Needing advice on Markells not staying on

[Guest guest]

Hi All~~

I know most of you will say to contact Dr P and I think I will, but

I would really like to hear some feedback from other parents.

Elijah is 16 months old and has been treated from day one by a

military Dr at Keesler AFB, Biloxi. He started casting at 10 days

old and had his first tenotomy at 7 wks. He slipped out of that cast

so it was reapplied. His right foot wouldnt stay in his shoes.

At the time, my husband was deployed to Iraq so the Dr gave Elijah a

break from everything for 2 wks until he came home. We started then

with another casting method that would stretch his plantar tendon

and allow his foot to stay in the cast after his second tenotomy.

He had the second one at almost 4 months old and after the 3 wk

cast, he was able to stay in his shoes.

Today, we're on our 3rd pr of shoes and no matter what we do, his

right foot will NOT stay in the shoe. Heres the problem: Our air

force doctor has retired. They didnt replace her with another

pediatric orthopedist and theres no one qualified in the area to

treat him. We're about to move to Hawaii in October and he'll be

seeing Dr Burkhalter at Tripler Army Medical Center but until then,

he's without care.

I have a pair of high top, soft sole sneakers that I can keep him in

and his feet stay straight and flat in them. Ive tried letting him

keep those on during the day and go w/out at night.. but I dont want

him to get out of the habit of having shoes at night.

Ive tried leaving him in the sneakers at night and he screams until

theyre off.

For the past week, Ive continued to put him in the Markell's but in

the morning, he's out of them on the right side. I dont want to risk

him damaging his foot pulling it out of the boot every night.

As I see it, these are my options:

1. Keep using the boots until we get to Hawaii, 2.5 more months,

not knowing if he's damaging his foot by pulling it out w/out

untying or unstrapping.

2. Use the high top sneakers at night instead.

3. Take the Markell boots OFF the bar and use them at night since

he's using the leverage on the bar to get the shoes off.

Im quite sure that we'll be going into 's once we see Dr

Burkhalter. But until then..... what do you suggest? Flying to

Iowa is out of the question at this time.

Lori

Mom to 4

Elijah 16 mo atypical RCF DBB at night (if we're lucky)