Walking is a huge milestone in your baby's life. Let her go barefoot inside the house, where she can develop her walking skills. Save her shoes for playing and walking around outside -- they may prevent her from picking up bacteria and parasites, as well as a possible injury.
Barefoot Versus Shoes
Once your baby begins walking, slip a pair of socks on her feet or allow her to walk barefoot inside the house; it helps the muscles of her feet develop normally. Because her toes aren't constricted inside shoes, they're able to grasp the ground, which helps her develop more confidence as she learns to walk, according to the NYU Langone Medical Center.
Your baby should wear shoes when she's outside during the warmer months. If she's barefoot and toddling around outside, she may step on a piece of broken glass or rusted metal. In addition, she can also develop plantar warts, which develop after exposure to human papilloma virus. Plantar warts develop on the bottom of the foot and can be painful, states the Kids Health website.
Picking Up Hookworm
If your baby has even a tiny cut on the bottom of one of her feet, she can pick up a parasite known as a hookworm. These are parasites that live in the intestines of their hosts and are deposited by cats and dogs in their feces, states the Berkeley Parents Network website.
During the summer months, if you allow your baby to play in outdoor areas where neighborhood pets may defecate, she's at risk for picking up this intestinal parasite. If she does, she can develop gastrointestinal symptoms. At the most serious, the hookworm infection can lead to blood loss and possibly anemia, states the Centers for Disease Control.
Stronglyloides Stercoralis
Your baby can also pick up a roundworm known as Strongyloides stercoralis. This parasite can be present in your daughter's body for most of her adult life and she may never know it. This parasite can enter her body through a small wound on one of her feet in the same way hookworm enters her body. However, if she develops the disease called Strongyloidiasis, she can easily be treated.
Pseudomonas
If your baby walks barefoot, she can pick up a bacterial infection called "pseudomonas aeruginosa." The very young are among those most vulnerable to illness after exposure to this germ, especially if the bacteria slips into the bloodstream, states the White Memorial Medical Center website. Allow your baby to walk barefoot inside the house, but when you take her outside, slip a pair of socks and soft-soled shoes onto her feet.
