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Children's Feet Development At six months of age the foot is still mostly cartilage. In fact the last bone doesn't begin to form until children are about 3 years old. By 18 years, most of the bones are fully formed. Children's feet are soft and pliable making them prone to damage from abnormal pressure, such as shoes which are too small.Walking. Children usually begin to walk any time between 10 and 24 months of age. Each child is unique and will move through the developmental stages at their own pace. Each child follows a developmental sequence from lying to sitting, crawling, standing, cruising, walking to running, jumping and hopping.
When your child first begins to walk, shoes are not necessary whilst indoors. Allowing babies to go barefoot or to wear socks or leather soft soled shoes helps the foot to grow normally and promotes the grasping action of the toes. Sometimes children walk with their feet pointed inwards (in-toeing) or outward (out-toeing), other children walk on their toes (toe-walking). In most cases, these variations in walking are normal. Most children will have grown out of these walking styles by the age of two. However, if these patterns persist, or you have concerns, you should take your child to a podiatrist. An estimated 10-20% of children have flat feet. Flat feet in children are not necessarily a problem. However, if they are causing pain, affecting mobility or interfering with activities then they should be investigated. Should the child also be experiencing what is described as "growing pains", a podiatry assessment may be warranted. Growing Feet A child's feet will double in size by the age of one and they are approximately half their adult length by 18 months of age. Between the ages of 5 and 12 growth is approximately 9 mm per year, with adult foot size approximated by twelve to fourteen years of age. Frequent changes in the size of shoes and socks are necessary to make room for rapidly growing feet during childhood. Do a size check at least 1-3 months up to the age of three, every 4 months up to five years and every 6 months from five years. About SKEANIE SKEANIE is a Preferred Provider of The AUSTRALIAN PODIATRY ASSOCIATION (NSW). SKEANIE designs classic leather footwear for little feet from newborn to five years. The SKEANIE Infant Range shoes feature a soft leather suede sole, perfect for pre-walkers and early walkers. The SKEANIE Junior Range feature an innovative light-weight flexible rubber sole, designed to protect and provide the flexibility little feet require when walking. Professional Advice A check-up with a podiatrist is recommended if: * You notice uneven shoe wear * You notice any skin rashes, hard skin lumps or bumps on your child's feet * Your child complains of recurrent pain in the feet and/or legs * Your child is constantly tripping or falling * Or you have any other concerns about your child’s feet. About Podiatrists Podiatrists are highly skilled health professionals trained to deal with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of medical and surgical conditions of the feet and lower limbs. Podiatrists are tertiary qualified and trained. They need to be registered with the Podiatrists' Registration Board and are continually upgrading their skills and knowledge through further education and training. Australian Podiatry Association (NSW) Phone: 02 96983751 Fax: 02 96987116 Email: apoda@podiatry.asn.au Post: 20/450 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 This information is not to be used as a substitute for advice from a podiatrist of medical professional. The above information is derived from The Australian Podiatry Association (NSW)'s "Children's Feet. What you need to know..."
Protect children's feet for life, say podiatrists. Children's feet are fragile and can be damaged easily, according to the Australian Podiatry Association (NSW).
For Foot Health Week (14th-20th October) the Association is focusing on children's feet, outlining the first steps to foot health.
"Children's feet are not just miniature versions of adult feet; they are still forming," says Brenden Brown, Vice President of the Association . "At birth, feet are mostly cartilage and in childhood and adolescence the bones in the feet, 52 in all, will form. During this time they are extremely fragile and any undue pressure can cause deformities. At the same time, they will grow rapidly, requiring regular shoe size checks."
The campaign aims to educate children and parents about the best ways to care for feet. The Association is promoting foot care, correct shoe fitting and professional follow up on foot problems.
"Walking is one of the first concerns for parents. It is important to remember that all children achieve this milestone in their own time: children usually walk between ten and 24 months of age," says Mr Brown. "Some children walk with toes pointed in or out while others walk on their toes. While this variation is generally normal, investigation is required if there seems to be a problem or if these walking styles persist beyond the age of two."
As children grow it is common for them to experience pain in the feet or legs. "While pain in the legs or feet is common it is not considered normal. Foot pain in children should be investigated especially if it is associated with falling or tripping, reluctance to participate in activities and difficulty finding shoes that fit comfortably."
Children often suffer from foot problems such as warts, in-grown toenails, rashes and tinea.
"We recommend that all foot problems be investigated professionally as treating the symptoms with an over-the-counter medication or preparation will not successfully resolve any underlying problem that exists."
The correct professional advice is important. "Podiatrists don't just prescribe orthotics, they are tertiary educated foot health professionals who are trained to diagnose and treat problems associated with the feet and lower limbs including injury, infection and disease, as well as structural or functional problems which includes difficulties with walking and foot pain," Mr Brown said.
More About Skeanie
SKEANIE Soft Soled Shoes and Boots was launched by Natasha Barber in June 2007 by mother of two from Goulburn in Southern NSW.
Natasha commenced her soft soled shoe research shortly after her Cheeky Monkey, Hamish was born. Finding high quality soft leather shoes in Australia was a challenge. After 2 years of research and design and the birth of her Little Princess, Bella, SKEANIE Soft Soled Baby Shoes and Boots was launched. Natasha has grown the range to include a variety of colours and design and four sizes from birth to 5 years. The SKEANIE range is constantly growing and evolving. Currently SKEANIE products are stocked in over 100 stores throughout Australia, New Zealand, USA and Denmark. SKEANIE Soft Soled Shoes and Boots are hand-made from high quality, super soft genuine leather to allow little feet to breathe and grow naturally. At birth, feet are mostly cartilage. It is during childhood that the bones in the feet form; during this time the feet are fragile and any undue pressure is not advised. Podiatrists and Pediatricians recommend soft soled shoes for babies and toddlers.
SKEANIE Soft Soled Baby Shoes and Boots are FAIR TRADE MADE by a family owned business and are able to offer exclusive and tailor-made designs for retailers. SKEANIE is 100% Australian Owned and Designed.
Shoe Shopping For Your Child's Developing Feet
By Bernice Greenacre BEd (Early Childhood Studies) When it comes to toys you really don’t need to pay an arm and a leg for these! It is also a very good idea to look at the makeup of a good toy before being lured into the very clever marketing of many companies out there wanting you to part with your money! Great points to remember when buying a toy:
Is it safe? * Small parts are not a good idea especially with young babies and toddlers. * It should not be too noisy as this over a long period of time can damage hearing especially battery operated toys. * It should be easily sanitized and cleaned. * Toys that encourage violence should be avoided. For example, toy guns. * Battery operated toys should close securely as batteries can be dangerous.
Quality * Toys should be kid durable and well made. * Look for toys that have bright colours, shapes, sounds and textures.
Age Appropriate Toys should be suited to the developmental level of your child or baby.
Promotes Learning Toys should be engaging, pose a problem or problems to solve. This could include promoting literacy, grouping or categorizing, encourage sharing or role playing.
Versatility A good toy is versatile and can be used in many ways. For example, we have a wooden wagon which has been used to collect teddies and take them for a ride, play postman and deliver letters, cart little sister around and so much more!
Rotating Toy Use Quite often my children forget about their toys or get bored of them so will head to the pot drawer and get the chopsticks out and play their drums! Something that also works is rotating your child’s toys. Selecting some to put away for a while and taking it out and putting the ones that they have lost interest in away and then take them out in a few weeks. In this way they get to actually enjoy their toys and use them. Sometimes we can over stimulate them by just having far too much out at one time this proves to be frustrating for them as they are over stimulated as well as for us as there are too many toys lying about. A winner in my books although it can be messy is definitely playdough this is so open ended. It is very cheap and easy to make. So it can be fun for parents to join in too! Toy Libraries These are a great resource available in many communities around Australia and many parts of the world where parents are able to borrow many great educational toys. This encourages parents to play with their children and be actively involved in their playing learning and development of their children. Rotating them every few weeks helps to keep it quite fresh and exciting. This also allows parents to save quite a lot of money as good quality toys are not cheap and are usually very short lived. Children can outgrow then quite quickly. There are toys suited for every age and stage of a child’s development.
Kid Spot - Toy Libraries (Sourced from www.kidspot.com.au)
Infant formula is the only safe alternative to breastmilk for the first 12 months of your baby’s life.
What is formula? Infant formula is not the same as cow’s milk. All infant formula has added vitamins and enzymes and different fats that babies need, which they can’t get from straight cow’s milk. This is why experts say you shouldn’t give cow’s milk to your baby as the main milk drink until your baby is over 12 months old.
Which formula is best? Every formula you can buy in Australia meets strict Australian Standards.
There is a range of cow’s milk formulas on the supermarket shelves. Most of them are of similar quality and nutritional value.
Some expensive formulas have special additional ingredients. You can pay more for this kind of formula. On the whole, though, there is no significant evidence that these formulas are better. There is some evidence that formula with added LCPs, naturally found in breastmilk, assists in brain development.
A brand might be more expensive, but that doesn’t mean it’s better for your baby. A hospital’s use of a particular brand of formula does not mean that brand is the ‘best’.
Preparing formula Infant formulas are most commonly available in powder form. The formula is prepared by adding the powder to cooled boiled water. Until your baby is 12 months old, it’s very important to sterilise bottles and teats. This will stop the formula from being contaminated by any bacteria that might make your baby sick.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommends regular formula over soy milk formula for most infants.
This is because consuming high levels of soy can have potential risks for young children. In particular, the NHMRC notes that phytoestrogen compounds in soy formula might affect the growing neuro-endocrine systems and immune system. But there is no compelling research to either prove or disprove that these compounds harm infants.
If you don’t want to use regular formula, soy formula will provide your child with all necessary nutrients. For example, you might be vegan and want a vegan diet for your child. Your baby can’t get necessary nutrients from soy milk for adults.
Some infants are allergic to both cow’s milk and formula. If you think your baby has an allergy, talk to your doctor before switching to a different formula.
Some formula has the following elements added to make it closer in composition to breastmilk:
Once you’ve settled on a formula for your baby, it’s better not to change formulas too often. This might upset your baby’s feeding routine.
Follow-on formula Some parents change to a ‘follow-on formula’ when their baby reaches six months:
Sourced from the Raising Children Network's comprehensive and quality-assured Australian parenting website http://raisingchildren.net.au
Start simple: along with iron-fortified cereal, baby’s first solids can be single foods such as mashed banana or avocado, or cooked and pureed apple, pear, pumpkin or potato.
Once baby is enjoying a good range of fruits and vegetables, introduce some fresh beef, lamb, pork or chicken (not pickled, salted or smoked). Combine meat with vegetables or even fruits such as apple or pear.
Gradually become more adventurous with different foods and textures. When teeth start coming in, try flaky loose fish, mashed legumes and couscous. Include fruits such as berries, citrus and stone fruit that has been deseeded and mashed.
Step 1: to make baby food, first peel the skin off fruits and vegetables, trim the fat off meats, and remove any skin from chicken.
Step 2: steam, microwave or boil the foods until cooked, and set aside some of the cooking liquids.
Step 3: puree in a food processor or with a hand blender. Add some cooking liquid if you need to smooth out the mixture. For babies over eight months, chop meat finely. Mash other foods with a fork. If using fish, remove any bones.
Pureed baby food can be frozen in clean ice cube trays. Spoon the puree into the trays and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze for 30 days maximum.
Solids can also be stored in plastic containers or glass jars. They’ll keep for up to two days in the fridge or one month in the freezer. Label containers with contents and use-by date.
To serve, pop out food cubes into a glass or ceramic bowl. Warm the solids in the microwave or on the stove. Stir well to get rid of hot spots. Test temperature with a clean spoon on your lip before serving to baby. Discard any leftovers – don’t refreeze.
