question for medical professionals about feet

OK, this is stupid, but I really am curious about what those of you on
"the human side" think of this, because I think it's absurd but what do I
know about people's feet?

At our local Gymboree Play and Music center, staff encourages the children
(age 0-4 years) to run barefoot on the mats and equipment, because it
helps them from slipping and it is easier to climb and so forth. However,
"due to complaints from some of the parents," it was recently made
mandatory that *adults* wear socks in the playroom. So the children are
barefoot, but the adults wear socks. I asked what the point of that was,
and was informed that "the kid's feet don't have any sweat glands, so it's
not a problem for them to be barefoot, but the adult's feet sweat, so it's
not good for them to be barefoot." I asked if they had consulted a medical
professional about this and was informed that yes, an RN gave them the
information which helped them to formulate their new policy.

Frankly, I find it extremely annoying, because *I* am going to slip and
fall on my ass one of these days on those slippery mats with socks on! I
can't imagine how *my* feet put anyone at a greater risk of a problem than
the feet of G-d-knows-how-many-kids per day do! I first of all do not
believe for one second that the feet of children do not have sweat glands.
Secondly, I don't understand why the ability of feet to sweat would be an
issue. I mean, no adult I know goes around profusely sweating from the
feet to the point of leaving sweat marks on the floor during Gymboree-type
activity, anyway. So, this leaves us with questions about possible public
health concerns. Sure, people can have foot fungus or viruses which cause
warts... those people of course should be courteous and keep their feet
covered! But I don't believe children are immune to those problems. I know
that the gym where my son took swimming last year had some kind of
athlete's foot outbreak related to the family changing room, and a lot of
kids were affected (although thankfully not mine!)

What do any lurking medical professionals think of this policy? Is there
ANY reason it actually makes sense, other than that the Gymboree people
were trying to appease a vocal and stupid faction?


--
hillary israeli vmd http://www.hillary.net
"uber vaccae in quattuor partes divisum est."
not-so-newly minted veterinarian-at-large

Hillary Israeli wrote:

What do any lurking medical professionals think of this policy? Is
there ANY reason it actually makes sense, other than that the
Gymboree people were trying to appease a vocal and stupid faction?


Clearly I'm not a medical professional (come to think of it, I'm not
anything professionally...). But I have met plenty of 0-4 year olds with
stinky feet; doesn't that come from bacteria eating sweat?

--
iphigenia
www.tristyn.net

On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 19:04:26 -0600, "iphigenia"
wrote:

Hillary Israeli wrote:

What do any lurking medical professionals think of this policy? Is
there ANY reason it actually makes sense, other than that the
Gymboree people were trying to appease a vocal and stupid faction?


Clearly I'm not a medical professional (come to think of it, I'm not
anything professionally...). But I have met plenty of 0-4 year olds with
stinky feet; doesn't that come from bacteria eating sweat?

Also, since the bacteria like the moist atmosphere created when people
wear shoes and socks, it stands to reason to me that barefoot is
better for everyone.

I don't have any medical information to back me up, but I found
nothing online to suggest that children have less sweat glands in
their feet than adults do.


--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..
Outer Limits

"Hillary Israeli" wrote in message
...
OK, this is stupid, but I really am curious about what those of you on
"the human side" think of this, because I think it's absurd but what do I
know about people's feet?

At our local Gymboree Play and Music center, staff encourages the children
(age 0-4 years) to run barefoot on the mats and equipment, because it
helps them from slipping and it is easier to climb and so forth. However,
"due to complaints from some of the parents," it was recently made
mandatory that *adults* wear socks in the playroom. So the children are
barefoot, but the adults wear socks. I asked what the point of that was,
and was informed that "the kid's feet don't have any sweat glands, so it's
not a problem for them to be barefoot, but the adult's feet sweat, so it's
not good for them to be barefoot." I asked if they had consulted a medical
professional about this and was informed that yes, an RN gave them the
information which helped them to formulate their new policy.

Frankly, I find it extremely annoying, because *I* am going to slip and
fall on my ass one of these days on those slippery mats with socks on! I
can't imagine how *my* feet put anyone at a greater risk of a problem than
the feet of G-d-knows-how-many-kids per day do! I first of all do not
believe for one second that the feet of children do not have sweat glands.
Secondly, I don't understand why the ability of feet to sweat would be an
issue. I mean, no adult I know goes around profusely sweating from the
feet to the point of leaving sweat marks on the floor during Gymboree-type
activity, anyway. So, this leaves us with questions about possible public
health concerns. Sure, people can have foot fungus or viruses which cause
warts... those people of course should be courteous and keep their feet
covered! But I don't believe children are immune to those problems. I know
that the gym where my son took swimming last year had some kind of
athlete's foot outbreak related to the family changing room, and a lot of
kids were affected (although thankfully not mine!)

What do any lurking medical professionals think of this policy? Is there
ANY reason it actually makes sense, other than that the Gymboree people
were trying to appease a vocal and stupid faction?


--
hillary israeli vmd http://www.hillary.net
"uber vaccae in quattuor partes divisum est."
not-so-newly minted veterinarian-at-large

My two year old often has damp socks when he takes his shoes off, his feet
sweat I can say that at least. The problem with bare feet in my opinion
would be athletes foot and verrucas, I imagine athletes foot is more common
in adults than kids. However why not say "keep your shoes on if you have
athletes foot" if you have it you know about it. It's easy to treat.
Verrucas happen more often in kids as far as I know. Seems a bit silly, an
adult would probably do themselves more damage slipping on a smooth floor in
socks than a kid would.

Besides if it's sweat they are worried about then that would be on the socks
too. I think it just sounds like someone being squeemish, not a very
sensible policy.

x-no-archive:yes (Elana Kehoe) wrote:

Hillary Israeli wrote:

"the kid's feet don't have any sweat glands, so it's
not a problem for them to be barefoot, but the adult's feet sweat, so it's
not good for them to be barefoot." I asked if they had consulted a medical
professional about this and was informed that yes, an RN gave them the
information which helped them to formulate their new policy.

It was probably the RN who complained.

What crap. Patrick's feet sweat, and he's 18 months. If they have a
problem with people's feet sweating, they can wipe everything down with
disinfectant between classes.

In some species, the young don't have scent etc. and are different
from the adults in order to aid in hiding the young from predators.
This is not the case for humans (at least the no scent part). There
is no truth to the idea that young children's feet don't sweat.

It may be somewhat more likely that fungus etc will be present on
adult feet than children's feet but if they are 'ascared' of that,
they can have everyone go through a foot bath (not that it will
actually help but may make them feel better).

It is *always* better for people to be barefoot, since the air helps
kill bacteria (yes, both good and bad), and for kids it helps them learn
to walk properly.

Although I go barefoot as much as possible, it isn't ALWAYS better
although I would say that it is almost always true that barefoot
traction is better than traction with socks.

If you like you can get those footie type socks with those gripping
strips on the bottom for yourself. I slip less in those. Or just put
those antislip things from the bathtub on the bottom of your socks.
Or if you feel really strongly, slip, fall, pretend to be severely
injured and suggest that you will sue them. (joke)


E
who hates shoes, and goes barefoot whenever she can

I find that deck shoes have better traction than bare feet on a boat
deck. I wouldn't have believed it, but it is true. So dh insists
that I wear shoes on the boat, and mostly I do because he's right. I
also find that walking barefoot in coarse sand (like the streets of
Caye Caulker in Belize) wears the skin off the bottom of my feet.

grandma Rosalie

"iphigenia" wrote in
:

Hillary Israeli wrote:

What do any lurking medical professionals think of this policy? Is
there ANY reason it actually makes sense, other than that the
Gymboree people were trying to appease a vocal and stupid faction?


Clearly I'm not a medical professional (come to think of it, I'm not
anything professionally...). But I have met plenty of 0-4 year olds
with stinky feet; doesn't that come from bacteria eating sweat?

yes. and my 35 month old has very sweaty feet if i make him wear shoes
(stupid Target insists he wear shoes or stay in the cart), so i don't
buy the kids don't have sweat glands in thier feet. making the adults
wear socks & letting the kids go barefoot isn't going to solve any
health issues. if the kid's parents have athlete's foot or plantar's
warts, the kid may very well be carrying it too. besides, most toddler
socks have grippies on the bottom & adult socks don't (add your own
with puff paint).
lee
--
It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate
between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital
connection between them. -Leo Buscaglia, author (1924-1998)

toto wrote in message . ..

I don't have any medical information to back me up, but I found
nothing online to suggest that children have less sweat glands in
their feet than adults do.

My 19 month old gets sweaty feet, and after a day of wearing shoes and
socks her feet are stinky, too.

I suspect it's because adults are more likely to have foot fungus than
kids.

Cathy Weeks
Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01

"kereru" wrote in message ...
My two year old often has damp socks when he takes his shoes off, his feet
sweat I can say that at least. The problem with bare feet in my opinion
would be athletes foot and verrucas, I imagine athletes foot is more common
in adults than kids. However why not say "keep your shoes on if you have
athletes foot" if you have it you know about it. It's easy to treat.

I had athletes foot for MONTHS before it was diagnosed. It didn't look
like any of the pictures I saw of it, and it took a podiatrist to
diagnose it (my primary care physician didn't even know what it was).
It didn't look gross or anything. However, I disagree about it being
hard to treat. It can be REALLY hard to get rid of. For me, it took
more than 6 weeks of 2x daily topical cream.

Cathy Weeks
Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01

Hillary Israeli wrote in message
...
OK, this is stupid, but I really am curious about what those of you on
"the human side" think of this, because I think it's absurd but what do I
know about people's feet?

Personally I will keep my feet covered because I have funny shaped feet
(genetical) and I don't like the look of them. I don't get sweaty feet
really, so that's not an issue. I have no problem with adults or children
going barefoot, and I don't think most foot fungus stuff isn't that
infectious.
I usually put ballet shoes on dd now at that sort of thing because she
always wears dresses and in the winter she has tights on which are a pain to
remove. They give her that extra grip.
I'd suggest you get some ballet shoes (ebay usually has a few sizes cheap)
or some of those slipper socks with grips on the sole.
Debbie

"Cathy Weeks" wrote in message
om...
"kereru" wrote in message
...
My two year old often has damp socks when he takes his shoes off, his
feet
sweat I can say that at least. The problem with bare feet in my opinion
would be athletes foot and verrucas, I imagine athletes foot is more
common
in adults than kids. However why not say "keep your shoes on if you have
athletes foot" if you have it you know about it. It's easy to treat.

I had athletes foot for MONTHS before it was diagnosed. It didn't look
like any of the pictures I saw of it, and it took a podiatrist to
diagnose it (my primary care physician didn't even know what it was).
It didn't look gross or anything. However, I disagree about it being
hard to treat. It can be REALLY hard to get rid of. For me, it took
more than 6 weeks of 2x daily topical cream.

Cathy Weeks
Mommy to Kivi Alexis 12/01

Oh Dear sounds like you had a nasty case of it. I admit that I haven't
actually had it but my Dad sometimes did and my husband does too. Both of
then say casually "oh I've got some athletes foot" and put some cream on it
and that's the last I hear of it. They must be playing it down! I just
assumed it was obvious when you had it. Clearly not :-)