The Best Shoes for Kids with Down Syndrome – Protect Their Feet!

Children with Down syndrome tend to have flatter, wider, and more pronated feet that usually require a specific type of shoe. The best shoes for kids with Down syndrome provide a stable base of support, round toe-boxes, and oversized openings for easy on and off. Certain shoes can help improve your child’s foot posture and balance, and I can help you find these shoes as I am a shoe fitter with over a decade of shoe fitting experience.

Do Most Children with Down Syndrome Have Flat Feet?

Yes, and the main issue with your child being flat-footed is that their arches can’t act as shock absorbers every time your kids’ feet impact the ground. Did you know that the arches of your kids’ feet efficiently support the weight of your child’s body while allowing flexibility for movement and balance? If your child is flat-footed, it is important to provide your child with good, supportive shoes to attenuate the impact that the feet receive when they come in contact with the ground.

Let’s take a look at a couple of images of flat-footed children. Do these images look familiar?

The Challenges of Finding Shoes for Children with Down Syndrome

I know that it can be a challenge for parents to find shoes that are wide enough for their kids’ feet and that at the same time provide the correct amount of support, while still being “socially acceptable.” I have fitted several of shoes for children with Down syndrome and I know which shoe styles come in wide and extra wide widths while providing good support for their feet.

Some parents don’t understand the importance and the positive impact that shoes can have on their children’s lives. Please remember this: “Any structure built on a weak foundation will collapse”. Our feet are the foundation for our entire body, and we must take good care of them!

Can Shoes Help Improve Your Child’s Stability Issues?

Did you know that children with Down syndrome tend to have stability issues? Wearing the wrong shoe size or the wrong type of shoes will only end up compromising their stability even more and creating all sorts of foot problems. Providing your child with Down syndrome with the correct type of shoes is extremely important since they may not be able to express any discomfort even when they are wearing the wrong shoe size.

When a child is pronating excessively and we don’t do anything to correct it, we are compromising their muscle function since the body has no foundation to walk on.

At What Age Do Children with Down Syndrome Usually Start Walking?

Most children with Down syndrome learn how to walk at an average of 24 months, but some of them might take as long as 42 months. The main reason for this delay is their low muscle tone.

I have helped several families who are extremely grateful and shocked about the positive impact that the right type of shoes had on their kids’ lives. I remember one family in particular who came to the shoe store after being referred by their occupational therapist. Their child kept falling and had the hardest time walking. At first, the parents thought that with time the child’s stability was going to improve and he would stop falling. However, the condition only got worse. The mom was worried that the child was going to hit his head one day and become seriously injured.

Turns out that the child was wearing shoes that were way too long for his feet. The mother told me that she had to get them long for the foot to fit inside the kids’ shoe —since the child had extra wide feet with a high instep— The child had really wide feet, and because the mother didn’t know that deep shoes in extra wide widths existed, she always ended up buying longer shoes. Think about it: If you wear shoes that are too long for your feet, wouldn’t you keep falling too? I was really upset with the parents, but it was hard to be mad at them when they already felt really bad about the whole situation.

I found a pair of shoes that fit the child’s feet perfectly —the shoe came in extra wide and provided great stability— and when I asked the child to test them out… magic happened! The child was walking and running around the store without a problem! The mother was so happy that she started crying.

Before and After Images of Children with Flat Feet

I have fitted hundreds of children with Down syndrome in the correct type of shoes, and it’s not an easy thing to do since in most cases you won’t get any feedback from the child. Take a look at the picture of a flat-footed child, does it look familiar?

Before Image

A shoe with good arch and ankle support will help your child walk and run straighter. Something so simple such as providing your children with the correct pair of shoes can have a tremendous impact on improving their overall posture and helping them walk and run straighter.

After Image

Now let’s take a look at the same flat-footed child wearing a pair of supportive sneakers. Do you notice how straighter the feet are?

I know which shoes are more supportive than others, and before trying an orthotic, I always start by fitting children in good supportive shoes and observing how they react to them. If the child is still pronating after wearing a pair of supportive shoes, that means that it might be the right time to try a pair of orthotics. However, always start by trying a pair of supportive shoes first.

Shoes for Kids with Down Syndrome to Improve Posture and Balance

These shoes are also available in medium (M), wide (W), and extra wide (XW). Disclosure: Some links in this post may be affiliate links and we may receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) when you click our links and make purchases.

The type of shoes I recommended are the same ones that most physical and occupational therapists recommend for a child who is flat-footed and has low muscle tone.

Are You Unsure About Which Shoe Size You Should Order Online?

I always recommend that parents take their kids to a local kids’ shoe store that they trust to have their feet properly measured and their shoes properly fitted. However, several parents have contacted me asking where they can get their kids’ shoes online since they don’t have a local shoe store in their area that they trust. 

I created a virtual shoe fitting service that will help you retrieve your child’s shoe size from home. In that resource you will find out whether your child has narrow, medium, wide, or extra wide feet. I also be able to determine whether your child has a high instep or not.

Orthotics for Kids with DS – When the Shoes Are Not the Solution!

Physical and occupational therapists will tell you that the earlier you start managing your children’s gait problems, the better. Early intervention will prevent gait problems later down the road, and it will end up saving you a lot of money!

There is a lot of controversy when it comes to how early a child should start wearing orthotics. Many pediatricians and ortho­pedic surgeons don’t recommend orthotics for children who are younger than 5 years old, stating how children experience significant developmental changes during their first five years. However, many orthotists and physical therapists, actually believe that it’s important to intervene much earlier. They recommend intervening as soon as the child is 18 months to 2 years of age.

How Can Orthotics Help Your Child with Down Syndrome?

The right type of orthotics will play a key role in reducing, or fully eliminating the foot and leg pain that your child might be experiencing. They can also help improve foot posture and gait.

There is one particular orthotic I recommend that has proven to be extremely efficient in preventing children’s feet from collapsing and turning inwards. Below is a picture of a flat-footed child standing up, do you notice how the feet are collapsing and turning inwards?

Now take a look at a picture of the same child standing up in a pair of supportive orthotics. Do you see how straighter the feet are?

This orthotic has been specifically designed by podiatrists for pain relieving arch and ankle support. If you want to try a pair of orthotics for your child then I suggest looking into a different resource that describes the best orthotics for kids.

Comfortable Socks for Kids

Did you know that socks play a huge role in keeping your kids’ feet healthy? Some children with sensory issues can’t stand how socks feel and are always taking them off and wearing their shoes without them.

The material that the socks are made of is also important since certain socks retain the moisture from your kids’ feet and some of them repel it! We started carrying seamless socks at the shoe store and some children even call them “magical socks”.

Do Children Outgrow Their Flat Feet? – They Don’t Always Do!

I have heard several parents say how they don’t want their kids to become dependent on good, supportive shoes or orthotics, and that they prefer to have their children walk barefoot to strengthen their ankles. Trust me when I tell you that it is a MYTH that orthotics and good supportive shoes interfere with strength development!

Several parents have asked me if their children will ever outgrow their flat feet. This is hard to predict, and in most cases, but in most cases, children will remain flat-footed for the rest of their lives. The key is to minimize or eliminate any sort of foot or leg pain that they might be experiencing and allow them to perform their everyday activities without pain.

Get in Touch for a Personalized Suggestion

Without a doubt, children’s shoe needs can vary depending on their age, activity level, and any specific foot conditions they may have. If you have any questions or need any further assistance, you can also contact me via email and I will get back to you as soon as possible. I am happy to help you find a different pair of shoes for your child so don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.