How Often Should Children's Feet Be Measured? (And the Mistake Many Parents Make)
Do you remember buying your little one's first pair of shoes? It's one of those moments firmly locked in my memory bank, alongside all those other precious baby milestones.
You book the appointment, watch proudly as those tiny feet are measured, debate which colour matches best with the rest of their wardrobe, maybe even keep the box. It's a lovely ritual and absolutely the best start.
But what I see time and time again is parents thinking that's job done. Once that first pair is outgrown, the next pair is bought online or they simply move on to "the next size up" in the same shoe. It's completely understandable: life with young children is busy and you've now got a rough idea of their size, how wrong can you go! Sadly the answer is very wrong but you won't know this for some years to come.
Little feet are a work in progress
A young child's foot isn't simply a small version of an adult's. At birth it's largely soft cartilage, with the bones forming and hardening right through childhood and into the teenage years. In the early years feet are growing remarkably quickly. Their shape changes, as does the way they move, as your child progresses from their first wobbly steps to running, jumping and climbing.
The shoes that were perfect for a new walker won't be right for a confident, busy three-year-old. At each stage their feet need something different, which is why an experienced fitter looks at far more than length.
A leading podiatrist has suggested that 70% of adult foot problems can be linked to the shoes we wore as children. Feet that are squashed or poorly supported while they're developing adapt to that pressure, and the effects often don't show up until years later.
Why "the next size up" doesn't work
There's no standard shoe sizing. Every brand fits differently, and even two styles from the same brand can be a completely different shape. A size 23 in one shoe might be too narrow, too shallow or too long compared with a size 23 in another. And different sizing systems complicates things further.
A measurement is only ever a starting point. The most important part of a fitting is seeing and feeling the shoe on your child's foot, checking the width, the fit at the heel, across the top of the foot and around the toes, and, of course, the growing room. Then watching them walk and move. You simply can't assess any of this from a number on a measuring gauge.
Your child can't tell you if their shoes fit
Parents often rely on asking "do they feel comfy?" But young children aren't reliable judges, even of their own feet. Their nervous system is still developing, they don't feel pressure the way we do. And that question supposes they know how the shoe should feel, which is rarely the case.
Perhaps more worrying, children will naturally curl their toes to fit into a shoe that's too small and carry on without a word of complaint. Because their feet are so soft, they adapt to the shoe rather than the other way round. This is how feet are damaged for a lifetime.
A second pair of expert eyes
Regular fittings are also about spotting things early. An experienced shoe fitter sees hundreds of pairs of feet and knows what typical development looks like. We'll often notice something in the way a child's foot is shaped, or the way they walk, long before a parent would, and can suggest when it's worth seeking specialist advice. Catching things early almost always makes them easier to address.
Signs it's time for a check
Between fittings, keep an eye out for:
red marks, blisters or hard skin
your child pulling their shoes off whenever they can
tripping or falling more than usual
a noticable change in the way they walk, particularly walking on their toes
shoes wearing down unevenly
toes pressing against the end of the shoe
And while hand-me-downs are wonderful for clothes, shoes mould to the feet of whoever wore them first, so they're best avoided.
So how often should a child's feet be measured?
Up to the age of four, children's feet should be checked every 8-12 weeks, and every 3-4 months after that. That might sound a lot, but a check doesn't mean buying new shoes every time. Often it's simply reassurance that the current pair still fits well. A good fitter will not sell you shoes your child does not need.
Our booking system will send you a reminder that it's time to book again after 3 months. And often the easiest way to stay on track is to book the next check before you leave (or before we leave you!). Pop it in the calendar alongside haircuts and dentist trips, and it soon becomes part of the routine.
Taking care of your child's feet now is one of those simple things that pays off for a lifetime. It's an easy way to know you're doing the very best for them, one step at a time.
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