The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-30
THE BABY,s FEST SHOES

AhE Dad . FANS1 Ok1OGO
have II months old son, writes
A. q. j., in apparent good health. He
is just starting to walk and I want
to be sure to get the right kind of
shoes. So far he has had no shoes.
Please advise regarding the type,
brand name and any other informa-
ton you can give about baby shoes.
/. Every infant and growing child
should be given as much@oppo rtunity
as possible to walk or play barefoot,
or with only soft rnoccasins Or SAN
dals on the feet If protection is nee
essary for the feet.
2. The muscles that move the toes
are at the same time the supporting
muscles Of the feet. Therefore the
more freedom the child has to move
the toes, whether barefoot, wearing
sandals or moccasins or shoes, the
more perfectly the feet will develop
and the more beautiful the feet will
be.
8. The less shoe, the less sole, the
less heel, the less counter and the
less rigid or tight upper, the better.
4. When buying shoes for baby or
young child first draw with pencil an
outline of the shape of the feet while
the child stands without support, on
paper. Cut out the foot patterns and
take them with you. Select shoes
which give the same shape of pat
tern. It is always better to select
shoes size or two larger than the
exact fit.
5. Avoid any rigidity in shoes for
baby or child Do not permit any
one to tell you the .child's feet need
artificial support of any kind, unless
it be your physician. AS soon as arti-
fetal support is used in shoes for
child with normal feet the natural
supports begin to weaken.
g. Never use props, supports or
pads of any description in shoes or
on the feet except under direction
of your physician.
Z. Nearly all babies, particularly
fat babies, look flat-footed but are
not. The arch of the foot is normal
ly low in the first part of the second
year, and an additional pad of fat
makes it look still lower. BY the time
the child is three years of age, if the
child has had enough opportunity to
go barefoot, the arch will appear all
right.
8. For the infant playing on cold
floors in the winter time thick soft
wool socks or socks with thick soft
soles are ideal. If the child goes out
to play in the snow or on cold ground
or damp ground, loose fitting arctics,
knee boots or rubber overshoes may
be put on over the socks.
8. Rightly or stiffness in shoes
should be avoided and softness and
f1exibility insisted upon when select
ing shoes for the baby.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Ben Told At Work Again
Had injection treatment for hernia
four years ago, with successful re-
suits, but now I often awake at night
with filters in my legs, kind of
nervousness that makes me want to
get up and move about. Doctor here
said he had a patient who suffered
similar trouble after hernia injection
and at the - clinic they told him
he'd have to have the scar tissue cut
out.-(B. E. CD
Answer-It would be wise to con-
suit the physician who gave you the
injection treatment. If 1 had hernia
I'd choose injection treatment in
preference to crochet work at the big
clinic or anywhere else. 1t is at least
as likely to cure as. the radical opera
ton, and is safer as to immediate
risk and after effects.
Iodin Ration
would like to have your instruc-
lions for taking an iodine diet. From
what you say about it think need
more iodine too Mrs. D. H)
Answer-Send stamped envelope
bearing your address and ask for
Instructions for Taking an Iodin
Ration"
/ feel I must take a long breath or
sigh or a kind of yawn every little
while, or as though I can't get
enough air.-(E. h
Answer-A common manifestation
of anoxia-oxygen shortage in the
blood and other tissues. Possibly due
to anemia-hemoglobin in blood is
carrier of oxygen from lungs to cells