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Pediatric Shoe Guide

Your little one may be ready for their first pair of shoes if they have begun walking
independently the majority of the time, are not progressing to independent steps after 4-5
months of furniture cruising, or are hesitant to stand over 12 months of age. When provided at
the right time, a good pair of shoes can increase your child’s confidence with walking and help
them meet motor milestones. There are several factors you should keep in mind when
shopping for a pair of shoes for your child.

  1. Firm But Flexible Sole: Look for a sole that is unable to be easily folded or twisted in
    half, but that is able be bend near the toes. A shoe should provide good support, but not
    too much!
  2. Wide Toe Box: The toe box is that part of the shoes where your child’s toes go. A wide toe
    box means that the end of shoe does not narrow or have a pointed end. A wide toe box
    provides room to allow your child to scrunch their toe. Toe scrunching is a small but
    important movement that children do as they learn to balance.
  3. Ankle Straps: A strap at or close to the ankle helps keep your child’s foot in place. Bonus
    points if the strap is Velcro or adjustable to make it easy to customize the fit to your
    little one’s foot.
  4. Sturdy Heel Cup: Like an ankle strap, a good heel cup helps to keep the foot in place to
    promote increased balance and stability. A good heel cup should not collapse and will
    provide some resistance when the sides are pinched together.
  5. Good Traction & Breathable Material: Traction and material will play a huge factor in
    the comfort and tolerance of shoes. An uncomfortable material or poor traction can
    make kids more susceptible to blisters and cause more slips, trips, and falls. Not only
    does this pose a safety hazard, but it can also decrease your child’s confidence in
    walking independently.
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Patient Reviews

LLA Therapy

Patient Reviews

Crystal Scheibe

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Great place, glad we found them. Been going to Medina over 2 months now and he loves Lauryn and Kyler. Wish they had more ABA therapy places available... live in Wooster and long drive everyday.

Karrie Swan LaRock

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My 11 year old son has dyslexia and has made noticeable gains in working At LLA THERAPY. Katie is strong in her approach toward him and also keeps him comfortable enough to perform well. We will continue visiting both the Fairlawn and Hudson offices and recommend them highly.

Ron Monroe

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My 9 year old just completed about 9 months of weekly speech sessions (due to his stuttering) with Matt Hagge at LLA and we are thrilled with the experience and results. What I thought might be a negative (what kid really wants to go to speech class?) was made very positive by Matt, and my son never hesitated or complained when we talked about class. He really enjoyed it and really took what Matt taught him to heart. His speech has been greatly improved and we definitely recommend LLA. Thank you so much!

Heather Dougherty-Pantoja

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My son’s Occupational Therapist, Jess, is an amazing OT! She gives practical tips on working with my son at home and school!

Terri Apgar

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I cannot say enough good things about LLA Therapy. My daughter was a client of Teal Simmons’ for approximately 2 years and was just released from speech therapy! She was diagnosed with Apraxia in 2015 and worked with Teal twice a week. Through Teal’s application of PROMPT therapy, my daughter had age-appropriate speech after one year. All of the staff we interacted with at LLA were absolutely wonderful. They really care about what they do and making sure your child achieves their goals.

Kelli Geisler Davisson

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LLA Therapy has been an excellent experience for my son as well as my family! My son always asks, "When can I go see Ms. Jeannine again, is it Monday??" He has also made huge gains in only 5 months! I would highly recommend LLA and have already shared my experience with friends looking for services!

Victoria Hansford-Price

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We are so grateful for our Speech Therapist Ms.Teal. We have seen a great improvement with our sons confidence and communication abilities since we have started "Prompt" therapy. What we love the most about LLA and Ms. Teal is that Kohl feels comfortable and relaxed which has played a critical role in his progress. Thank you Ms. Teal for all you have done.

Laura Lee Hogsett

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They have helped in numerous ways. Speech, OT and behavioral. I've had numerous compliments on my son's progress thanks in very large part to LLA. I would recommend LLA before I recommend our local children's hospitals, though they are good, they don't have the staff that LLA does.

Amy Furukawa

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We had a great experience with Matt Hagge at LLA! Our Middle School age son was becoming very conscious of his voice, which is nasal due to a cleft palate. Matt helped him to better form his sounds and project his voice in a way that makes the unavoidable nasality less noticeable.Our son is more confident and outgoing & even took on a speaking role in the church play. Matt has the perfect personality to relate with our son, and we would recommend him to anyone needing speech therapy services!

Jessica Havalotti

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LLA Therapy has been an excellent experience for our daughter. I would highly recommend LLA. Miss Grace was so amazing and I can't believe how quickly our daughter showed improvement. Thank you!
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