Is Walking Barefoot Good or Bad for Kids?

Most people have grown up with the idea that walking barefoot can cause illness in children. Read on to learn some facts about this topic that confuses many parents.

How many times did you hear as a child that it was absolutely wrong to walk barefoot? This is still a topic that bothers parents, so in this article, we’ll examine some of the facts that researchers recently discovered on the subject. In fact, the more freedom tiny feet have, the better they develop.

It was a common belief that walking barefoot would cause respiratory diseases. However, this is completely wrong. This is because viruses have to enter your body through the upper respiratory tract for you to catch a cold. So what’s the risk for kids who don’t want to wear shoes?

Is walking barefoot good or bad for kids?

It is not recommended to wear shoes in the first months of life. Its function is only against cold, humidity and injury. So, a seamless sock for a baby can perfectly perform this function.

Also, it is not a good idea to wear shoes during the pre-crawling stage (usually before 8 months of age) because crawling without shoes is crucial for the child’s psychomotor development.

When the child starts to stand up at 18 months, he can start using flexible shoes to protect himself from the cold. But the shoes chosen should allow the feet to breathe.

Then, at the age of four, it is necessary to protect the foot against some injuries. For this reason, shoes should be stiffer, similar to those used by adults.

The front of the shoes should be rounded and wide enough to allow the toes to move in it. Leather is the best material for this age, as it is 100% natural and allows the foot to breathe. In addition, it should be easy for the child to put on and take off.

Health benefits of walking barefoot

Here are some advantages of not wearing shoes:

Supports the formation of arches of the feet

Children’s feet are made of soft tissue that ossifies at the fetal stage. Most of these bones harden at birth, but full rigidity does not happen until adulthood.

It is this flexibility, copious subcutaneous fat, and joint changes that cause flat feet in the first three years of life.

This condition, in which the inner part of the foot is flattened, usually improves with growth. What happens is that the entire sole of the foot touches the ground.

Contributes to the sensory development of the child

Feet have a higher tactile sensitivity than hands from the time a child is born until they are eight to nine months old. As you can imagine, they use their feet to explore the world around them.

In this process, they test things using their hands and then their mouths, because their senses are more developed.

It’s not just about the sense of touch, it’s also about taste and temperature. That’s why it’s so important that they can move their feet and toes freely.

Things to consider when walking barefoot

Insist on your child wearing shoes when walking around pools, lawns, or locker rooms to avoid athlete’s foot infections.

You should also keep their tetanus vaccinations up-to-date in case of stepping on sharp objects and always check their feet for sores.

Finally, insist that they wear shoes in any situation that could be dangerous and injure their feet.