Why wear socks?

Do we actually need to wear socks? How does wearing socks help us?

They can barely even be seen. However, socks are important because they absorb perspiration produced by the feet. It is better to wear socks make from cotton or wool because they can absorb the perspiration. If you wear totally synthetic socks, they are not absorbent and there are greater chances of getting athlete’s foot or other fungal infection with them.

Socks can be made from a wide variety of materials, natural or synthetic, or blends. All these materials feel different on the feet and even look different. Forget about the ‘dress’ socks, which are more expensive. Daily use socks are often sold in packs of five, very cheap, but if you suffer from an infection in the feet because of them, the money saved is of no consequence.

It is important that you do not compromise of quality even if you have to pay a bit more. Did you know socks have a long history, going through the ages? Similar to under garments, socks were among the early items of clothing worn by mankind. Probably people needed to keep their feet warm in cold weather and also to protect their feet.The older versions were probably made from animal skins which were tied around the ankles. As far back as the 8th century B.C. the Greeks made socks from matted animal hair, providing warmth and comfort to their feel. These were some of the precursors of modern socks. It was in 1859 that after the advent of the knitting machine that socks similar to the ones we know came into being and use.

Circular knitting machines make the socks as we are used to wearing them. Most modern socks are made on that machine and are manufactured in bulk. The newer socks come in a great variety of styles and are made of various materials.

Some socks are also used for medical reasons. People who suffer from as Plantar Fasciitis can wear socks which give arch support and also provide relief from this painful condition. The manufacturers of these socks hold that they help in controlling the pain and are an inexpensive alternative as well.

Socks come in all types and varieties: thin, thick, wool, cotton, long, short, funny, medical and don’t forget the special kid’s socks with cartoon characters, or socks for teens which are funky. You are spoilt for choice when you go to buy socks and they make great gifts as well for all occasions.

Doctors warn tight baby socks cause scarring

Tight socks could scar the legs of young children and babies, reported various news sources on September 17 2007. The reports warn that wearing a pair of socks just once can cause ‘sock-line bands’ which are raised red marks around the leg or ankle and this could lead to permanent scarring.

The reports are based on a journal letter from two doctors who report a possible new condition found in children that they call “sock-line hyperpigmentation”. The condition reportedly causes permanent, but harmless, scarring from wearing tight socks.

It seems sensible not to put your child in socks that are too tight for them; however, there is a long way to go before we can conclude that this causes a serious risk for permanent scarring to the skin.

Kid Socks

Your little ones' feet need to be protected from the damp cold of winter and hot, dry summer. Kids socks may be only of practical concern to you, but kids have a whole different take on the subject. The plain white sock doesn't cut it. Kids look at socks as a fashion statement of sorts, colorful, cartooned, lacy and patterned exposes of personality. Pay attention! There's more than meets the eye when it comes to buying kids socks.

Naturally, you'll want warm and bulky socks for winter and thinner, cool socks for summer. That's the practical side. Kids, on the other hand, think nothing of these practical considerations. They want kids socks that are fun!

As most parents know, kids get great pleasure at looking down and seeing, protruding from a sneaker, their favorite cartoon character, a bit of lace or just plain bright color. Kids socks should display part of the ankle, for their viewing pleasure. Otherwise, what fun is a pair of socks? As a parent, your objective is a protected foot. As a kid, you won't be convinced to wear this clothing item unless it's fun.

In the children's clothing departments, you'll find patterned socks, thickly striped or pinstriped kids socks as well as polka dots and geometrical shapes. The best fun in the kids socks assortments, are the cartoon characters. Portraits of their favorites are readily available. Look for characters suited to your child's' age group. Characters like Dora the Explorer and Blue from Blues Clues are well received by younger children. This doesn't mean they won't enjoy some of the same characters as the older kids. Sponge Bob Square Pants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Lion King, the Little Mermaid and Boobah are loved by children of every age group. Children always love the classical characters, like Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Sylvester the Cat, Mickey Mouse, and Donald Duck.

Kids sock designs go beyond patterns and cartoon characters. There are amusing little variations. Pom-pom socks are quite popular today, with fluffy little balls attached at the back of the ankle. Some kids socks come with teeny-tiny stuffed, detachable cartoon characters on the back. These little fellas do double-duty as a plaything and cozy, fun wear.

When buying kids socks, a common mistake parents make is assuming the sock will fit into the shoe. Not necessarily. While summer socks easily slide into a sneaker, winter socks can be so thick that your kids feet become uncomfortably “smooshed”. Make sure your kids winter shoes are just a tiny bit bigger to accommodate the thicker sock.

When buying whimsical socks for your kids, make sure that their fun won't be foiled by little feet stuffed too tightly into their shoe. In addition, don't make older kids feel like “big babies” with cartoon characters only suited to preschool and kindergarten kids. If you want to make absolutely sure your child will love their socks, let them do the shopping, according to the season.

End Those Morning Dressing Battles With Seamless Socks

If your child just won't keep his socks on because they "hurt", try seamless socks!


DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?...

You get into a battle with your child every morning because they refuse to get dressed, wear THOSE pants, wear THAT shirt, wear THOSE shoes, or THOSE socks.

HOW ABOUT THIS?...

"No, mommy, no! They hurt, ouch, ouch. No, I am NOT getting dressed. No, I can't put those socks on. I don't care if it is winter, I don't care if my feet get cold. Ouch, they hurt, stop it!"

Truthfully, one of the greatest "miracles" in clothing design has been the increasing popularity of tagless clothes, seam less socks and tights.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Many people are bothered by the feeling of tags and seams in their clothes due to tactile defensiveness, but, luckily, there is a solution.
Perhaps you... have a child with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (or, Sensory Processing Disorder, as it is now called), have it yourself, don't have other signs of sensory dysfunction but simply prefer no seams rubbing against your toes, or are a professional looking for resources so you can purchase seam less socks... then you have come to the right place.

These socks are now easily available online at pretty reasonable costs. Truthfully, I am so glad for you, because they were all but impossible to find 8 years ago when my daughter really could have used them!

Sock Fights a Common Occurence

This morning like so many others was marked by a fight about socks.

I'm intelligent enough to know these conflicts go deeper than the stitching, cotton, or length of the material. Yet, I'm forever baffled by how Ry can get so upset if the sock is not right. He will go through long socks, short Adidas ankle socks, Gap up to the knee socks, cotton white socks and none of them will be OK. I foolishly think pointing out that the time he spends looking for the perfect socks is time he could be on the playground at school, eating, or doing something fun. But for some reason, at those moments, he can not see a world that exists beyond one which allows children to suffer from "sock disorder."

My wife grapple with how to approach this- Do we use "tough sock love" and detach as he suffers through a parade of socks? Do we become the "sock enabler," and go through each sock with him? Do we live in denial and stop by a store and buy him " the perfect sock?" Do we put on our therapist hats and delve into the underlying struggles in our relationship to him that are being played out in a "sock war."

Comfy Kids socks

Hi everyone,I'm wondering if anyone knows where I can buy soft, seamfree, or minimal seam socks, for a 4 year old girl (with big feet, size 11), pref knee length to go under boots.





I'm having a lot of problems with my Daughter at the moment, most of which I'm sure are power struggles, with me, as she is apparently being great at nursery, & mostly for her Dad too.but the "my feet hurt, I hate these socks they've got lumps in them", followed by crying sobbing fits, has been going on for a while, before "socks" it was knickers, which I gave in & solved the problem by getting her larger sized Disney Princess knickers, but this isn't working for the sock problem, & she insists the seams are "digging in" her toes, ...even before she puts her shoes on....... As you can imagine getting her ready is a nightmare...... espescially hard for me, as I have a disability that amongst other things, means I have the equivelant of a stinking hangover.....every morning... (without ever having a drink)..... so though I know I am giving in to her, feel for the sake of my sanity, & getting her to nursery on time (school looming, so worried) I need to find a practical solution.......hopefully better socksany advice,...especially directions to shops would be appreciated....I've just spent the morning trying to find something, but the seams do feel the same as the ones she complains about..... thanks

CHILDREN'S SEAMLESS OR SEAM FREE SOCKS!!!!

CHILDREN'S SEAMLESS OR SEAM FREE SOCKS!!!!Where in England can I buy
childrens socks without the ridge in the toe? My daughter is very
sensitive and it is driving me mad trying to find some,please help
Ali7a

Hello Ali7a
You can buy 80% cotton children's socks with no toe seam in packs of
3, either mixed bright colours, navy or white.
Price per pack of 3 pairs is 4 or 4.5 euros. P & P costs vary from
just over 2 euros for one pack up to 5.4 euros for 10 packs. Sizes go
from UK children's size 3 to adult size 5.

Thanks - Leli

Some kids ultra-sensitive to socks, shirt seams, tags

How about that? I just found this interesting article, again...on sensory issues.

Early intervention can help with sensory overload

In some homes, a child's sock is simply that: A child's sock.But in homes like Kelly Chirdo's, it is not.The little ball of cloth is an instigator of tears, a symbol of lost time and sometimes the cause of a missed school bus or activity.

Kelly's 10-year-old daughter, Macy, simply cannot bear most socks. Or tags in the back of her shirts. Or seams in her clothes.The socks must be seamless (or turned inside out) and the tags must be cut out, or the clothing won't get worn. Period.

"At first I thought, oh, she is a diva," says Chirdo of Irondequoit, recalling how Macy's early, insistent arrival caused an unplanned home birth. "Then I realized that this wasn't attitude, these things really bother her."

As it turns out, these things — and sometimes many more — bother an awful lot of kids.

"We got talking about this one day and found four people on our staff have the same problem," says Lisa Revell, an Irondequoit office manager whose 12-year-old son, Joe was, as a preschooler, "a horrible nightmare" when it came to sock seams and height, tags, winter boots and most other aspects of dressing.