Children's Foot Health Register

THE WALKING DEVELOPMENT OF A CHILD

Walking skills develop slowly; having taken those first steps a child does not learn to walk 'overnight'.

The learning process covers an approximate period between 1 year - 2.5 years and can be broken down into three main stages.

(a) First Independent steps

Most children take their first independent steps between 10 - 16 months. At this stage, the child is still somewhat unstable and will tend to waddle with feet wide and legs apart a - bowed; the gait, is due both to the need for balance and the influence of nappies. The child can take several steps unaided but will fall over quite frequently.

(c) Confident Toddling

After first independent steps, the child enters a second stage of walking development:   'Confident Toddling'.

This stage is usually between 14 and 24 months of age. Around 14 months the child has abandoned crawling as the only means of getting around and can toddle a few steps.

Naturally, the child's mobility is Very uncontrolled at this early stage of walking, his on her braking and steering systems haven't developed sufficiently to stop or swerve to avoid objects.

Furthermore, the standing position also presents a problem at this very early stage.   The child cannot stand without first using a support like a chair to gain leverage.  Parents can help here with specially designed toys, such as 'toddler truck' - extra stable so that toddlers can pull themselves up on it safely.

The early waddling gait of those first independent steps although even at two years old, the Child will sill tend to stomp heavy-footed rather than using a heel-to-toe motion.  But once walking has begun, constant practice makes it easier and easier.

About 3 months after abandoning crawling. toddlers will be able to pull themselves up independently of Support - and, by now they will be steady enough to pick up things without falling or sitting.

Around this time also, toddlers should be able to turn their heads and look at things as they progress - even glance back over their shoulders while walking. Just a few months further on, and most children will have learned to walk backwards as well as forwards and be starting to run.

Once running, the child will quickly discover that he or she can jump.
In fact by their second birthday the majority of children are sure and confident on their feet although spills, still can and do occur.

(c) Running and Jumping

From about 2 years old the child becomes confident in all aspects of walking. running and jumping. In fact, a child of three will have developed nearly all the walking skills he or she will have as an adult of thirty.

1(a)

Most plimsolls are only available in a single (average) fitting and in many cases whole sizes only.

1(b)

Surveys indicate that less than a third of children have "average" fitting feet. Seven children in ten will therefore be forced to wear plimsolls which are too narrow, too wide, too short or too long. Not detrimental for short periods like a P.E. lesson or exercises, but potentially catastrophic for longer periods.

2(a)

The vast majority of plimsolls have elastic gussets rather than laces to make it easier for the child and the teacher when "putting on and taking off".

2(b)

The lack of effective fastening further reduces the effective fit of the plimsolls causing the child to curl their toes or have them squashed together in the plimsolls. This process will be seriously affected in footwear not available in fittings with effective fastening, such as plimsolls.

3(a)

Plimsolls are rarely designed to include, nor will the style normally allow, growing room for feet.

3(b)

By school age a child's foot contains 45 separate bone centres. These bones grow and fuse together continuously until at least the mid teens forming the 26 bones in a normal adult foot.

4(a)

Plimsolls are made of canvas or similar materials as this has no detrimental effect over short periods.

4(b)

Each foot contains 250,000 sweat glands and releases an egg cupful of perspiration each day.

The effects on the feet of wearing a plimsoll for prolonged periods are:

1. Hot, wet feet
2. Increased risk of skin disorders
3. Ideal conditions in a plimsoll for fungal infections (athletes foot) to develop
4. Bacteriological breakdown of perspiration increasing foot and plimsoll odours.

5(a)

Floors and carpets can be cleaned and replaced when worn out.

5(b) One pair of feet have to last us a lifetime. Six or more hours (a normal school day) wearing plimsolls is sufficient to cause long term problems for an active child. For the average person this means 18,000 steps every day and around 175,000 miles in a normal lifetime.

6.

Plimsolls are lightweight and soft - especially for gym activities - and they do not afford the protection an ordinary shoe would, in the school environment.

7.

Children's shoes are outgrown in a maximum of six months. If the wear time is limited to walking to and from school there is a distinct danger that shoes will continue to be worn after they have been outgrown or passed down to other children. Both scenarios are likely to cause significant foot damage.

Additional copies of this notice are available from:
Children's Foot Health Register
PO Box 123
Banbury
Oxon OX15 6QE.

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