Re: How many hours a day-really?

[Guest guest]

I'm glad they sent you here - there's a lot of help to be offered. Kori has

put together a fact sheet on how to properly put on the shoes and it's full of

tips and tricks from other parents who have been there, done that and forged the

way for us. If Kori reads this she might attach it for you. Otherwise you

might need to search the archives. It will be invaluable for you and your

husband.

As far as whether we keep the shoes on full time for the first three months goes

- Yes, you will note that the overwhelming majority of us do follow that

guideline because we know that it will only be what is best for our child in the

end. Better to work through the learning curve now than to have to deal with

involved, largely unnecessary surgery later if the protocol is not followed. We

ALL know it is hard at first. It takes us as well as our children some time to

work through the kinks but believe me, it's all so worth it 3 months from now or

6 months from now and so on. You can do this. We know you can!!! And

we're here to help in any way we can!!!

The one issue that may put a roadblock in your way is if your child has atypical

club feet which in general are short, fat and deeply creased. These feet need a

different shoe in order to help them stay corrected as most of the children with

this type of foot don't do well in the Markell's. A very small percentage of

children have this issue, but it is worth noting in case your child is one of

them.

Please feel free to ask anything - you will find that the group is FULL of

helpful parents who just want to help others be successful in treating their

child's precious feet.

Chris

How many hours a day-really?

Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of the

Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered to

do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are attached

to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

the little laces.

Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor things

strapped in 24/7?

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Our schedule for 3 months was 23/7. We were allowed to keep him out of the

shoes to bathe, dress, play, etc for 1 hour each day. We adhered to the 23

hours 99.9% of the time because my son relapsed quickly after his first

(wrong) treatment. You just have to keep telling yourself that there is an

end to the 23 hours a day routine. That is what gets you through it. I

think it would impossible to deal with if you to be thinking that your kid

had to wear those shoes 23 hours a day for more than 3 months.

Mommy to (12-17-98) and

Christian (1-30-04) LCF - DBB (nights only)

_____

From: cyberleek

Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 3:47 AM

To: nosurgery4clubfoot

Subject: How many hours a day-really?

Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of the

Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered to

do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are attached

to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

the little laces.

Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor things

strapped in 24/7?

[Guest guest]

Welcome! You will get wonderful info here! My son has the same bar, and we are

going to get a new one at our next appt. hopefully. They are painful! As for

the time, did your son have surgery or casting?I don't know if it is the same

for surgery, but for casts it is very important to make sure they are worn 23/7

for around 3 months. If they are coming off try making them tighter. My son

has had them for 6 wks., and we weren't tightening them enough in the beginning.

Another cause of the foot coming out is that the foot wasn't fully corrected. I

know it is hard at first, but I swear it gets easier. This site was a great

help to me!

How many hours a day-really?

Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of the

Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered to

do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are attached

to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

the little laces.

Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor things

strapped in 24/7?

[Guest guest]

The time does fly by in retrospect - although it doesnt' seem like it at the

time! LO!L! Yes, adhere to the 23/7 as tightly as you can!

s.

How many hours a day-really?

Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of the

Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered to

do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are attached

to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

the little laces.

Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor things

strapped in 24/7?

[Guest guest]

Cyberleek,

How many hours a day...really?

As many as the doctor prescribes, on the high end. If he says 23, do 23. If

he says 16 to 18, aim for 18.

I know that's not what you hoped to hear, but hear me out please?

It's no stretch to say 99% of us here have felt the way you have - not wanting

to use the DBB as prescribed for a multitude of reasons. A few of us have

confessed to throwing the stupid thing across the room in anger! There is a

tips sheet that will be very vaulable to you regarding how to use the DBB, how

to fix problems with it, avoid problems with it, etc. While it's often hard to

learn how to use it right, I strongly encourage you to stick to your guns here -

with out it you are facing some really bad consequences...and your baby is

facing even worse ones. You are flirting with disaster.

It is so much better (ya right!...no, honestly) to fight it out now as a tiny

infant that to end up going through re-casting later as a young toddler, at

which point you'll still have to use the DBB on a head strong baby. Ideally,

by the time your baby can toddle, the DBB wear is down to about 12 to 14 hours,

and as I always describe it, it becomes an extension of their pajamas each

night.

Also, please consider there is a time frame you have to work in here....several,

actually. Right now you are up against 23 hours a day for 7 days a week,

lasting three months. After that it's all down hill! Set your eyes on the

prize at the end of that 3 months! Another time frame you need to keep in mind

is that while club foot is completely correctable, there is a window of

opportunity that is sliding closed a little further every day. If you don't

accomplish the correction now, and face re-casting/bracing later, the results

may be less than perfect. It's also so much harder on an older baby than an

infant baby. The results may even end up being surgery - after all this and

end up with surgery anyway? Wouldn't that suck? Especially when you know you

could have avoided it.

Your child has the opportunity right now to enter his future on two solid feet,

but he cannot do this by himself. His future, and his corrected club feet

depend upon YOU. I don't mean to be a hard @$$ and come down on you, you're

not a bad Mommy - this is just a tight spot you're in now and I want to help

you through it.

Provided his feet are corrected properly at this point, the DBB shouldn't be an

ordeal. That you're having problems with it means one of two things - they feet

are not ready for it, or you're not using them right. Perhaps the shoes are the

wrong size.

Despite fully corrected feet, my own baby had a lot of trouble with the Markell

shoes initially. Blisters, pressure sores, pain, misery....He's not Atypical or

anything special, just had a hard time. I switched to the /Ponseti type

shoe and experienced amazing results. That is an option, although an expensive

one. The expense was worth it in my book though. Now at 17 months he's a

normal happy baby with two good feet. He can do absolutely anything he wants to

do.

The tips sheet has a lot of really good information about fitting the shoe.

Maybe cut the heel out of the shoe. Switching socks. How to lace them....

Please don't give up. Come back here as often as you want or need to, that's

what we're here for!

Best of luck,

ee, mother of two bcf boys:

- NON Ponseti Method Club Foot Disaster

Everett - Dr. Ponseti Success Story

How many hours a day-really?

Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of the

Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered to

do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are attached

to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

the little laces.

Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor things

strapped in 24/7?

[Guest guest]

Here are the tips and tricks from Kori! (Kori, hope you don't mind

that I'm reposting this!) This document has been uploaded to the

files section in the 'bracing' tab.

Daiga

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FAB/DBB Tips and Tricks for Parents

Many parents have problems using the FAB/DBB at first, you are not

alone. Here is some information I have about our experiences with the

DBB

and pressure sores (start like a

dark/purple spot/bruise). Blisters also turn into sores - which is

why it

is very, very important to get the shoes on right and tight so they

don't

cause sores and

blisters. Most important is to get the shoes on properly and do what

you

have to to stop sores from forming. Prevention is the key here, and

if it

can't be prevented, you will find information here how to deal with

the

problems and get past them while still wearing the brace. Keep an

eye on

those feet, and listen to your baby. Should your child develop a

sore or

blister, you are not alone and not the first parent to have to doctor

a

sweet babe's foot. We're here to help you, make sure to post to the

list

whenever you need to.

You may see red spots, and often red is ok - remember, these tootsies

are

sensitive in general so expect some redness. Pressure sores are a

different story though and can be recognized by their dark redness

that

eventually gets darker and darker till it's purple or black in color

from

pressure on the skin. It will become a sore eventually if the

pressure

persists. So, if the pressure spots (dark) get

worse or don't go away, something is wrong and it will never get

better till

you stop the pressure in that area.

Blisters (fluid filled - sores after the skin breaks) are caused by

slipping or

friction on a spot on the foot. There must be absolutely no slipping

out

of the shoes, even after a few hours. If they slip eventually, they

need

to be tighter in the first place. Remember to flex the foot up, and

point

the toes up when you put the shoes on (this is dorsiflexion). The

further

the heel back in the shoe, and the more dorsiflexed the foot the

tighter

you will be able to get that strap.

If you experience either of these problems you must stop the slipping

or

pressure by making sure the

boots are on tightly and the heel seated deep in the bottom of the

shoe. Occasionally a baby will slip out of the shoes and blisters

don't

form. Don't assume that because there are no sores or blisters the

slipping isn't a problem. Slipping feet are not held in correction

and if

it continues it can compromise the effectiveness of the brace and

lead to

relapse. Feet down, shoes tight is the key to baby and baby's feet

being

happy and straight.

I hope there is some answers to your problems with the new babies in

the

DBB. I remember this time very clearly and it was not fun at all

because I

was not putting the shoes on properly and my daughter was miserable

and in

pain. We learned the hard way, and hope to pass to others what

worked for

us best. Most

importantly - Listen To Your Baby. S/He will tell you if there is

something wrong, and you must trust your instincts and not make things

worse by letting a sore get worse. You can get past sores, many of us

have

done it but it is best to not get them in the first place.

Big Hugs to you parents dealing with this. It will get better - the

moment

we fixed the problem our daughter couldn't have been happier in the

DBB. What a difference!

Kori

Darbi

3/03 Rt. CF - DBB 12hr/d

*********************************************************

How to put Markell Open Toe Boots attached to Brace FAB/DBB (Foot

Abduction

Brace/Dennis Browne Bar)

Before you put the shoes on the first time:

Take the laces out and tie a knot in the middle. Then re-lace the

shoes. Tie a knot at the very ends of each lace end so they don't

come out

of the holes. This has been a lifesaver for us - we never have to re-

lace

them and can pull them very loose to get the shoes on. The knot in the

middle shows us that they're even each time so I never worry about

one side

being longer than the other. I love this tip!

Consider slitting the tongue keeper slit up to the top of the tongue.

This

allows the tongue to sit low on the top of the foot - and allows the

top of

the boot to be tightened up on the ankle enough so the fatty baby calf

doesn't pull the heel up and out. The tighter the ankle, the better

seated

the foot will be.

We find it easier to have the straps and buckles on the inside rather

than

the outside. Since the feet are pointed out in the first place

cinching

them up on the inside is just easier in general. Straight Last shoes

can

be installed on either side of the DBB - as they are not a right or

left

shoe. The Ponseti Method uses straight last shoes although sometimes a

baby will get reverse last. If you got reverse last shoes ask about

the

straight last shoes.

Install the strap in the lower hole on each side of the boot.

Apparently

this is the best position to keep the foot in the shoes.

Medium thickness cotton socks are recommended. We like the Old Navy or

Gymboree socks with the rubber grips on the bottom. They are

regularly 7

for $10 at Old Navy. I suggest you get at least 7 if not more. They

seem

to get lost in the laundry... and it's not fun trying to find that

perfect

sock when you need it. Plus you can make sure you've got the right

colors

on hand for accessorizing :~} In the winter after the initial first

few

months of getting used to the DBB and worrying about slipping I use

tights. Not only for girls - I put my non-clubfoot boys in tights

(white,

black or blue of course!) in the winter too - it helps keep their

legs warm

when their pants hike up while being carried outside. But tights work

very

well with the DBB in our experience. The thicker the better, make sure

they're stretchy so they fit the feet nice and tight.

Remember - when you first get the DBB take it off every 2-3 hours to

check

the feet for sores or red marks that don't go away. Leaving the brace

on

for longer periods of time if baby seems happy is fine. If baby is

showing

signs of distress take the shoes off and inspect the feet. Then use

the

following instructions and re-install the brace. You should check the

feet

often over the first couple of days or more if baby is showing signs

of

distress. If you do not see signs that sores or blisters are forming

things are ok - keep the brace on.

Installation tips (how to put the DBB on a wiggly little baby without

causing pain or sores)

1- If you can - take the shoes off the bar. If you have a gold bar

this is

simple. You may have to use a wrench or pliers to get it off the first

time as some brace shops really tighten them up. Don't loose the nut.

It

is best to put the nut back on the shoe after you take it off the

bar - as

it helps keep them around and getting kicked in the thighs without

that nut

there really hurts! Mark on the plate where your shoes are to be set

at

with a Sharpie marker. This makes it very easy to put them back in the

right spot - even in low light. If you have the red adjustable bar it

is

harder to take the shoes off, maybe not possible. But if you can, try

it. I really feel it's a better way than trying to put the shoes on

with

the bar.

2- Loosen the laces up all the way to the knots and pull the tongue

up as

well. If you have short straps, buckle the strap into the last hole

loosely so as not to pull it out when the foot goes in. If this is

still

too short and you are *stuffing* the foot into the shoe put a hole in

the

very end of the strap and use that to keep it buckled. These short

straps

are very frustrating, but there should be a new/different design on

these

soon according to the manufacturer. The longer straps

don't need to be buckled.

3- With the shoe off the bar insert the foot into the shoe and bend

the

knee 90 degrees. Push on the top of the knee and hold the sole of the

shoe. Press the heel deeply into the back of the shoe and flex the

toes

upward (dorsiflexion) as far as possible. Keep pushing on the knee and

flexing the foot and make SURE the heel is seated well into the

bottom and

back of the shoe.

4- With the knee still bent and pressure applied press with your

thumb or

other convenient finger on the strap where it goes through the tongue

keeper slit and hold the heel into the back of the shoe and tighten

the

strap. Buckle it tightly. Dorsiflex the foot again and press again on

the

knee and sole of the shoe to make sure the heel is in properly. Re-

tighten

the strap very tight. If the heel is down you can't tighten it too

much. If there is any wiggle or looseness press the foot into the shoe

again push with your thumb on the strap and re-tighten the strap

again. It

must be very tight - tighter than you would imagine it needs to be. So

keep going till it's really tight.

5- Pull the sock at the toes to make sure the seams aren't going to

press

into baby's toes - it also helps make sure the heel is seated. It's

ok if

they look all bloused out in front. This is good - gives baby room to

wiggle toes and who cares how it looks anyway!

6- Pull the tongue way down over the toes. As far as you can. I

prefer it

to sit *under* the top of the boot at the ankle just a little bit. If

it

sits high you may need to cut the tongue keeper slit a little more.

(don't

cut it above the stitching)

251cb47e.jpg

7 - Tighten the laces nice and snug all the way up and tie them. The

shoe

should get tighter with the laces being tightened.

8- Check to see if the foot can slip out of the boot at all. If it

moves

it'll loosen up with time and slip. If it's not tight repeat the above

instructions with emphasis on the pressure on the knee and pushing

the heel

into the bottom of the shoe with the foot flexed up (toes pointing

toward

the baby's head) all at the same time. This isn't easy at first, but

you

will get used to it and very good at it in short time.

9- Repeat the procedure with the other boot.

10- When both boots are on - take the nuts off and put the bar back

on. If

your baby is bi-lateral it doesn't matter which side you do first. If

baby

is unilateral it's easier to put the clubfoot side on first as the

other

side set at 45 degrees is easier to put on the bar second.

Signs of trouble:

Baby cries a very unnatural (for your baby) unhappy in pain cry all

the

time, kicks legs violently like she's trying to kick the shoes off,

wakes

at nigh every half hour or less (other than being hungry),

purple/black

marks on the heels or other parts of the foot, blisters form or sores

form.

All these are typically caused by the shoes not being on properly. If

pressure sores or blisters appear - you MUST fix whatever is causing

the

problem before you put the shoes back on. Sores will not heal in the

shoes

once they appear (skin falls off and actual sore is resident - as

opposed

to just a purple or black mark). It might mean a trip back to the Dr.

for

a healing cast. Which is ok - it keeps the correction while the sore

heals. You MUST find out why the sore came - if it's slipping or

pressure

or whatever - find it and fix it. When you go back to the DBB follow

the

above directions and make SURE the heels are down 100% in the bottom

of the

shoes. Blisters are caused by friction, or rather slippage. Slippage

is

often caused by the strap not being tight enough. It may seem tight

enough, but if slippage happens it very likely is not tight enough.

If the

heel is rising up it seems tight but once you get the heel down

you'll find

you can tighten it up another couple of holes. Dorsiflexing the foot

while

you put the shoes on really helps prevent this.

After having persistent sores some parents have resorted to actually

cutting a large hole in the heels of the shoes. This helps to relieve

pressure so that baby can continue to wear the DBB while a sore

heals. It

is not a long term fix. The foot must be in the shoe properly for long

term wear. However, after cutting the hole many parents have found

that

they were not getting the heel down all the way and were then able to

see

to make sure the heel is down. I don't recommend this - it is a short

term

bandaid to the larger problem of proper fitting of the shoes. However

it

is a good option to going back to casts for healing and starting

again with

the 23/7 schedule for wearing the FAB. The shoes will not fall apart

and

are essentially disposable as they can only be worn for a few months

till

baby needs a larger size. For more information about this you can

contact

me personally -

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/nosurgery4clubfoot/message//grou

p/nosurgery4clubfoot/post?

postID=Eep4XqJywyhHvpLRtlPjedj12RQjmX_Ornfs2hLcDbmNDJzFa0hcG4D7bK0nqk7

YjpUgAUEMXVg>frogabog@q...

and I can help you find a solution to

healing your child's sores. We have endured this and hope to not see

any

other babies have to go through this pain and unhappiness. Remember -

there is a light at the end of the tunnel and you can find a way to

keep

the FAB on so your baby can take advantage of the most effective

brace to

complete the non-surgical treatment.

251cb4ec.jpg

Other reasons why baby may be uncomfortable are:

skin sensitivity right after casts are taken off. This is

unfortunate, but

will get better with time. Don't rub the legs - this hurts more. A

little

lotion is ok but keep it off the feet itself as it can cause slipping.

Bar is too long or too short. The heels of the shoes (fixed on the

bar in

the correct positions - 70 degrees for a clubfoot and 45 for non

clubfoot)

should be shoulder width apart. Any less or more is uncomfortable for

baby. It is not the length of the bar - it is the distance between the

heels. Take the brace and place it up to baby's shoulders to check

this.

Foot is at the wrong position. The clubfoot should be at 70 degrees

or *AT

LEAST* as far turned out as the last cast. Parents - save your last

cast. Take that cast and put it up to a protractor with the knee

pointed

to 0 degrees and see where the midline of the foot portion points to.

Then

set your DBB. If it is much less than 60 degrees consider talking to

your

doctor about another cast. The last cast in the Ponseti Method should

be

at 70 degrees. If your cast is not there, and your doc doesn't see

fit to

re-cast you can try to get there slowly over time. Set your brace to

where

the cast is set at and slowly once a week increase it by 5 degrees.

Do not

put the foot further out than the last cast as this causes

considerable

discomfort for the baby.

Baby is irritated by not being able to move legs independently. You

can

show baby how to move his legs together, gently. Don't move those legs

around too much, they have just come out of casts and the muscles

will be

very sensitive. They might not like this at first

but will soon learn to lift their legs up with the brace on. A very

smzall baby may not really care about moving her legs much, so you

only

need to show them this every once in a while if they seem upset about

it. This is actually a minor

irritation for the baby. They get used to this fairly quickly and the

younger they are the less you will need to *show* them this.

It is very important to not take baby out of the brace. Do everything

you

can to make sure your baby stays in the brace. But listen to your

child

and follow your heart. If you see signs of sores there is a problem

you

need to tackle and rectify. Do NOT keep a brace on a child who has a

weeping sore. This is painful and you wouldn't put a tight shoe on

your

own foot with a sore like that. If your child is telling you she's in

pain

she likely is and you need to find out why. Do what you can to keep

the

brace on - but don't make a bad situation worse by putting it on

incorrectly and causing sores. See your Dr. about healing casts or

cut a

hole... but don't make sores worse.

If your baby is irritable at first consider co-sleeping so everyone

gets

some sleep the first few nights. You can side lie and nurse a baby

wearing

the dbb, it's a little different than a baby who doesn't wear one but

is

absolutely doable. Even if you only do this for a few days while baby

is

getting used to the brace - it will help everyone in your family get

sleep

the first few nights. Put a pillow under baby's feet. It is easy

enough

for baby to side lie in the DBB with a pillow under his feet.

Good luck and don't forget to post to the list if you need help. We're

here for you and have lots of different takes on how to make the

shoes and

bar work so there's lots of different ways to work through problems.

Kori

[Guest guest]

Welcome to our group!!!

I wanted to chime in about the shoelaces-

feel free to put in longer shoe laces than what comes with the

shoes. It'll make it easier on you (and Dad) to tie them and get

them really snug....but also might make your son more attracted to

the dangling laces and make him want to untie them when he's a bit

older!

Take note of the suggestion to put a knot in the center of the lace

so that it stays within the eyelets on the toe-end of the shoe and

you don't end up with uneven laces. It's one of my

favorite " practical " tips!

What doctor are you seeing? Can they order you the standard brace

so you don't have to deal with the wingnuts? Do you have the open-

toed Markell style shoes? The information on the components used by

the U of Iowa is listed both in the files section here (under the

brace section) or at http://pages.ivillage.com/ponseti_links in the

bracing section.

Regards,

& (3-16-00), left clubfoot

>

>

> Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

the

> Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

> on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

> sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

to

> do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

> having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

attached

> to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

> the little laces.

> Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

things

> strapped in 24/7?

[Guest guest]

You've already received lots of great tips - I just wanted to

reiterate once you have done all trouble shooting, and know that the

foot/feet are fully corrected and that the bar fits appropriately,

that YES it is imperative that your little one stay in it for 23/7.

That time will be over before you know it. We're already at nights

only, and I can vividly (VIVIDLY!!!!!) remember being where you are

now. You wouldn't want a relapse, and then feel you are to blame

for it. You've worked to hard to make the gains you have!!!!!

Holly

Zachary 7/27/02

Right C/F

Treated by Dr. Ponseti

DBB Nights Only

>

>

> Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

the

> Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

> on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

> sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

to

> do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

> having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

attached

> to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

> the little laces.

> Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

things

> strapped in 24/7?

[Guest guest]

May I ask a question why do you say one of your sons foot treatment

was a diaster?

> Cyberleek,

>

> How many hours a day...really?

>

> As many as the doctor prescribes, on the high end. If he says

23, do 23. If he says 16 to 18, aim for 18.

>

> I know that's not what you hoped to hear, but hear me out please?

>

> It's no stretch to say 99% of us here have felt the way you have -

not wanting to use the DBB as prescribed for a multitude of

reasons. A few of us have confessed to throwing the stupid thing

across the room in anger! There is a tips sheet that will be very

vaulable to you regarding how to use the DBB, how to fix problems

with it, avoid problems with it, etc. While it's often hard to

learn how to use it right, I strongly encourage you to stick to your

guns here - with out it you are facing some really bad

consequences...and your baby is facing even worse ones. You are

flirting with disaster.

>

> It is so much better (ya right!...no, honestly) to fight it out

now as a tiny infant that to end up going through re-casting later

as a young toddler, at which point you'll still have to use the DBB

on a head strong baby. Ideally, by the time your baby can toddle,

the DBB wear is down to about 12 to 14 hours, and as I always

describe it, it becomes an extension of their pajamas each night.

>

> Also, please consider there is a time frame you have to work in

here....several, actually. Right now you are up against 23 hours a

day for 7 days a week, lasting three months. After that it's all

down hill! Set your eyes on the prize at the end of that 3

months! Another time frame you need to keep in mind is that while

club foot is completely correctable, there is a window of

opportunity that is sliding closed a little further every day. If

you don't accomplish the correction now, and face re-casting/bracing

later, the results may be less than perfect. It's also so much

harder on an older baby than an infant baby. The results may even

end up being surgery - after all this and end up with surgery

anyway? Wouldn't that suck? Especially when you know you could

have avoided it.

>

> Your child has the opportunity right now to enter his future on

two solid feet, but he cannot do this by himself. His future, and

his corrected club feet depend upon YOU. I don't mean to be a hard

@$$ and come down on you, you're not a bad Mommy - this is just a

tight spot you're in now and I want to help you through it.

>

> Provided his feet are corrected properly at this point, the DBB

shouldn't be an ordeal. That you're having problems with it means

one of two things - they feet are not ready for it, or you're not

using them right. Perhaps the shoes are the wrong size.

>

> Despite fully corrected feet, my own baby had a lot of trouble

with the Markell shoes initially. Blisters, pressure sores, pain,

misery....He's not Atypical or anything special, just had a hard

time. I switched to the /Ponseti type shoe and experienced

amazing results. That is an option, although an expensive one. The

expense was worth it in my book though. Now at 17 months he's a

normal happy baby with two good feet. He can do absolutely anything

he wants to do.

>

> The tips sheet has a lot of really good information about fitting

the shoe. Maybe cut the heel out of the shoe. Switching socks.

How to lace them....

>

> Please don't give up. Come back here as often as you want or need

to, that's what we're here for!

>

> Best of luck,

>

> ee, mother of two bcf boys:

> - NON Ponseti Method Club Foot Disaster

> Everett - Dr. Ponseti Success Story

>

>

> How many hours a day-really?

>

>

>

>

>

> Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

the

> Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

> on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

> sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

to

> do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

> having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

attached

> to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

> the little laces.

> Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

things

> strapped in 24/7?

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

See ee! The signature works!

She'll explain further when she sees this (haven't seen her reply so I'm

paraphrasing here for you), but her first son was treated by a non-Ponseti

doc who messed his feet up pretty badly. I think he even had surgery. She

then took him to Dr. Ponseti who was able to help, but not fix his feet

without further surgery and he does not have perfectly happy feet today as

a result. She's one mom who learned the hard way and her story is a

testament to what works and what doesn't work. Two little boys, one who

will have painful and stiff feet for the rest of his life, and one who has

perfectly happy feet. If her story doesn't make a parent travel the world

for proper treatment, nothing will.

Kori

At 08:15 PM 2/23/2005, you wrote:

>May I ask a question why do you say one of your sons foot treatment

>was a diaster?

>

> > Cyberleek,

> >

> > How many hours a day...really?

> >

> > As many as the doctor prescribes, on the high end. If he says

>23, do 23. If he says 16 to 18, aim for 18.

> >

> > I know that's not what you hoped to hear, but hear me out please?

> >

> > It's no stretch to say 99% of us here have felt the way you have -

>not wanting to use the DBB as prescribed for a multitude of

>reasons. A few of us have confessed to throwing the stupid thing

>across the room in anger! There is a tips sheet that will be very

>vaulable to you regarding how to use the DBB, how to fix problems

>with it, avoid problems with it, etc. While it's often hard to

>learn how to use it right, I strongly encourage you to stick to your

>guns here - with out it you are facing some really bad

>consequences...and your baby is facing even worse ones. You are

>flirting with disaster.

> >

> > It is so much better (ya right!...no, honestly) to fight it out

>now as a tiny infant that to end up going through re-casting later

>as a young toddler, at which point you'll still have to use the DBB

>on a head strong baby. Ideally, by the time your baby can toddle,

>the DBB wear is down to about 12 to 14 hours, and as I always

>describe it, it becomes an extension of their pajamas each night.

> >

> > Also, please consider there is a time frame you have to work in

>here....several, actually. Right now you are up against 23 hours a

>day for 7 days a week, lasting three months. After that it's all

>down hill! Set your eyes on the prize at the end of that 3

>months! Another time frame you need to keep in mind is that while

>club foot is completely correctable, there is a window of

>opportunity that is sliding closed a little further every day. If

>you don't accomplish the correction now, and face re-casting/bracing

>later, the results may be less than perfect. It's also so much

>harder on an older baby than an infant baby. The results may even

>end up being surgery - after all this and end up with surgery

>anyway? Wouldn't that suck? Especially when you know you could

>have avoided it.

> >

> > Your child has the opportunity right now to enter his future on

>two solid feet, but he cannot do this by himself. His future, and

>his corrected club feet depend upon YOU. I don't mean to be a hard

>@$$ and come down on you, you're not a bad Mommy - this is just a

>tight spot you're in now and I want to help you through it.

> >

> > Provided his feet are corrected properly at this point, the DBB

>shouldn't be an ordeal. That you're having problems with it means

>one of two things - they feet are not ready for it, or you're not

>using them right. Perhaps the shoes are the wrong size.

> >

> > Despite fully corrected feet, my own baby had a lot of trouble

>with the Markell shoes initially. Blisters, pressure sores, pain,

>misery....He's not Atypical or anything special, just had a hard

>time. I switched to the /Ponseti type shoe and experienced

>amazing results. That is an option, although an expensive one. The

>expense was worth it in my book though. Now at 17 months he's a

>normal happy baby with two good feet. He can do absolutely anything

>he wants to do.

> >

> > The tips sheet has a lot of really good information about fitting

>the shoe. Maybe cut the heel out of the shoe. Switching socks.

>How to lace them....

> >

> > Please don't give up. Come back here as often as you want or need

>to, that's what we're here for!

> >

> > Best of luck,

> >

> > ee, mother of two bcf boys:

> > - NON Ponseti Method Club Foot Disaster

> > Everett - Dr. Ponseti Success Story

> >

> >

> > How many hours a day-really?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

>the

> > Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

> > on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

> > sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> > neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

>to

> > do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

> > having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> > kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

>attached

> > to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> > instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

> > the little laces.

> > Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

>things

> > strapped in 24/7?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I wanted to add my voice to how important it is to keep them in the

shoes 23/7 for the first three months. That is the time that their

feet are newly corrected and most likely to return to the way they

were. I know that the shoes are difficult at first but before long

you will be an expert.

My daugher Rose is almost two and was born with a right club foot.

She didn't start with the DBB until she was 3 months old and the

first night was sheer hell. She fought me like crazy when I put

them on and she screamed all night long, only to be quiet when she

pulled that foot out. We finally gave her some Tylenol and she went

to sleep. We continued to sit up with her for the rest of the

night. My husband just held her and when she would start to wake up

and start struggling, he just put her in a different position and

she would sleep for maybe another hour. This went on from probably

3-7 a.m., when she finally settled down. That day was the 4th of

July and she wore her brace all day. Within about 3 days we had

absolutely no problems. If she got a little sore, I put different

socks on her or padded it a little bit. When we took them off for

her bath, she would just kick and kick and kick. I also would take

a towel and push it into the shoes and try to get as much moisture

out of them as possible. Also I cut her little socks so the tops

could be folded down. Maybe it would be off for 1 1/2 hours

occaisionally, but never longer than that. I tended to think of it

as bath time and a little while after and then they went back on.

Fast forward to today. Rose wears her DBB at night and we call them

her " night night " shoes. Sometimes she fusses about putting them on

at night, but that is more about going " night night " than the DBB.

People that have known her since birth can hardly believe that she

ever had a problem with her foot. She will continue to wear them as

long as she will tolerate them or until she is three, whichever

comes first. The DBB does truly become an extension of the

pajamas. Rose does not know that other children do not wear shoes

to bed at night.

So good luck and keep strong. We have all been where you are and

yes, they have to stay on 23/7 and when you drop to the next level,

it will be such a relief.

Robin & Rose

3/12/03

Right club foot

> > Cyberleek,

> >

> > How many hours a day...really?

> >

> > As many as the doctor prescribes, on the high end. If he says

> 23, do 23. If he says 16 to 18, aim for 18.

> >

> > I know that's not what you hoped to hear, but hear me out please?

> >

> > It's no stretch to say 99% of us here have felt the way you

have -

> not wanting to use the DBB as prescribed for a multitude of

> reasons. A few of us have confessed to throwing the stupid thing

> across the room in anger! There is a tips sheet that will be

very

> vaulable to you regarding how to use the DBB, how to fix problems

> with it, avoid problems with it, etc. While it's often hard to

> learn how to use it right, I strongly encourage you to stick to

your

> guns here - with out it you are facing some really bad

> consequences...and your baby is facing even worse ones. You are

> flirting with disaster.

> >

> > It is so much better (ya right!...no, honestly) to fight it out

> now as a tiny infant that to end up going through re-casting later

> as a young toddler, at which point you'll still have to use the

DBB

> on a head strong baby. Ideally, by the time your baby can

toddle,

> the DBB wear is down to about 12 to 14 hours, and as I always

> describe it, it becomes an extension of their pajamas each night.

> >

> > Also, please consider there is a time frame you have to work in

> here....several, actually. Right now you are up against 23 hours

a

> day for 7 days a week, lasting three months. After that it's all

> down hill! Set your eyes on the prize at the end of that 3

> months! Another time frame you need to keep in mind is that

while

> club foot is completely correctable, there is a window of

> opportunity that is sliding closed a little further every day. If

> you don't accomplish the correction now, and face re-

casting/bracing

> later, the results may be less than perfect. It's also so much

> harder on an older baby than an infant baby. The results may

even

> end up being surgery - after all this and end up with surgery

> anyway? Wouldn't that suck? Especially when you know you could

> have avoided it.

> >

> > Your child has the opportunity right now to enter his future on

> two solid feet, but he cannot do this by himself. His future, and

> his corrected club feet depend upon YOU. I don't mean to be a

hard

> @$$ and come down on you, you're not a bad Mommy - this is just a

> tight spot you're in now and I want to help you through it.

> >

> > Provided his feet are corrected properly at this point, the DBB

> shouldn't be an ordeal. That you're having problems with it means

> one of two things - they feet are not ready for it, or you're not

> using them right. Perhaps the shoes are the wrong size.

> >

> > Despite fully corrected feet, my own baby had a lot of trouble

> with the Markell shoes initially. Blisters, pressure sores, pain,

> misery....He's not Atypical or anything special, just had a hard

> time. I switched to the /Ponseti type shoe and

experienced

> amazing results. That is an option, although an expensive one.

The

> expense was worth it in my book though. Now at 17 months he's a

> normal happy baby with two good feet. He can do absolutely

anything

> he wants to do.

> >

> > The tips sheet has a lot of really good information about

fitting

> the shoe. Maybe cut the heel out of the shoe. Switching socks.

> How to lace them....

> >

> > Please don't give up. Come back here as often as you want or

need

> to, that's what we're here for!

> >

> > Best of luck,

> >

> > ee, mother of two bcf boys:

> > - NON Ponseti Method Club Foot Disaster

> > Everett - Dr. Ponseti Success Story

> >

> >

> > How many hours a day-really?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

> the

> > Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping

them

> > on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They

also

> > sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> > neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

> to

> > do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but

we're

> > having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> > kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

> attached

> > to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> > instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to

tie

> > the little laces.

> > Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

> things

> > strapped in 24/7?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Not to speak for ee, but maybe to save her some typing... she

has had at least two posts in the recent past that have really moved

me regarding the comparison between her two sons' treatments.

(in fact, ee, I wanted you to cut and paste it into the

testimonials section on the ponseti_links board- hint hint =)).

If you sign into this group's website, you can access these archived

posts by typing in the post number into the appropriate box-

read post # 24277 and post # 24903.

Regards,

& (3-16-00), left clubfoot

> > > Cyberleek,

> > >

> > > How many hours a day...really?

> > >

> > > As many as the doctor prescribes, on the high end. If he says

> >23, do 23. If he says 16 to 18, aim for 18.

> > >

> > > I know that's not what you hoped to hear, but hear me out

please?

> > >

> > > It's no stretch to say 99% of us here have felt the way you

have -

> >not wanting to use the DBB as prescribed for a multitude of

> >reasons. A few of us have confessed to throwing the stupid thing

> >across the room in anger! There is a tips sheet that will be

very

> >vaulable to you regarding how to use the DBB, how to fix problems

> >with it, avoid problems with it, etc. While it's often hard to

> >learn how to use it right, I strongly encourage you to stick to

your

> >guns here - with out it you are facing some really bad

> >consequences...and your baby is facing even worse ones. You are

> >flirting with disaster.

> > >

> > > It is so much better (ya right!...no, honestly) to fight it out

> >now as a tiny infant that to end up going through re-casting later

> >as a young toddler, at which point you'll still have to use the

DBB

> >on a head strong baby. Ideally, by the time your baby can

toddle,

> >the DBB wear is down to about 12 to 14 hours, and as I always

> >describe it, it becomes an extension of their pajamas each night.

> > >

> > > Also, please consider there is a time frame you have to work in

> >here....several, actually. Right now you are up against 23

hours a

> >day for 7 days a week, lasting three months. After that it's all

> >down hill! Set your eyes on the prize at the end of that 3

> >months! Another time frame you need to keep in mind is that

while

> >club foot is completely correctable, there is a window of

> >opportunity that is sliding closed a little further every day. If

> >you don't accomplish the correction now, and face re-

casting/bracing

> >later, the results may be less than perfect. It's also so much

> >harder on an older baby than an infant baby. The results may

even

> >end up being surgery - after all this and end up with surgery

> >anyway? Wouldn't that suck? Especially when you know you could

> >have avoided it.

> > >

> > > Your child has the opportunity right now to enter his future on

> >two solid feet, but he cannot do this by himself. His future, and

> >his corrected club feet depend upon YOU. I don't mean to be a

hard

> >@$$ and come down on you, you're not a bad Mommy - this is just a

> >tight spot you're in now and I want to help you through it.

> > >

> > > Provided his feet are corrected properly at this point, the DBB

> >shouldn't be an ordeal. That you're having problems with it means

> >one of two things - they feet are not ready for it, or you're not

> >using them right. Perhaps the shoes are the wrong size.

> > >

> > > Despite fully corrected feet, my own baby had a lot of trouble

> >with the Markell shoes initially. Blisters, pressure sores, pain,

> >misery....He's not Atypical or anything special, just had a hard

> >time. I switched to the /Ponseti type shoe and

experienced

> >amazing results. That is an option, although an expensive one.

The

> >expense was worth it in my book though. Now at 17 months he's a

> >normal happy baby with two good feet. He can do absolutely

anything

> >he wants to do.

> > >

> > > The tips sheet has a lot of really good information about

fitting

> >the shoe. Maybe cut the heel out of the shoe. Switching socks.

> >How to lace them....

> > >

> > > Please don't give up. Come back here as often as you want or

need

> >to, that's what we're here for!

> > >

> > > Best of luck,

> > >

> > > ee, mother of two bcf boys:

> > > - NON Ponseti Method Club Foot Disaster

> > > Everett - Dr. Ponseti Success Story

> > >

> > >

> > > How many hours a day-really?

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

> >the

> > > Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping

them

> > > on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They

also

> > > sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes,

something

> > > neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic

bothered

> >to

> > > do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but

we're

> > > having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the

baby

> > > kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

> >attached

> > > to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke

us

> > > instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to

tie

> > > the little laces.

> > > Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

> >things

> > > strapped in 24/7?

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > >

[Guest guest]

Gee thanks Kori! You summed it up pretty good.

s.

How many hours a day-really?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

>the

> > Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

> > on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

> > sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> > neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

>to

> > do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

> > having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> > kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

>attached

> > to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> > instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

> > the little laces.

> > Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

>things

> > strapped in 24/7?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

With Everett, he knows when the shoes go on, it's bed time and he's ready to

lay down! I could put them on him two hours early and he'd pass out with in

minutes! LOL!

s.

How many hours a day-really?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

> the

> > Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping

them

> > on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They

also

> > sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> > neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

> to

> > do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but

we're

> > having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> > kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

> attached

> > to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> > instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to

tie

> > the little laces.

> > Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

> things

> > strapped in 24/7?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

I didn't know about that but hey, thanks for the vote of confidence. I'll

work on that for you. I didn't know I was gathering my own clubfoot fan club!

LOL! If my camera will cooperate, can I add photos of each boy to it? You

know it's too late to change 's treatment, but by his experience I hope to

save other babies his misery - that's about the only reason I hang around this

board anymore, to hopefully give some meaning to his poor feet.

ee, mother of two bcf boys:

- NON Ponseti Method Club Foot Disaster

Everett - Dr. Ponseti Success Story

Re: How many hours a day-really?

Not to speak for ee, but maybe to save her some typing... she

has had at least two posts in the recent past that have really moved

me regarding the comparison between her two sons' treatments.

(in fact, ee, I wanted you to cut and paste it into the

testimonials section on the ponseti_links board- hint hint =)).

If you sign into this group's website, you can access these archived

posts by typing in the post number into the appropriate box-

read post # 24277 and post # 24903.

Regards,

& (3-16-00), left clubfoot

[Guest guest]

I have to admit, I do love the company here.

s.

Re: How many hours a day-really?

>

>

>

>

>Not to speak for ee, but maybe to save her some typing... she

>has had at least two posts in the recent past that have really moved

>me regarding the comparison between her two sons' treatments.

>(in fact, ee, I wanted you to cut and paste it into the

>testimonials section on the ponseti_links board- hint hint =)).

>If you sign into this group's website, you can access these archived

>posts by typing in the post number into the appropriate box-

>read post # 24277 and post # 24903.

>Regards,

> & (3-16-00), left clubfoot

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

" we attempted the DBB, but it chewed his feet into hamburger "

LOL!!!!! Your killing me! (I know it wasn't meant to be funny, but I

can't help myself). Others in the office are wondering why I am

ROFLMAO!!!

Shook

Retail Operations Manager/Baking Instructor

Vie de France Yamazaki, Inc.

2070 Chain Bridge Rd. Suite 500

Vienna, VA 22182

x374

x374

fax

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I see you have had lots of comments already and you probably noticed

that most of us are prescribed 23 hours/day for the first 3 months,

not 24. I would not hesitate to give him an hour off for bath and

footy freetime. Believe it or not the 3 months will fly by. It is

important to stick with that time though. I hope Kori's tips will

help you out. It is amazing what those little people will do with

the bar on. Stick with it. We are here for you.

Louisa

Rachael 6-27-99

Zoe 2-22-04 RCF FAB 16/7

>

>

> Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of the

> Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

> on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

> sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered to

> do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

> having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are attached

> to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

> the little laces.

> Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor things

> strapped in 24/7?

[Guest guest]

It's good we can laugh, but the description is pretty accurate.

s.

Re: Re: How many hours a day-really?

" we attempted the DBB, but it chewed his feet into hamburger "

LOL!!!!! Your killing me! (I know it wasn't meant to be funny, but I

can't help myself). Others in the office are wondering why I am

ROFLMAO!!!

Shook

Retail Operations Manager/Baking Instructor

Vie de France Yamazaki, Inc.

2070 Chain Bridge Rd. Suite 500

Vienna, VA 22182

x374

x374

fax

[Guest guest]

Huh? NOOOOoooooooooo, I am not offended in the least, silly goose.

s.

Re: Re: How many hours a day-really?

I'm sorry ee, I hope I didn't offend you. I really didn't intend to.

And I am sorry about 's horrible feet. Everytime I read about his

story it breaks my heart.

Shook

Retail Operations Manager/Baking Instructor

Vie de France Yamazaki, Inc.

2070 Chain Bridge Rd. Suite 500

Vienna, VA 22182

x374

x374

fax

[Guest guest]

okay, whew!!! I thought about it after the fact. I wasn't laughing at

s situation. Just your delivery on descriptions is so funny

sometimes. You should do stand-up!

[Guest guest]

Naw, I better not quit my day job. Oh wait, I don't have a day job. No--- hm,

I work 24 /7 along with the rest of you women! LOL! I have a day job AND a

night job, when the heck would I do stand up?

s.

Re: Re: How many hours a day-really?

okay, whew!!! I thought about it after the fact. I wasn't laughing at

s situation. Just your delivery on descriptions is so funny

sometimes. You should do stand-up!

[Guest guest]

If you can believe it, the surgeon told us 24/7 the first YEAR and

then at night for another year once he shows an interest in learning

to walk. I would think that the three month rule makes more sense

since his feet were pretty mild, the left is a bit more affected

than the right. His feet actually look pretty normal, but the left

is definitely a bit off, smaller and tends to curve if we leave the

shoes off for a day. We just have to suck it up and do it. I just

don't understand why my husband is having such a tough time sticking

to the rules. He's the one that was born with club feet and spent

his first five years in casts and having multiple surgeries. I know

he doesn't want his son to go through the same thing. My husband is

very self conscious about the scars on his feet.

> Hi,

>

>

>

> Our schedule for 3 months was 23/7. We were allowed to keep him

out of the

> shoes to bathe, dress, play, etc for 1 hour each day. We adhered

to the 23

> hours 99.9% of the time because my son relapsed quickly after his

first

> (wrong) treatment. You just have to keep telling yourself that

there is an

> end to the 23 hours a day routine. That is what gets you through

it. I

> think it would impossible to deal with if you to be thinking that

your kid

> had to wear those shoes 23 hours a day for more than 3 months.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Mommy to (12-17-98) and

>

> Christian (1-30-04) LCF - DBB (nights only)

>

> _____

>

> From: cyberleek [mailto:cyberleek@y...]

> Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2005 3:47 AM

> To: nosurgery4clubfoot

> Subject: How many hours a day-really?

>

>

>

>

>

> Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

the

> Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping them

> on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They also

> sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

to

> do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but we're

> having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

attached

> to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to tie

> the little laces.

> Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

things

> strapped in 24/7?

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

My son had seven weeks of casting and then the Achilles release,

followed by two more weeks of casting. It took a week for the

orthotics department to get the shoes in for his size, so he went

without for awhile. The surgeon doesn't want to see us for a year.

> Welcome! You will get wonderful info here! My son has the same

bar, and we are going to get a new one at our next appt. hopefully.

They are painful! As for the time, did your son have surgery or

casting?I don't know if it is the same for surgery, but for casts it

is very important to make sure they are worn 23/7 for around 3

months. If they are coming off try making them tighter. My son has

had them for 6 wks., and we weren't tightening them enough in the

beginning. Another cause of the foot coming out is that the foot

wasn't fully corrected. I know it is hard at first, but I swear it

gets easier. This site was a great help to me!

>

>

> How many hours a day-really?

>

>

>

>

>

> Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

the

> Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping

them

> on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They

also

> sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

to

> do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but

we're

> having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

attached

> to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to

tie

> the little laces.

> Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

things

> strapped in 24/7?

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

That doesn't sound right. And with you saying his foot starts to turn in

when he doesn't wear the shoes for a day... sounds like he needs to be

seen again at minimum. A year?? This doc should be checking him at

minimum every 3-4mo's. So apparently they're assuming they can cut corners

by having you use the FAB 23/7 for a year and that way they don't need to

see the patient. Mega weird if you ask me...

Can we help you find a doc for a second opinion? If he needs another cast

to finish the correction on that foot, better to do it now than later. How

old is he? Where are you located?

My husband has nothing to do with these shoes lol. I do it all. I tell

him how long she can wear it and I just handle it all myself. He does

better with the older kids at bedtime anyway and in the mornings he's gone

so that works for us. So tell dh to keep his hands off the shoes till you

tell him it's ok to take them off! Are you still in the first 3mo's? If

so, he really shouldn't be out of the brace much longer than that

hour/day. If you are consistent with the 23/7 an extra hour or so out

instead of 1 every now and then won't make a difference. But consistently

doing long hours out can lead him to relapse later on and then you're back

to square one. Long bracing hours are TONS easier with an infant than with

a toddler so get them in now and you probably won't have to do them when

he's older. An additional benefit of doing the long hours when they're

little, and reducing slowly till they're walking is that they complain less

about them. There's something to be said about routines (I hate routines

routinely lol!) and these children who are so used to the brace the long

hours seem to accept it much better when they're older because of it.

Oh, they should have given him the brace right away or re-casted him

too. The child needs to go into the brace immediately because at this

early stage, the foot can relapse in a matter of hours. A week unbraced is

simply too long and the docs should have never allowed this. I would

imagine that this is probably much the cause of that foot acting weird now

and I hope you are able to address it with a competent doc soon.

Kori

At 12:13 PM 2/26/2005, you wrote:

>My son had seven weeks of casting and then the Achilles release,

>followed by two more weeks of casting. It took a week for the

>orthotics department to get the shoes in for his size, so he went

>without for awhile. The surgeon doesn't want to see us for a year.

>

>

> > Welcome! You will get wonderful info here! My son has the same

>bar, and we are going to get a new one at our next appt. hopefully.

>They are painful! As for the time, did your son have surgery or

>casting?I don't know if it is the same for surgery, but for casts it

>is very important to make sure they are worn 23/7 for around 3

>months. If they are coming off try making them tighter. My son has

>had them for 6 wks., and we weren't tightening them enough in the

>beginning. Another cause of the foot coming out is that the foot

>wasn't fully corrected. I know it is hard at first, but I swear it

>gets easier. This site was a great help to me!

> >

> >

> > How many hours a day-really?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Hello, I'm new to this group. I had emailed the distributor of

>the

> > Markell shoes complaining of the difficulty we had in keeping

>them

> > on our son and they recommended I check out this group. They

>also

> > sent me instructions on how to properly use the shoes, something

> > neither the orthopedic surgeon nor the orthotics clinic bothered

>to

> > do. The surgeon said he needed to be in the shoes 24/7, but

>we're

> > having a tough time sticking to it. Multiple reasons - the baby

> > kicks them off, his feet get sweaty, the way the shoes are

>attached

> > to the bar(they used wingnuts with bolts coming out that poke us

> > instead of the shoe platform), and it's hard for my husband to

>tie

> > the little laces.

> > Anyone else willing to fess up that they don't keep the poor

>things

> > strapped in 24/7?

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >