On the last day of third grade, Peyton Foster was wearing his "cool" new shoes. The boy from New York had received a pair of light-up Skechers for Easter and was rocking them during his final day in school before summer vacation kicked off. Unfortunately, he wasn't in for the summer fun he had hoped for when his feet started mysteriously burning while playing outside.
June 24, Peyton's school had a water day in honor of the last day of school.
According to his mom, Sherry Foster, Peyton's shoes got wet during the water festivities. Although he was wearing socks, he started complaining about his feet when he got home that night. "I looked; they were red but I thought they were just cold," she tells CafeMom. "The next day, he came in from being out doors saying his feet were really burning, I looked again and they were twice as red, blistered, and very painful."
She called their doctor the next morning and the pediatrician sent them to a foot specialist.
To figure out what was going on, the doctor asked Peyton and Sherry a bunch of questions about the his past few days and then they noticed the lights in his shoes had stoped working. "This was a clue that it was his shoes that gave him chemical burns and she had seen this kind of burn once before," she says.
Peyton was diagnosed with second and third degree chemical burns along the bottoms of his feet and toes.
Sherry learned that Peyton's shoes have a battery in them and when they got wet, they started releasing a chemical that burned his feet as he walked. "I was not warned or had any idea that this could happen I mean they are shoes made for kids — although it does make sense now," she says. "My son is a trooper. He is tough as tough gets being it was the first day of summer vacation and he has to have his feet wrapped and is unable to play with his friends or brothers."
Now, Petyon has to use special cream on his feet for three weeks to help with the burns and Sherry wants to warn other parents about the popular shoes she bought from a local department store. "We have always bought Skechers and have never had a problem," she says. "His specific shoe, the Skech Rayz, had an on and off switch. If parents buy these, I recommend they do not get them wet or jump in puddles. I know kids love them because of the cool lights but be careful."Â
According to a statement given to CafeMom, Skechers is aware of the situation and taking the matter seriously. "Skechers footwear products are rigorously tested for safety. Skechers, a family brand, has sold millions of pairs of childrenâs lighted footwear worldwide and has not had one incident of chemical burns reported. Notwithstanding, when Ms. Fosterâs Facebook post was brought to our attention Friday, June 29, we immediately contacted her, inquired about her son, and asked her to send us the shoes so we can determine whether the shoes contributed to her sonâs injuries," the company said. "Ms. Foster has agreed to send us the shoes, and we will continue our investigation. Despite the lack of any other similar reported incidents, we are taking this complaint very seriously and giving it the highest priority."
