldest children’s shoe company, with a footwear tradition dating back more than 200 years. The brand is recognised in more than 35 countries for superior quality, style and fit and generations of parents have entrusted their children’s feet to Startrite shoes, which are available from all Scholl Foothealth Centres in Valletta, Sliema, Mosta, Fgura and Abela’s Health and Beauty Centre in Gozo.