takes shoes off constantly--help!

[K-Mom3]

My dd is 14 mo and is pigeon toed (metatarsus adductus). The podiatrist recommended that we get some lace-up shoes for her and he fitted them with little inserts that push the inside of her foot at the widest point, at that joint at the bottom of the big toe. She is supposed to wear them 23 hours/day so that her feet will grow straight. She's been doing this for about 8 months with little difficulty and it seemed to be helping her feet straighten.

The problem is that she always kicks them off now! Every time she's in the high chair or car seat, she automatically kicks off the right shoe at least. Around the house, she usually takes off one or both shoes as well. We're okay at night....but she needs to be wearing them all the time.

Do you think changing shoes would help? I kinda think she would be able to pull almost anything off....She's wearing Champion tennis shoes, I picked them partly because she has a very narrow foot and they are pretty straight--not extra wide at the toe box, which is just what we need. I can't use anything with a soft leather sole or anything that only pulls tight at the ankle--we need to be able to pull it tight at the toebox.

Any ideas for keeping on shoes or different shoes to try?

[NinaK]

Hiking boots?

Hi--I don't know a specific shoe to recommend, but I wonder if they make hiking boots for toddlers? Maybe a brand like Keen or Merrell. I thought of them b/c they have really good sturdy laces that you can get nice and tight around your whole foot. Good luck.

[Llyra]

I don't know anything about shoes, but I am surprised at your podiatrist's advice. It seems outdated to me. The standard advice that I've seen and been given is that most children outgrow pigeon-toedness on their own with no intervention, and that barefoot is best for the optimal development of the foot. Have you sought a second opinion?

[moumo321]

Saw this is new posts Converse high-tops are almost impossible to kick or take off without unlacing. I'm not sure about the average width. I do know from the kids I work with that they can be laced to tightness from fairly low on the toe box.

[K-Mom3]

Originally Posted by Llyra

I don't know anything about shoes, but I am surprised at your podiatrist's advice. It seems outdated to me. The standard advice that I've seen and been given is that most children outgrow pigeon-toedness on their own with no intervention, and that barefoot is best for the optimal development of the foot. Have you sought a second opinion?

I would love more information about this. I have seen two different doctors. The pediatrician I was seeing when she was a baby noticed that her feet were pigeon-toed and recommend that I get some special reverse shoes from an orthotics distributer--I was kind of wary because they were so expensive and not covered by Medicaid--which usually covers everything. I also thought that it might be the kind of thing that she could outgrow...This ped was awful and wouldn't even discuss treatment options with me. He was a "follow doctors orders!" kind of doctor and I don't see him anymore.

So, I saw a podiatrist and he did an x-ray and showed me how her bones are actually quite curved. He said that she wasn't likely to outgrow it without some guidance and fitted her with the shoe inserts. He said that kids who have a worse curve in the bones have their feet broken and put into casts while they heal to keep them in line. I was so thrilled that he was actually explaining things to me that I didn't consider seeing another podiatrist. Maybe I should reconsider, though.....

Regarding the shoes comments--I like the idea of a hiking shoe or other high top. I looked up Converse and the smallest size is 5--dd has small feet and needs a 3, possible a 4. So if I can find a boot or hightop shoe that is sold in size 3 or 4, maybe that would be the way to go.

[isabchi]

Originally Posted by Llyra

I don't know anything about shoes, but I am surprised at your podiatrist's advice. It seems outdated to me. The standard advice that I've seen and been given is that most children outgrow pigeon-toedness on their own with no intervention, and that barefoot is best for the optimal development of the foot. Have you sought a second opinion?

http://www.unshod.org/pfbc/pfmedresearch.htm

[lifeguard]

I am pigeon toed. My parents tried all sorts of things - nothing fixed it (that is not to say what your dr. is recommending won't work). It wasn't until I was in my late teens that I saw a doctor that explain the problem is not simply my feet but rather that everything from my hips down is turned in. Just some food for thought.

As for the shoes, I just know that everything my parents tried with me was UNCOMFORTABLE & I would do anything to get them off. Even now I prefer barefoot to anything else.