As days shorten and the weather becomes crisper and the summer draws to a close, children are whisked back into school with new clothes and new shoes. As your research and purchase these shoes, care should be taken. The questions that are sometimes asked, are how do I make sure these shoes are comfortable and well fitted and of good quality? Do I need to spend large amounts of money to get a quality shoe? When should I replace a shoe? How about "hand me down" shoes?

Before purchasing a shoe for a child, you need to remember two key points:

1) A developing child's foot is not just a smaller version of the adult foot. The bones are growing and progressing. The foot even often functions different than the full grown adult foot.

2) Child shoes should be able to be worn for running, jumping and playing, not just walking or standing. Children will be playing at school and should have a shoe that will protect them from injury as they play.

So as you consider these keys, carefully pick a shoe that the child both likes to wear and will provide the comfort in activity that each child requires. The process for choosing a shoe should include:

1. Children's feet at various stages of growth may change sizes very rapidly. Ensure that you measure their feet at shoe purchase. Both feet must be measured, as one foot will be larger than the other. Always fit shoes to the larger foot. Remember shoes that don't fit properly could aggravate foot problems.

2. The child should "try on" the shoes prior purchase. This means that you should take the child shoe shopping. This allows you to purchase a comfortable shoe that they like to wear. Shoes should never require a "break-in" period, because a shoe that fits correctly will be comfortable immediately.

3. Over a period of wear, a shoe will wear in the outer sole (the portion we see and walk on), the inside of the shoe (including the heel area), and the inner sole (located inside the shoe). The inner sole is a matrix of softer material that has air pockets that flatten over time. As such, the shoe will wear out "inside" even when it doesn't completely look worn out. If the shoe doesn't appear to be working right, it should be replaced.

4. Because of how shoes can wear with an individual foot, handing down shoes is not necessarily a good idea. Just because a shoe is the correct size, doesn't mean it will fit another child's foot as comfortably as it did the first.

As school starts, and flip flops or sandals are traded for new shoes, care should be exercised to find high quality shoes. A good habit of shoe wear will begin at an early age and will minimize injury or long term foot problems. You may be the key to the long healthy life of your child's feet. Think about it now and influence their life in the future.