Tiny feet, high heels
Doctors caution against the trend of celebrities letting their young kids wear high heels
Seems like five-year-old Harper Beckham, the daughter of Victoria and David Beckham, is imitating her mother’s style. On the show This Morning, Victoria said, “She’s (Harper) been able to run in platforms for a few years now! She can wear heels like most grown-ups cannot. I’m very close with all of the children, but the great thing about Harper (is that) she loves to play with makeup.”
But, Victoria is not the only one, as there are many celebrities who dress up their young kids in high heels. It all began when Suri Cruise, Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter, was spotted wearing heels at the age of three. Most recently, North West, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s daughter was seen in heels too.
Even an adult’s feet are damaged by heels, so how safe are they for growing kids? Dr Nithin Kumar, Orthopaedist at Yashoda Hospitals, says that wearing heels at a young age can jeopardise the child’s growth.
“Wearing heels can affect young girls tremendously. The growth pattern is altered and high arches develop. Due to this, an excessive amount of weight is placed on the ball and heel of the foot. This can cause pain and instability while walking or even standing. Wearing heels can also cause Achilles tendinitis, which leads to swelling of the feet. High
heels are definitely not advisable for kids,” he says.
While no parent should dress their kids in high heels, it is very important that celebrities follow this advice particularly, because a lot of people follow them.
Orthopaedist Dr Neelam Ramana Reddy says that heels can affect the bone growth of the child.
“A five-year-old child’s bones are still developing and you’re putting unnecessary stress and pressure on it, which will affect her growth. Kids may also trip and get a fracture,” he says, adding that celebrities must not dress their kids merely to show them off, but should concentrate more on their health.