DBB and potty training.

December 11, 2005

Hi everyone, my name is KC, and this is my first time posting in

several years. My son is 3 and a half years old, and was born

with bilateral club feet, treated with Ponsetti method here in NJ, and

has done beautifully. When we first started treatment, we were told he

would wear the shoes at night until about 3 years old. Then when he

was approaching 3, his doctor told me they now were recommending

wearing shoes until the child was 5. Is this what everyone else has

been told? So far I love my doctor, am thrilled with 's

treatment, and feel he follows the Ponsetti Method to the T. I am just

concerned about how my son could get up at night to go to the bathroom

with his shoes on? Any suggestions? Sorry I haven't posted in so long

but life just got so busy! thanks again, KC

December 11, 2005

Hi, KC & -

I remember you! Glad things are going well! Yes, this is correct

what your doctor is telling you.......I'm *thrilled* to hear that

doctors are doing this! What doctor is treating ? They're

finding that if the child wears the brace until age 4-5 it greatly

reduces the chance of relapse.

There's info on this on the ponseti_links site if you're interested

in reading it (you're a nurse, right?).

I won't pretend that I have any advice for you on the potty training

thing- my daughter never needed to get up at night.....I'm dying to

get my almost 3 year old son trained and am sure he'll be up every

night in the middle of the night once we get there.

Some parents have reported keeping a potty chair in the child's

room, others have reported that their child crawls to the bathroom,

or walks (most big kids can walk with it on---just depends on your

flooring I think) there.

There are lots of older kids here still wearing the brace, I'm sure

those moms will chime in.

Good to hear from you!

& (3-16-00, lcf)

December 11, 2005

Ya from what I hear Dr. P is now leaning towards more time to reduce the chance

of relapse, but as far as potty training goes I'm not sure...

Perhaps you could put a potty by his bed? I don't remember my son (also !)

getting up at night very much, and he generally yelled for me to get him anyway

if he did (he wasn't in the FAB either).

Your son can crawl in the brace, can't he? I wonder if he could get on the

toilet himself while wearing it, or get on to a smaller potty chair?

Sorry, i'm not much help.

s.

DBB and potty training.

Hi everyone, my name is KC, and this is my first time posting in

several years. My son is 3 and a half years old, and was born

with bilateral club feet, treated with Ponsetti method here in NJ, and

has done beautifully. When we first started treatment, we were told he

would wear the shoes at night until about 3 years old. Then when he

was approaching 3, his doctor told me they now were recommending

wearing shoes until the child was 5. Is this what everyone else has

been told? So far I love my doctor, am thrilled with 's

treatment, and feel he follows the Ponsetti Method to the T. I am just

concerned about how my son could get up at night to go to the bathroom

with his shoes on? Any suggestions? Sorry I haven't posted in so long

but life just got so busy! thanks again, KC

December 12, 2005

Hi , thanks for responding so quickly, and I'm glad you remember

us! Yes, I am a nurse, here in town, NJ, which is also where

my doctor is. His name is Marc Rieger, and although he is not yet

listed on Ponsetti's website, they are in the process of adding him.

He trained with Ponsetti years ago, but never submitted the necessary

3 case studies to be put on the web site, as he was busy compiling

data for a huge scoliosis study he was doing. Anyway, just as a

little refresher: started casting at 4 days old, had 3 casts

that stayed on for 1 week each, then had a tenotomy, then the final

cast for 3 weeks. Then DBB for 23 hours a day for 3 months, then

down to naps and nighttime, and now just at night. He has literally

not had one problem. No creases, no loose joints, no pressure sores,

etc. He did have some ingrown toenails, but as he gets bigger they

are just resolving themselves. Of course his feet are as flat as can

be, but I believe that is the case with all these kids.

Anyway, Dr. Rieger told me on his last visit, " You know, for years I

treated these kids with surgery, and I was really good at it, and I

never had a correction as beautiful as this. " Needless to say we are

thrilled. I often forget he had clubfeet. He just calls his shoes

his " bedtime shoes " , and it's no big deal to him. Sometimes if my

husband and I are too tired we let him sleep without the shoes, maybe

a couple times a month, but we never let it go beyond that. He has

had no relapse, and runs, jumps, climbs, etc., with no apparent pain

or difficulty. So if anyone reading this is considering other

treatment modalities, I can only attest to the great success we have

had using the Ponsetti method, because that is all we tried, and

never needed to look elsewhere.

Regarding the potty training, is almost 3 and a half, and still

wears a pull-up due to frequent accidents. My older son was a late

potty trainer too, so I'm not too worried. My goal is to get through

the holidays, then put him in underwear during the day and let him

keep the pull up at night. Thanks for the suggestions about the

potty in the room, etc. Thanks for reading this long post as well!

I would be happy to correspond with any new parents, feel free to e-

mail me at any time! KC

-- In nosurgery4clubfoot , " jennyandkelly "

<jenrichtrevillian@y...> wrote:

>

> Hi, KC & -

> I remember you! Glad things are going well! Yes, this is correct

> what your doctor is telling you.......I'm *thrilled* to hear that

> doctors are doing this! What doctor is treating ? They're

> finding that if the child wears the brace until age 4-5 it greatly

> reduces the chance of relapse.

> There's info on this on the ponseti_links site if you're interested

> in reading it (you're a nurse, right?).

> I won't pretend that I have any advice for you on the potty

training

> thing- my daughter never needed to get up at night.....I'm dying to

> get my almost 3 year old son trained and am sure he'll be up every

> night in the middle of the night once we get there.

> Some parents have reported keeping a potty chair in the child's

> room, others have reported that their child crawls to the bathroom,

> or walks (most big kids can walk with it on---just depends on your

> flooring I think) there.

> There are lots of older kids here still wearing the brace, I'm sure

> those moms will chime in.

> Good to hear from you!

> & (3-16-00, lcf)

>

December 12, 2005

My son Noah is also a late potty trainer. I am not sure if it's due to the

clubfoot or other things. He wears underwear during the day when I am at home,

but when I have to go to work he is in a pull up. ( due to my dh's illness he

can't be around the potty mess ) So maybe that is why it's taking longer. When

I ask him where he needs to go potty he just tells me he doesn't know. SO that

might be it to. Not sure and for now I am not to concerned when he is ready then

I will know. As for putting a potty in the room at night ( for some kids it's

has been good ) I am not really fond of doing that. There is a reason his nick

name is Hellboy, And believe me the boy lives up to it! When I first read about

putting the potty in the child's room, I laughed until I had tears. Now I know

that there are good little angels out there that would not have any problems,

but all I could think of was walking into his room and seeing the lovely art on

the walls and floors that my little boy has made for

me!!! lol Sorry if I had made some stomachs turn. ( older brother has done that

when he was a baby )

Bri, mother to 4 year old Noah

casey123166 wrote: