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View Full Version : HELP! Non soft soled shoes for a crawler/cruiser.



lilycat88
04-28-2005, 12:35 PM
*sigh*
I had planned on keeping Susanna in Robeez/Bobux for quite a while longer even though she is starting to want to pull up, etc. Now, it seems I need to rethink that and go for more traditional shoes for her. I don't know where to start.

A little background. Susanna has been in physical therapy for a couple of months to work on some muscle tightness in her hips and trunk as well as some increased range of motion in her ankles. These issues were keeping her from rolling over and crawling. She's now starting to crawl and even attempt to pull up. Her therapist mentioned this morning that it was probably time to get her some "regular" shoes...meaning, high top and a harder sole. She's starting to "in-toe" a bit and she tends to curl her toes/foot down because of tightness in the muscles along the side of her foot. So, the soft-soled shoes aren't providing enough resistance to keep her from doing that.

When I mentioned StrideRite to her she said that she really wasn't a fan of StrideRite because of the expense and that she wasn't sure the StrideRite shoes would fit her foot well. She's actually had luck with shoes from Wal-Mart. Ok...I'm so far from a clothes/shoe snob for Susanna but I can't see buying her first pair of "real" shoes from Wal-Mart. While we don't want to spend $100 on a pair of shoes for a 10 month old, cost isn't the main concern here. She just looked at me blankly when I mentioned a couple of the brands I've seen mentioned here.

So, any thoughts on where to start looking or what brands? Her foot is sort of on the small side, I think. She was 4 1/4 inches last week. It's definitely on the narrow side but she has some puff on the top of her foot. She fits in a size 2 patent mary jane "dress up for church and pictures" shoe that we have.

Thanks for any input.

Niki_n_Abby
04-28-2005, 02:09 PM
My dd has a very narrow foot as well and it is a real challenge to fit her at SR. I really like Ecco. DD wore Robeez most of the time but the winter she turned 1 we bought her a pair of Ecco boots and loved them. She has since had a pair of Ecco tennis shoes and t-strap dress shoes. They are stiffer but not unreasonably so, come up higher on the ankle and, the smaller sizes come with extra inserts. That means you can buy the shoe a size larger and add the insert. When her foot grows you remove the extra insert and keep going. They last much longer than other shoes this way.

HTH!
Niki

DebbieJ
04-28-2005, 02:10 PM
Maybe Preschoolians would be a happy medium? Their "I'm Walking Barefoot" style has a rubber sole that is a bit more substantial that Robeez but still flexible. www.preschoolians.com

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DS 12/03

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Melanie
04-28-2005, 05:40 PM
If they want a boot and hard soles, I'd say Stride Rite (do you have an outlet? They are in the $20's there), Ecco, Naturino, Umi (I've not tried them but they are supposed to be like Elefanten) or Primigi (these last oens are even more $$ than Stride Rite). They are still flexible on the sole, but not a soft sole.



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Squirrel_M
04-28-2005, 06:24 PM
My daughter (almost 19 months) is in physical therapy since January, she does not walk yet. The therapist recommended "real" shoes over soft soled shoes for dd as well. We already had a pair of Ricosta shoes which the therapist liked a lot. These have very good ankle support and it really made a difference for my daughter. These have not been cheap shoes either, but we rather have one pair of shoes which are good for her development.

Monika

dules
04-29-2005, 08:41 AM
My DD is only just cruising at 17 months (and your post has me thinking of some questions to ask the pediatrician!). She will NOT walk/cruise in her Robeez.

She made the most progress, and continues to love, her Ecco first walker booties. She also really loves and has a great fit from a pair of Perfection velcro-closing sneakers in hot pink/purple.

I'd definitely try some Eccos. They are softer than many first walkers yet provide excellent support and a nice flat surface for standing and cruising/walking.

Best,
Mary