Ponseti- Brace

[Guest guest]

Over the past six weeks, my husband and I have been dealing with Zachary

rubbing his feet together like a cricket when he's out of his brace for an hour

a

day. It never fails that the skin on the backs of his little ankles gets rubbed

off.

We've doubled socked him in the Markell shoes and he's in the shoes nice

and tight with his heel down all the way. We've tried large bandaids to protect

the healing skin. We've used Polysporin Kids and Lasinoh as healing agents.

Then, one day, the bandaid got folded over, and it looks like Zachary is

getting a pressure sore on the back of one heel where the bandage folded

over.

Now, as of last night, we're using a donut (one of those things used to protect

bunions/calluses) to heal the little sore. I actually dread taking the brace

off

each evening because I never know what I'm going to find under the shoes.

He's also developed some open skin on the top of his right foot where the

buckle goes across. Could we be pulling this too tight?

The good news is that I ordered the Ponseti- brace from MD

Orthopaedics late last week and I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival. The

Orthotics Dep't at Sick Kids Hospital said, " We'd rather not order that brace, "

so I'm doing it myself. To heck with it.....

Zachary's feet look nice and straight... well, overcorrected.... which I assume

is

good. He puts weight on his feet and legs now. He's a very happy baby

despite the ongoing problems his parents -- that's me --- are having with the

Markell boots doing a number on his skin. We're just going to keep plugging

ahead with the DBB until the P/M's come.

Any advice?

(mom to Zachary -- bcf 6 mos.)

[Guest guest]

,

Did you see Kori's thought last week about possibly treating it like

it is a fungus (so itchy?)? You can use tea-tree oil for this, won't

hurt him if it is not athlete's foot.

I think you are doing everything you can to protect that skin and keep

him in the shoes. The only other thing you might consider is going

into healing casts until the P/M's come.

The spot on tops of his foot is common, seems to happen as the baby's

foot begins to thin out a little (vs. the super chubby baby feet), but

if you stayed in the Markells you'd probably be dealing with a red

spot there (not necessarily a sore) for the duration. You may also

want to inquire about the " pringle " you can get from MD orthopaedics,

it's a little pringle shaped pad that will prevent these types of

sores on the instep with the P/M's. Since you already have a sore

there I think it might be wise to go ahead and get this up front. I

think they are $22 for a pair of pads.

You've been a real trooper throughout all of this I have to say,

you are doing a great job. Just hang in there a little longer and

hopefully the P/M's will be the answer to your 'cricket' issues!

Oh, I also was just curious if you knew why the hospital orthotics

people didn't want to order the brace for you? Be sure to get the

proper insurance codes from so that you can submit the

claim to your insurance individually.

Mom to Jenna (4/7/01) & Sammy (9/25/04, RCF, Dobbs' brace, 12hrs/day)

>

> Over the past six weeks, my husband and I have been dealing with

Zachary

> rubbing his feet together like a cricket when he's out of his brace

for an hour a

> day. It never fails that the skin on the backs of his little ankles

gets rubbed off.

> We've doubled socked him in the Markell shoes and he's in the shoes

nice

> and tight with his heel down all the way. We've tried large

bandaids to protect

> the healing skin. We've used Polysporin Kids and Lasinoh as healing

agents.

> Then, one day, the bandaid got folded over, and it looks like

Zachary is

> getting a pressure sore on the back of one heel where the bandage

folded

> over.

>

> Now, as of last night, we're using a donut (one of those things used

to protect

> bunions/calluses) to heal the little sore. I actually dread taking

the brace off

> each evening because I never know what I'm going to find under the

shoes.

> He's also developed some open skin on the top of his right foot

where the

> buckle goes across. Could we be pulling this too tight?

>

> The good news is that I ordered the Ponseti- brace from MD

> Orthopaedics late last week and I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival.

The

> Orthotics Dep't at Sick Kids Hospital said, " We'd rather not order

that brace, "

> so I'm doing it myself. To heck with it.....

>

> Zachary's feet look nice and straight... well, overcorrected....

which I assume is

> good. He puts weight on his feet and legs now. He's a very happy baby

> despite the ongoing problems his parents -- that's me --- are having

with the

> Markell boots doing a number on his skin. We're just going to keep

plugging

> ahead with the DBB until the P/M's come.

>

> Any advice?

>

> (mom to Zachary -- bcf 6 mos.)

>

[Guest guest]

,

I've been reading your ongoing issues but just haven't had time to respond. The

one thing that keeps going through my mind is that perhaps you need to be sure

his feet are corrected. If they aren't, no shoes including the 's will

do a thing. Even if a foot 'looks' good it may not be fully corrected. Perhaps

you could take some pictures and send them to Dr. Ponseti so you can then

proceed knowing for sure things are okay. Or perhaps join the cfpics group and

post them there if you haven't already. Experienced parents can take a look and

see if things look okay if you'd prefer. Anyway, while the PM's are great they

aren't a cure all - just a better option for some to maintain correction once it

is achieved.

Hope you find a comfortable groove soon and keep us updated.

Chris

Ponseti- Brace

Over the past six weeks, my husband and I have been dealing with Zachary

rubbing his feet together like a cricket when he's out of his brace for an

hour a

day. It never fails that the skin on the backs of his little ankles gets

rubbed off.

We've doubled socked him in the Markell shoes and he's in the shoes nice

and tight with his heel down all the way. We've tried large bandaids to

protect

the healing skin. We've used Polysporin Kids and Lasinoh as healing agents.

Then, one day, the bandaid got folded over, and it looks like Zachary is

getting a pressure sore on the back of one heel where the bandage folded

over.

Now, as of last night, we're using a donut (one of those things used to

protect

bunions/calluses) to heal the little sore. I actually dread taking the brace

off

each evening because I never know what I'm going to find under the shoes.

He's also developed some open skin on the top of his right foot where the

buckle goes across. Could we be pulling this too tight?

The good news is that I ordered the Ponseti- brace from MD

Orthopaedics late last week and I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival. The

Orthotics Dep't at Sick Kids Hospital said, " We'd rather not order that

brace, "

so I'm doing it myself. To heck with it.....

Zachary's feet look nice and straight... well, overcorrected.... which I

assume is

good. He puts weight on his feet and legs now. He's a very happy baby

despite the ongoing problems his parents -- that's me --- are having with the

Markell boots doing a number on his skin. We're just going to keep plugging

ahead with the DBB until the P/M's come.

Any advice?

(mom to Zachary -- bcf 6 mos.)

[Guest guest]

Hi

I'm coming in halfway on this, not sure what you've tried already.

I'm so sorry to hear about the problems you're having with Zachary's feet in

the Markell shoes. You must be at your wits end. I don't know who your

doctor is, but if you're sure that his feet are well-corrected, here's a few

ideas to help avoid slipping in the shoes (which is the prime cause of

blisters):

- No cream on the feet at all after his bath, it's tempting to put it on to

soothe the skin, but this causes slipping in the shoes.

- We were told by the orthotists in Iowa to use thin socks (not double

socks). Or try a single pair with the 'gripper' dots on the bottom, if they

come in his size.

- Dr Naomi in the UK told me she puts her babies in Markells with no

socks at all - she says bare feet grip better. Also if the foot moves up

you will see exactly where the toes are, if he wears a sock it's more

difficult to see the toes pulling back into the shoe.

- Make sure there's the correct gap between the shoes on the bar - his

shoulders fit easily between them - a short bar can help some babies to pull

the shoes off - they get leverage by bending on leg and pulling till the

shoe's off.

Re the open skin on the top of his foot where the buckle goes - is it where

the loose tongue is? These have caused irritation in some babies, the

parents have taken them out altogether and that solved the pressure problem.

It's not possible to do the shoes 'too tight' with your normal finger

pressure. The danger is if it's too loose. That's when the shoe can slip

and causes blisters.

Does Zachary sleep well despite the problems? I wonder if he has unusually

sensitive skin?

I don't know if this is of any help to you, but good luck and well done on

persevering despite the problems.

Moss

CEO Steps Charity

Tel:

<http://www.steps.org.za> www.steps.org.za

Ponseti- Brace

Over the past six weeks, my husband and I have been dealing with Zachary

rubbing his feet together like a cricket when he's out of his brace for an

hour a

day. It never fails that the skin on the backs of his little ankles gets

rubbed off.

We've doubled socked him in the Markell shoes and he's in the shoes nice

and tight with his heel down all the way. We've tried large bandaids to

protect

the healing skin. We've used Polysporin Kids and Lasinoh as healing agents.

Then, one day, the bandaid got folded over, and it looks like Zachary is

getting a pressure sore on the back of one heel where the bandage folded

over.

Now, as of last night, we're using a donut (one of those things used to

protect

bunions/calluses) to heal the little sore. I actually dread taking the brace

off

each evening because I never know what I'm going to find under the shoes.

He's also developed some open skin on the top of his right foot where the

buckle goes across. Could we be pulling this too tight?

The good news is that I ordered the Ponseti- brace from MD

Orthopaedics late last week and I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival. The

Orthotics Dep't at Sick Kids Hospital said, " We'd rather not order that

brace, "

so I'm doing it myself. To heck with it.....

Zachary's feet look nice and straight... well, overcorrected.... which I

assume is

good. He puts weight on his feet and legs now. He's a very happy baby

despite the ongoing problems his parents -- that's me --- are having with

the

Markell boots doing a number on his skin. We're just going to keep plugging

ahead with the DBB until the P/M's come.

Any advice?

[Guest guest]

, once I carried in to the pharmacy and showed his sores to the

pharmacist guy at a loss for what to do. He sold me a cream that really helped.

It wasn't Rx but it was made for pressure sores and helped heal them so much

easier. Sorry that was years ago and I do not remember what it as called. It

may be a fungus or something - I'd let your other doctors or pharmacist look at

them for other opinions in how to heal the rubbing and sores.

ee

Visit Me On The Web For Clubfoot Information!

http://www.wildliferevivaltaxidermy.com/ShawsPage.html

Ponseti- Brace

Over the past six weeks, my husband and I have been dealing with Zachary

rubbing his feet together like a cricket when he's out of his brace for an

hour a

day. It never fails that the skin on the backs of his little ankles gets

rubbed off.

We've doubled socked him in the Markell shoes and he's in the shoes nice

and tight with his heel down all the way. We've tried large bandaids to

protect

the healing skin. We've used Polysporin Kids and Lasinoh as healing agents.

Then, one day, the bandaid got folded over, and it looks like Zachary is

getting a pressure sore on the back of one heel where the bandage folded

over.

Now, as of last night, we're using a donut (one of those things used to

protect

bunions/calluses) to heal the little sore. I actually dread taking the brace

off

each evening because I never know what I'm going to find under the shoes.

He's also developed some open skin on the top of his right foot where the

buckle goes across. Could we be pulling this too tight?

The good news is that I ordered the Ponseti- brace from MD

Orthopaedics late last week and I'm anxiously awaiting its arrival. The

Orthotics Dep't at Sick Kids Hospital said, " We'd rather not order that

brace, "

so I'm doing it myself. To heck with it.....

Zachary's feet look nice and straight... well, overcorrected.... which I

assume is

good. He puts weight on his feet and legs now. He's a very happy baby

despite the ongoing problems his parents -- that's me --- are having with the

Markell boots doing a number on his skin. We're just going to keep plugging

ahead with the DBB until the P/M's come.

Any advice?

(mom to Zachary -- bcf 6 mos.)