Squeak, Squeak, Squeak! it is all what you hear when my son walks. In my search for finding something that could motivate Tommy to walk last year, I found out about the squeaky shoes, which has become one of Tommy's walking helper beside the orthotics.
Shoes are more than just something that cover my son's feeds because they provide support to the base of his body, which are the main body part for a proper body alignment. An unbalance body alignment can pull the joints out from the right alignment causing a rubbing/wearing process in cartilage, which can in some cases lead to hip and knee replacements. The unbalanced condition can cause sore back and sore joints and even right up to the neck. People with Trisomy 21 tent to have unbalance body alignment due to they usually develop flat feet because of their joints and muscle weakness. I always look for "Quality" shoes when making a decision what shoes my son should wear.
Benefits of Squeaky Shoes:
- Physical Therapists are currently using squeaky shoes with toddlers and young children to encourage a proper walking pattern. When the child walks properly, the muscles in feet and ankles develop properly, resulting in a good body alignment. These are quality shoes that are light-weight and flexible with squeaks in the heels, which are removable, giving an audible feedback that aids the child in knowing when he/she is walking correctly.
- The squeak sound is a great encouragement for crawlers to begin walking and for toddlers and young children to walk properly in order for the shoe to squeak (the baby or toddler must walk heel-to-toe).
- These shoes also allow visually impaired parents to hear the squeaky steps of their child or when you are in big crowd you always know where your child is.
- Pediatrician-recommended soft-soled exterior for young developing feet and these shoes meet this feature, they have soles bend and move easy after each squeaky step.
- These shoes are wide enough which allow the feet grow naturally and they are ideal if the child wears walking devices (orthotics) because there is still enough room for the feet be comfortable.
Squeak shoes are more than just shoes for me because Tommy began to walk a few days after he wore his first squeaky shoes. They were a great motivator for him to walk. They are also helping my son to develop a proper body alignment and walking pattern. Tommy began to walk with a narrower base in a short period of time I believe because of this shoes. We have still to strength his ankles for him to be able to walk with a complete narrow base, which will come with time. Meanwhile, we have fun when Tommy wears the squeaky shoes.
See the video of Tommy with his brand new
Navy with White Stripes Tennis Shoe
that we got for him last months.
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