Shopping For Children’s Shoes

When shopping for children’s shoes, it’s important to consider more than just how cute the miniature footwear is.

The American Podiatric Medical Association offers these tips for shoe-shopping parents:

• Your child’s feet may grow quickly, and sock and shoe sizes can change rapidly.
• Poorly fitted shoes can cause irritation and pain, so always measure the foot before a shoe purchase and make sure shoes feel comfortable.
• Don’t share shoes or have your child wear secondhand shoes.
• Once your child begins wearing the shoes, frequently inspect the heels, which often wear most quickly. Uneven wear may indicate a foot problem.
• Let your child participate in shoe shopping.
• Always try on shoes while wearing socks or tights.
• If feet are different sizes, buy the size that fits the larger foot.