Choose shoes made from materials that breathe, such as canvas or leather, suggests Dr. Labarbera. These are less likely to encourage moisture buildup, he says. Avoid shoes made of plastic or other synthetic, nonporous materials that trap odor inside. When children wear the same shoes every day, that doesn't give them a chance to dry out,'' says Dr. Labarbera. Moisture that builds up from activity frequently accumulates in the shoes.
Wet shoes can cause the skin to break down and smell bad.
Sometimes the skin on a child's feet will even turn whitish from this ongoing wetness, says Dr. Labarbera. If your child's foot odor is powerful and the tips here don't seem to help, there may be a fungus or other infection involved, says Marc A. Brenner, D.P.M., a podiatrist on the medical staff of the Long Island Jewish Hospital in New Hyde Park and North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, both in New York. Take your child to a podiatrist. You may need a prescription antibiotic salve or antifungal liquid to start the healing process. Dry socks may be the only thing protecting your child from malodorous feet.