By offering free advice and information for parents at
www.healthylittlefeet.com, the campaign aims is to reduce this alarming statistic for good. The website also includes an interactive ‘Ready for Shoes?’ checker which helps parents establish when the time is right to get first shoes for their child.
REGIONAL FINDINGS
In which areas are parents the most and least likely to be competitive about when their children start walking? The findings reveal some similarity in areas that are less densely
populated – these parents tend to be less competitive, allowing their children to take their first steps when they are ready. In contrast in urban areas parents tend to be more competitive: • Over a quarter (27%) of parents in Kent feel very competitive about their child walking before children of the same age.
• Nearly a quarter (23%) of parents in Lancashire feel very competitive about their child walking before children of the same age.
• Nearly 1 in 5 (19%) parents in Greater Manchester feel very competitive about their child walking before children of the same age.
In contrast: • 66% of parents in North Wales are 'not at all competitive' about their child walking before children of the same age.
• 62% of parents in Devon are 'not at all competitive' about their child walking before children of the same age.
• 65% of parents in the Scottish Highlands are 'not at all competitive' about their child walking before children of the same age.
What part do parents play when children begin to raise themselves onto their feet in preparation for walking? Many parents feel compelled to assist by offering a helping hand or
providing some other form of support. We asked parents what was most helpful to their child when learning how to walk. Nationally, parents were most inclined (27%) to give walking practice by giving a helping hand and walking between people, closely followed by the provision of a push-along toy (21%). 22% didn’t do anything special and felt that their child would walk when ready. Regionally, the results reveal a mixed picture: • Over six in ten, a massive 66%, in Devon admit to giving their kids lots of practice by holding their hands and encouraging them to walk (although paradoxically, 62% of parents in the same region state that they are ‘not at all competitive’ about when their child starts walking!), followed by over half (54%) of parents in Sussex and 52% in South Wales, 44% in West Yorkshire and 40% in Northumberland.
• Over half of parents in Somerset (52%) provide a push-along toy to encourage their children to walk followed by 40% in the Scottish Lowlands, 36% in South Wales and nearly a third (32%) of parents from Kent and Sussex.
• Over half of all parents (67%) in North Yorkshire did nothing to encourage their kids to walk and let them do so when they were ready, followed by 52% in Essex, 48% in Cambridgeshire and Somerset and 46% in the Scottish Highlands.
• 28% of parents in Greater Manchester provided a push-along toy to encourage their children to walk and nearly half (44%) gave their baby lots of walking practice holding hands and walking between people.
When do most children start walking? The survey showed that, nationally, the average age for walking is
between 13 and 18 months. However, the Healthy Little Feet Campaign website
www.healthylittlefeet.com advises that development varies from one child to another and it is quite normal for children to start walking any time between 9 and 19 months of age.
Tiny feet are soft and delicate, so it’s really important for children to wear shoes that fit properly for their first proper steps.
A child’s first proper walking shoes Research has shown that 50%* of children could develop foot problems
as a result of wearing poorly fitted shoes, so when children do start walking it is important that they wear properly fitted shoes to protect their delicate little feet. Emma Supple talks passionately on the subject of children’s first shoes:
“As a parent, it is always important to have your child’s feet properly measured and fitted for shoes. Babies’ feet contain partially formed bones and soft cartilage which can easily be pushed out of shape by badly fitting shoes. Even socks which are too tight can damage young feet at this delicate stage. Choose stable, shoes or trainers of appropriate width, made with leather or canvas uppers. Shoes should also have soles with the right amount of flexibility (but only at the ball of the foot) with plenty of cushioning and room for the toes.” The good news is that 86% of parents surveyed believe that going to a shoe shop which offers a professional measuring and fitting service is an important factor when buying first shoes for their children. Emma says: “Research has shown that most forefoot problems are not simply inherited, but actually develop in response to wearing ill-fitting and poorly styled shoes. Parents who don’t rate properly fitted shoes as important could be storing up foot health problems for their child in the future.” Summarising the study Emma Supple comments: “As a parent, it’s
important to remember that every child develops at his own pace so there’s not much point making comparisons with your friends’ children. The great news is that the majority of parents take the measuring and fitting of their children’s first pair of walking shoes seriously. However, there are some underlying regional trends that are giving cause for concern. The Healthy Little Feet campaign has been set up to educate parents on the importance of expertly measured, properly fitted first walking shoes. By offering free advice and information for parents at
www.HealthyLittleFeet.com, our aim is to help ensure children’s feet grow up healthy and strong.”
The campaign for Healthy Little Feet aims to provide parents with information and advice on the importance of expertly measured, properly fitted first walking shoes to help keep little feet healthy for life. When considering and buying shoes, parents are advised to follow these simple tips:
• Decide when your child is ready to start wearing shoes by using the website's interactive ‘Ready For Shoes?’ checker. • Only buy shoes from a shop which offers a professional measuring and fitting service for children’s footwear.
• To ensure the best possible fit, choose footwear from a specialist children’s footwear brand that offers whole and half sizes and a range of width fittings.
• Look for shoes which have been styled specifically for children’s feet. Ensure, for example, that the shape of the shoe is rounded at the front as pointed styles can pinch toes and harm delicate feet.
* A Y ouGov survey for the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists (SCP)
suggests that more than three quarters of women and two thirds of men suffer from foot problems.
An estimated 70 per cent of these problems began in school.
SEPTEMBER 2010 • FOOTWEAR TODAY
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