WALNUT CREEK (KRON) — For kids in the heat, walking barefoot outside can feel like walking on hot coals. That was the case for a few kids recently at Civic Park in Walnut Creek.

The prolonged exposure to the hot ground for one of the children resulted in blisters and a trip to the emergency room.

“He just kept screaming for like an hour until we went to the ER,” said family friend Nevine Abaza.

By the time nevine Abaza says her friend’s 2-year-old boy reached the emergency room, his feet had multiple blisters, so doctor’s bandaged him up, wrapped them up and, now a tough lesson is learned.

“Thank God it’s just like a first degree burn,” Abaza said.

Abaza is now voicing her surprise to how damaging the heat can get.

On Tuesday, her 16-month old son was playing in the sand and water at Civic Park in Walnut Creek with two twin boys.

All three were barefoot and, went from the sand, to the water and then a rubber walkway.

After about a half hour, one of the twins started complaining of pain, but Abaza says initially, there were no bruises on his feet, but eventually, blisters started popping up.

“We just got some water, like cold water from the tap and put him there, and eventually we went to the ER,” Abaza said.

The injured child is expected to make a full recovery, but after the hospital visit, he’s been told to keep off his feet for the next couple of weeks.

“I think the important thing is never feel guilty,” said Pediatrician Maria Steelman. “If your child is injured, and you know, even if you feel terrible about, you know, I should have known it was too hot or whatever, just get the help you need right away.”

Doctor Steelman owns Lafayette Pediatrics.

“Our feet are a little more hearty. You know, you take little baby feet and they’re not as calloused. So, I don’t know if that would have happened to an adult. Kids are different than adults,” she said.

Noel Honeck brings her 2-year-old son James to Civic Park often, and keeps him in hybrid shoes that work on all surfaces — and, are less likely to be taken off.

“These are called Natives. They’re great for water play, but they’re not only for water play, you can see that they’re 100-percent rubber. And, they also act as a sneaker, and I really advise wearing those, not that I’m a shoe expert,” Honeck said.

Steelman encourages parents to put their children in a versatile type of show.

“You gotta put kids in something that they can do everything in,” she said “Because kids are impatient, they don’t want to be taking them on and off, and if you give a kid a choice, they’ll probably go barefoot.”

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