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Topic: Shoe question

03-23-2006 05:56 AM

LinMac   Senior Member Location: Dublin, Ireland Registered: Oct 2005 Posts: 581 Last visit: 03-24-2006

I was at our Mother and Toddler group on Tuesday. Someone was admiring Robert soft leather slippers. I havn't got shoes for him yet. He's only starting to cruse the furniture. In the house I often leave him without shoes, bare foot. My thinking is his feet need to have as much contact with the floor. I am also weary of enclosing his feet before he manages to get his balance, etc. Is this outdated thinking for kids with DS? A few of the mothers said they were advised to get pre-walking shoes for their kids. I am a bit of cynic at times and I wondered if this advice came from the shop assistant? or what! I'm wondering if I need to get him pre-walking shoes or is he safe enough staying bear foot till he has mastered walking. Any advice please? __________________ Linda & John mom to Hannah Kate (Age 7), Robert (04/16/2004, DS)

03-23-2006 07:32 AM

mary c   Senior Member Location: Westchester County, New York Registered: Jan 2005 Posts: 688 Last visit: 03-24-2006

Our PT liked us to keep Anna barefoot (without socks too) as much as possible. They work more of the muscles of their foot that way and they get sensory input through their feet when they are hitched into shoes. I think the prewalker shoes are mostly for fashion, or for when it's too cold to be barefoot outside. On another note though, Anna has just gotten SMOs (little plastic braces that keep her foot straight and only come up to her ankle) since she has been walking for about a month. Her stability when she is walking with the SMOs is dramatically different than when she is walking without them. With SMOs she exclusivley walks around (chanting I'm walking, I'm walking as she goes), but without she staggers a lot and resorts to crawling. So when Robert is actually walking he may be better off with a supportive shoe rather than barefoot. __________________ Mary Mom to Libby 6/92, Alex 9/93, Anna (DS)12/12/03

03-23-2006 08:09 AM

vonda   Super Moderator Location: Middletown, MD Registered: Jun 2000 Posts: 4323 Last visit: 03-24-2006

Our therapists were more into shoes when Noah started really walking. They almost insisted, because he is so flat footed, that he have a very good SUPPORTED shoe, plus we had to get arch supports for his shoes. He did seem to be able to walk much nicer with the extra support, but like I said that was when he was 2 1/2 and on up. __________________ Vonda, mommy to Peyton, Sophie, Noah(Ds) and Halle

03-23-2006 08:18 AM

LinMac   Senior Member Location: Dublin, Ireland Registered: Oct 2005 Posts: 581 Last visit: 03-24-2006

Mary I havn't heard of SMO before... are they inserts that go inside the shoes ....or are they like a brace that goes outside the shoe? I think they go inside the shoe. Vonda, I think Robert is too early for real shoes. I think they would be a hinderance to him learning to walk just at this point in time. But I'll get him checked out when I get the real shoes. I don't think he has flat feet, but his feet are still very small so it's hard to tell. Our PT says his feet are fine. It's just occured to me that the other kids in our M & T group might have flat feet? Thanks Vonda for that. __________________ Linda & John mom to Hannah Kate (Age 7), Robert (04/16/2004, DS)

03-23-2006 08:42 AM

Kcnolan21   Senior Member Location: Philadelphia, PA Registered: Jan 2005 Posts: 438 Last visit: 03-24-2006

My son also has SMO's. you can see and read about them at http://www.surestep.net. My son has always been in shoes and was cruising but his ankles would turn in if not in a high top sneaker. The SMO's has helped his stability! He has recently been trying to stand on his own and has been tempted to take independent steps. [Edited by Kcnolan21 on 03-23-2006 at 05:10 PM] __________________ Coleen Mom to Nolan (3/7/04, DS)

03-23-2006 09:08 AM

mary c   Senior Member Location: Westchester County, New York Registered: Jan 2005 Posts: 688 Last visit: 03-24-2006

When I tried Coleen's link I came up with something about diabetes (LOL). Anna's SMOs are made out of something called auaplasty. They were molded to her foot by two PTs at our local children's hospital after we got a prescription for them from a physiatrist (a doctor of rehabilitative medicine). They are worn over a sock but inside the shoe. Our PT only recommends them for kids who are taking at least some independent steps because they limit the movement in the foot (something she wanted to avoid prematurely). Anna has such loose ligaments in her left foot that she is practically walking on the inside of her ankle on the left side without them. The theory is that as she wears them the ligaments will tighten into positon (because they won't be able to stretch every which way like they do now). Our PT was hoping we wouldn't need them but is now convinced that Anna really needed them. Hope this helps! __________________ Mary Mom to Libby 6/92, Alex 9/93, Anna (DS)12/12/03

03-23-2006 09:53 AM

Annieo   Super Member Location: Minneapolis suburb, MN Registered: Jan 2003 Posts: 1194 Last visit: 03-23-2006

John used to have small orthotics (we actually have two PTs in our district who come to the house to make them). The orthotics worked best in the most inexpensive white high top baby shoes so we were able to get by with cheap shoes from Walmart. A little over a month ago he was fitted with more serious AFOs (ankle foot orthotics) that cover his ankles and go all the way up the back of his legs. His PT was hesitant to use them but decided in John's case we'd give it a try. He locks his knees when he tries to walk and these prevent him from doing that. It's a little like wearing ski boots where your leg is bent slightly forward at the ankle. So far they've been wonderful. He's using muscles he's never had to use before and he's getting stronger every day. I had a hard time finding shoes to work with these but ended up getting some snazzy running shoes and he looks soooo cute in them. (There's a picture of him on his website with his new tennies and his walker.) John's feet are a mess when he's barefoot. Everything just splays out as he tries to maintain his balance. It was obvious pretty early that he needed support. I'd trust your PTs opinion more than that of other mothers who aren't as familiar with Robert's feet. __________________ Ann Mom to Sally, Mark, Jane, John (12/02, DS), and Paul

03-23-2006 10:16 AM

LovelyKennedy   Senior Member Location: Niagara Falls, NY Registered: May 2004 Posts: 964 Last visit: 03-24-2006

Kennedy's PT recommended she NOT wear shoes until she learned to walk. When she started walking though, and we put shoes on her, she could not lift her foot enough to move in her shoes. Poor thing! So we still waited in using shoes and when we tried again, she was just fine and now runs in them. __________________ Beth Mom to Cameron 2/26/2000, Kendall 6/25/2002 and My Lovely Kennedy 9/10/2003(DS)

03-23-2006 04:38 PM
Madisons Mom   Senior Member Location: Philadelphia, PA Registered: Feb 2005 Posts: 441 Last visit: 03-24-2006	It's surestep.net http://www.surestep.net/ __________________ Madisons Mom Carola Madison Theresia born 2-04-05

03-23-2006 05:07 PM

fee   New Member Location: tullyallen r.o.i Registered: Feb 2006 Posts: 15 Last visit: 03-23-2006

Hi Linda, I have read your questions and seen your name more than once, I too am Irish, near Slane, but in Co Louth anyway, Delighted that you have got that far with your Robert, Sean is just sitting up and no more, he is on his belly with the bum up in the air also. I think I have heard to avoid the shoes, I did buy Clarks Pre Walkers for Sean 35 Euro, Mad money, got him Fitted, but I barely put them on his feet it was more a keep his feet warm thing. They were lovely leather ones. We were in Crumlin there on Tuesday, we attend there and The hospital I work in which is in Drogheda, so he got discharged from his GI clinic, another one off the list.... Its getting better... Best of Luck with the Walking, If I could just get Sean up and running now for the Summer, it would be class.... Fiona Mam to Sean 15 Months and Wife to Peter 36

03-23-2006 05:11 PM
Kcnolan21   Senior Member Location: Philadelphia, PA Registered: Jan 2005 Posts: 438 Last visit: 03-24-2006	Thanks Carola! I edited my post! __________________ Coleen Mom to Nolan (3/7/04, DS)

03-23-2006 05:39 PM

** Hannah's mom ** UK   Super Moderator Location: West Midlands UK Registered: Jun 2004 Posts: 3851 Last visit: 03-24-2006

Hannah sees an orthotist( sp? ) for her feet and has done even before she could walk our physio said the only thing about them being barefoot is to watch that their feet don't roll so they end up needing more support under their arches as children with DS tend to have weaker ankles and roll over more on their feet. She said if its not corrected it can affect them most of their life with their walking __________________ Jo mummy to Hannah (DS ) who was 3 in July 05 and Rebecca who was 2 in Jan 06 My beautiful girls Baby 3 due April 10th 2006 Visit Hannah's webpage and read all about her journey

03-24-2006 11:27 AM

Libby   Super Member Location: Louisville, KY Registered: Jun 2002 Posts: 2097 Last visit: 03-24-2006

Hi Linda. I don't get here much anymore and I never welcomed you properly or introduced myself to you...so WELCOME months later to you and I've always meant to tell you that your children are precious!! My Mother is a redhead. Anyway... William did not wear shoes until he was learning to walk and he took his first steps at 24 months of age. Good luck!!!! Libby __________________ Mommy to William (12/17/01 Ds) & Sam (6/17/03) & Ellen (10/5/04) & Baby #4 due June '06

03-24-2006 12:34 PM

marci   Super Member Location: lancaster, Pa Registered: Dec 2004 Posts: 1228 Last visit: 03-24-2006

Joni needed shoes because her feet turned in a bit. Once we straighten them out she was barefoot until she started to pull to stand. Once she was pulling up a lot we put shoes on her. It gave her more stablity. Even when she started walking we only kept her shoes on part of the day. She did have inserts in her shoes. quote: I am a bit of cynic at times and I wondered if this advice came from the shop assistant? or what! I agree I'm suspecious of people who insist on extra stuff too. __________________ Marci Mom to Caleb, Cody, Evan, Ethan, Alex, Anna, Joni (ds, 4/03) "My mother taught me very early that I could achieve any accomplishment I wanted to. The first was to walk without braces:" Wilma Rudolf winner of three gold medals in running events at the 1960 summer Olympics

03-24-2006 02:30 PM

LinMac   Senior Member Location: Dublin, Ireland Registered: Oct 2005 Posts: 581 Last visit: 03-24-2006

Thanks everyone for taking the time to post replies. I am sure Robert has no problems with his feet. Our Pt comes on Monday. I will ask her to check him again. You know the way it is, your ears perk when you hear something that doesn't fit with your thinking. It niggles in your mind till you get an answer. I have peace of mind now thanks to you all. __________________ Linda & John mom to Hannah Kate (Age 7), Robert (04/16/2004, DS)

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