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Q. At what age should a child first

get fitted for shoes?

A.

You should consider buying your child’s

first pair of shoes when they start to walk

assisted and definitely by the time they are

independently walking and ready to walk

outdoors. It is best for your child to not wear

shoes as they learn to walk, allowing for the

muscles and bones of the foot to develop and

strengthen naturally. As soon as they have

taken their first independent fifteen steps, your

child will be curious to explore new parts of the

home and shoes are required to both support

the foot as well as protect it against

foreign objects.

Q. How quickly do children’s feet grow?

A.

On average, a child’s foot will grow around

25mm (the equivalent of three whole British

shoe sizes) in its first year, 16mm per year

between the ages of 1-5, and then around 8mm

every year until they reach their mid-teens.

Q. How often should your child

be fitted for shoes?

A.

In line with the quick growth of the foot, your

child’s shoe size shout be monitored every 6-8

weeks between the time of its first shoe and the

age of two. Between the ages of 2-5 you should

check your child’s shoe size every 3-4 months,

and after the age of five your child’s shoe

size should be checked every 4-5 months.

Growth can however take place in sudden

spurts so regular checks are crucial and you

should measure your child’s feet closely

before purchasing any new shoes.

Q&A

SECTION

Q. How do I tell when my child’s

shoes need replacing?

A.

It is important to check that there is

sufficient space in the toe for the foot to

breathe and grow. If there is no room either at

the toe nor at the wide points of the shoe, this

can affect the growth of the foot and indicates

that your child’s shoes will need replacing. At

this point you should re-measure your child’s

feet to evaluate the growth in the feet as well

as the next size required.

Q. My child’s feet are different sizes;

how should I size them?

A.

It is quite natural for a child’s feet to be

different sizes. It is important that you size

your child’s feet in relation to the bigger foot,

thus giving both feet the breathability and

space to develop naturally.

Q. How long should a pair of

children’s shoes last?

A.

A pair of children’s shoes last different

lengths of time depending on your child’s age

and consequently the rate of foot growth. A

younger child, aged between 1-3 years, will

require between 2-3 pairs of shoes per year

to cope with the rapid foot growth of that age

group. Children aged between 3-10 years will

need 1-2 pairs of shoes each year since the

growth in the foot will have slowed as they

get older.

Q. What is width fitting and how

do I measure it?

A.

In addition to length, width is an important

measurement for children’s feet. In the UK, a

standard width fitting system is provided for

Clarks and Startrite shoes. Widths range from

a D to a H, where D is the narrowest width and

H the widest. The industry average width, an F,

fits approximately 80% of children.

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