Jul 01 2008
Rolling Ankles (update)
Well, we saw the PA at Zoe’s doctor’s office last week. She said she didn’t see anything too alarming at this point but that we’d watch it. The PA said mostly she’s just spoiled (she was joking).
She said we could “try” high-top shoes with hard leather soles (like the walking shoes I—and probably most of us—wore as a getting ready to walk baby.) Everything I’ve read online says that’s not recommended.
I did go to a Stride-Rite store (they sell adult shoes too, not just SR) hoping that I could get her measured and then find something for less on eBay so I played it as though I hadn’t been to the doctor yet. They didn’t want to waste their time and mine measuring her if that wasn’t what the doctor was going to recommend. I was less than impressed. 
They told me they haven’t sold a pair of the hard-bottom shoes in more than 10 years and recommended a store in a neighboring town if that’s what the doctor recommends.
We went there next. They were awesome. They did have some hard-soled shoes and a softer rubber soled shoe but they were close to $50 and they told me that really she should be primarily barefoot while learning to walk.
So, here I am, a week later with no shoes. I’ve stopped putting the robeez-like shoes on her feet for daycare to keep her barefoot while trying to cruise—which she does some now, but mostly under protest. At this point, my plan is to wait until Zoe’s 15 month appointment and see how she’s doing at that point. If I need to get more supportive shoes, I’ll figure it out then.
In all honesty Kim, I think kids are seriously walking later and later now a days. I have a 16 month old girl who came to me at 14 months. She had just begun to cruise and finally a couple weeks ago let go and is walking, unsteady walking, but walking. The one year old, who turned one June 13th, so she is now almost 13 months, just started to cruise last week and will NOT walk unless you hold her hands. Once you let go, she buckles her knees and then protests when you try to get her back onto her feet. Are kids just lazy now or what?? LOL Zoe will walk soon – all kids are different. I did the hard bottom soled shoes for Meg, my doc recommended them, but, now I read more and more to keep your baby barefoot and only when they do start to walk well, move them into Stride Rite’s. Who knows what is right now a days.
Hi Kim, sounds like you are doing the right thing by looking into it now and just keeping an eye on it. I read recently, I think in Parents magazine, that the best thing is to work on their core by giving them lots of tummy time (and if you have a big exercise ball, placing on their tummy on that and rocking them, etc) as well as letting them go barefoot so the support muscles get some work. Lots of kids don’t walk until 14-15 months, and even then they can be pretty shakey! Hope it all works out for you.