“Jersey Shore” star Deena Cortese is firing back against people criticizing her for not putting shoes on her 1-year-old son, CJ.
“Please before messaging me telling me what I should do or asking and making comments about why he’s not wearing shoes.. maybe ask if I’ve already looked into what you see could be wrong ..because more than likely I have ..anything you guys notice about my son .. I most likely noticed it before anyone else.. I just didn’t think it was necessary to let anyone know why his feet went the way they do .. or the reason he’s not wearing shoes,” the 33-year-old mother shared on Instagram Tuesday.
She continued, “I appreciate the concerning messages but maybe come in asking and not telling .. that doesn’t make a mother feel great.”
She went on to reveal that her son has a foot deformity called metatarsus adductus and “will be getting night braces to get it corrected.”
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, the condition occurs when the front part of a child’s foot is turned inward. It is common and can be resolved without any treatments.
“He’s had it since he was born but we noticed it at 10 months when he started walking,” she added. “The doctor says it’s common and we’ve been on top of it .. unfortunately his right foot has an extreme case and he literally can not get a shoe on .. that is why CJ isn’t in shoes and just socks and booties.”
Cortese and husband Christopher Buckner, who wed in 2017, welcomed CJ in January 2019.