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Q&A
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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. 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.