I have had diabetes my entire life, and I am very thankful for the fact that modern medical discoveries have helped me live a happy, healthy life despite my disease. I have had to watch what I eat and take medications daily for most of my life, and while i used to feel like I was "missing out" when other children were able to eat sugary candy and I wasn't, I eventually learned that sugar-free candy tastes great. I am always keeping up on the latest diabetes research, and while researching, I have also learned about many other diseases and ailments and how they are treated and controlled. I know others are too busy to browse a bunch of medical websites, like I like to do, so I decided to start a blog that others can visit that contains information on a variety of medical topics all in one place!
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Expose Those Toes! 4 Good Reasons To Let Your Little One Go Barefooted
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If you've got young children, you're probably constantly fighting a battle to keep shoes and socks securely in place. While keeping shoes and socks on your child may keep their feet cleaner, there may be fewer benefits than you thought. In fact, letting your child go barefooted is actually more beneficial for them, especially when they're at home. Here are just four of the reasons why bare is best:
Strengthens Feet and Legs
You might not know this, but as babies learn to walk, their feet and legs are learning how to carry that weight. By allowing your child to go barefoot while they're learning to walk, you're allowing the muscles in their feet and legs to develop at the same time. You're also enhancing your child's ability to strengthen their toes, heels, and the balls of their feet. Once your child learns to walk, allowing them to continue spending time barefooted will help them maintain strong feet and legs.
Improves Movement
Walking properly requires careful orchestration between the feet, the legs, and even the back. Putting shoes on your child while they're learning to walk can actually curtail their ability to develop a proper gait. Unfortunately, gait problems can follow a child right into adulthood. While your child is learning to walk, encourage the development of a healthy gait by keeping shoes and socks off their feet as often as possible. Once they get older, encourage them to spend some time each day without shoes on their feet, especially at home.
Encourage Proper Foot Development
You might not realize this, but shoes can actually change the shape of your child's foot, especially if the shoes are too narrow around the toes. Wearing improper shoes can lead to narrowing toes, and the development of bunions later in life. Give your child's feet a chance to grow properly by letting them go barefoot while they're little, and beyond.
Enhances Sensory Development
Children experience the world through all their senses, including touch. When you think of touching, you usually associate hands and fingers with that particular sense. However, exploring the sense of touch can also be accomplished through the feet, especially those wiggly little toes. Allowing your child to go barefooted enhances sensory development by allowing the complete exploration of touch through hands and feet.
If you're constantly fighting to keep shoes and socks on your little one's feet, let them go barefooted. There are a lot of benefits to be had by letting your child go without shoes while they're young. Contact a medical office like Oregon Foot Clinic for more information and assistance.
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