Re: reluctant to reduce hours

[Guest guest]

If Dr. Ponseti said you can decrease the hours, then it is certainly safe to do

so. What I have learned through my own experience with , now seven

months, is that the brace is " insurance " to me and has become a security against

relapse...but it is often a " mental thing " for mom rather than a necessity for

the baby to stay in longer hours as you are. I don't notice any real difference

in what can do with or without the brace so I don't think it slows the

babies down. If it makes you feel better to leave it on longer, I don't think

it will hurt. I have also come to believe that there is a group of babies who

will relapse no matter what, even with long bracing hours. Most relapses do

seem to be related to non compliance with the bracing protocol, though, which is

what drives most of us to follow the long hours and feel good about it. I know

that is all clear as mud. LOL But take what you can from it and know that,

either way, you are making a good decision for your daughter.

Carol

reluctant to reduce hours

Hello,

My daughter saw Dr.Ponseti in the first week of April and he advised

us to keep Keira in her brace for 22-23hr/day for another two months

(she had already been in the brace for a couple of months prior). He

then advised to go down to 18 hours for a couple of months. I guess

that would be about now.

I find that I just keep her in it as much as always because I feel a

bit reluctant to reduce it. She wears it about 21 hours a day since

last week when I decided to take it off for a little longer. Do you

think it's a problem to keep her in it 20 hours or so for a while

longer instead of 18? Is it better to be over-cautious....I know they

have to be out of it to develop different muscles etc yet she seems to

be able to do whatever she wants with it on anyway....what do you

think?

Halley

[Guest guest]

Halley,

As a Mom who has been through several relapses due to some very atypical/complex

cf let me assure you that indeed we've all been there. And from my perspective,

if she tolerates them and it isn't slowing her down a bit then by all means feel

free to keep them on longer. That assurance against relapse can be a wonderful

thing. As your daughter grows and starts to do things like pull up and walk,

decreasing then would be beneficial to her. However, if you choose to decrease

now because Dr. P says so then go ahead. I guess until they are walking it is

really up to you. Relapsing stinks and having to wear the brace when they'd

rather be walking is even worse so whatever you can do now to prevent that is a

further guarantee that things will be fine later. Again, JMHO from one who has

been there, done that far too many times...

Chris

reluctant to reduce hours

Hello,

My daughter saw Dr.Ponseti in the first week of April and he advised

us to keep Keira in her brace for 22-23hr/day for another two months

(she had already been in the brace for a couple of months prior). He

then advised to go down to 18 hours for a couple of months. I guess

that would be about now.

I find that I just keep her in it as much as always because I feel a

bit reluctant to reduce it. She wears it about 21 hours a day since

last week when I decided to take it off for a little longer. Do you

think it's a problem to keep her in it 20 hours or so for a while

longer instead of 18? Is it better to be over-cautious....I know they

have to be out of it to develop different muscles etc yet she seems to

be able to do whatever she wants with it on anyway....what do you

think?

Halley

[Guest guest]

If it were me, I would reduce per the protocol. I think the time out of the

shoes is as important as the time in the shoes etc. for the normal development

of her feet. Kelsey spent most of her 18 months in a cast, brace etc due to

both non-Ponseti and Ponseti treatment. I believe this is a mjor contributor

to the fact that to this day (she is now 2 1/2) her feet are so supersensitive

that she cannot stand to have things including people touch them. She is so

sensitive to shoe wear as well. I wish we had the opportunity to go back and

give her more time to just be barefoot and use her feet without shoes, brace

wear.

All of this being said, make the decision that you feel is best. You know

your child better than anyone else and I think that enables you to make the

best decisions for her.

Jenni

schneeballe wrote:

Hello,

My daughter saw Dr.Ponseti in the first week of April and he advised

us to keep Keira in her brace for 22-23hr/day for another two months

(she had already been in the brace for a couple of months prior). He

then advised to go down to 18 hours for a couple of months. I guess

that would be about now.

I find that I just keep her in it as much as always because I feel a

bit reluctant to reduce it. She wears it about 21 hours a day since

last week when I decided to take it off for a little longer. Do you

think it's a problem to keep her in it 20 hours or so for a while

longer instead of 18? Is it better to be over-cautious....I know they

have to be out of it to develop different muscles etc yet she seems to

be able to do whatever she wants with it on anyway....what do you

think?

Halley

Jenni-

Mom to (10/31/01) and Kelsey (11/7/03)happy girl in FAB nights only for

left clubfoot.

__________________________________________________