first of all I'll apologize to the spanish mums for the hijack, and wish them a happy ending in the shoe-hunting, I know it's a nightmare (esp if you are in a different country with different habits!)
Hi Brangelina! I agree, I think that the children shoe market is getting crazy with all those armani junior, D&G, etc etc. I tend to stick to very traditional shoes and the odd pair of trainers.
Independent traditional shops usually employ the same people for years. Therefore they are very experienced and really don't need to measure the children feet to understand what's right and they happily (well, happily depends on their politeness, which is fastly disappearing from italian shopkeepers) show you different models and different sizes to try.
A traditional milanese shoe shop for children is gusella.
one shop is in san babila, another in corso vercelli, another in corso di porta romana. they stock the usual suspects (lelly kelly, all stars, superga etc etc etc) but I usually buy kickers (for winter), which are so hard wearing (dd wore three pairs already used by her older brother) and their traditional "sandali coi buchi" for the summer, usually in red. (quite pricey, 68 euro I think, but made with real leather, and again last forever)
There's a little shop with very compentent negozianti in via belfiore (piazza wagner), can't remember the name, quite traditional again and probably pricey.
Lovely shoes are found also at du pareil au meme, in corso buenos aires, they are fairly cheap, but don't expect much help there. at all. (last time I went they were useless, no sizes etc, but I love the clothes too much)
don't overlook mercati rionali, they are usually quite good.
I'll think about some more, sorry this was long.