Health Care > My son has funny toes - only 4 toes on a footprint.?Related Photo
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My son is almost 3, and I've noticed in the past few months that his first toe next to the big toe is raised up above the others, and when he makes a light footprint only 4 toes can be seen. Anyone know why this is? Should he be looked at by a Foot speciallist?
Most people place childrens feet in shoes way to early in life. Remember that a childs bones are very soft and subject to being changed or manipuladed during periods of growth and development. Allow a lot of time for walking, running and playing barefoot to give the muscles, tendons and bone structure a chance to develope unincumbered. Don't worry about Cold feet because we all know that cold feet causing Colds is a myth - If thier feet get cold, they'll tell you.
Dr. Lynn Staheli, who directed the orthopedics division at the Children's Hospital in Seattle for 15 years, documented that Children raised in parts of the world where shoes are rarely worn had better flexibility, mobility, and strength, which resulted in fewer foot-related problems and injuries. In the 1960 classic ???Take Off Your Shoes and Walk,??? chiropodist Simon Wikler notes that children who go barefoot regularly develop stronger, healthier, and more functional feet than children who are generally shod. (He notes that a ???constantly shoe-wearing tenderfoot??? is rarely able to comprehend the innate capability of the Human foot.) The following site covers such topics as when and when not to let children go barefoot, what doctors think, and parental testimonials. It also features excerpts from ???Take Off Your Shoes and Walk.???
http//: www.unshod.org/pfbc/index.html
When it is necessary to place shoes on thier feet, make sure you allow plenty of room for the toes natural width, and make sure thier made of a soft and flexible material.
