Re: Help...i know so little.(assymetry)

[Guest guest]

Liz,

I have posted before regarding assymetry, you may be able to find it

in the archives. Firstly a 2cm leg length difference in a 5 year old

is clinically significant and reqires some kind of intervention to

compensate. If not it can lead to scoliosis, which is generally a

fixed deformity, very difficult to reverse later in life. Children's

bones joints and soft tissues are wonderfully able to adapt to

compensate for this kind of problem (he bends his left knee) however

the muscles and ligaments in his left leg will eventually adapt to

this posture, and he could become less able to straighten the leg.

If you examine him standing you may find that as well as bending the

knee, the leg also rotates inward so that the kneecap faces more

towards the other leg. You may also see that the left foot is

flatter (lower arch) than the right. Over time these things can

result in painful sumptoms, and the longer you leave it, the more

difficult it is to correct. Also remember that as he grows, the

assymetry will increase. Liam's has gone from 1.5cm to 2.5cm in 2

years. If you want to " walk in 's shoes " for a while just try

going about your daily activities as normal, but only wearing one

shoe, or find shoes with different heel heights and wear one of

each. Believe me it is really difficult, and don't blame me if you

trip or fall.

You should probably be concerned that prefers not to have the

raise. Why is this? Would you be comfortable walking around with one

shoe off? If using a shoe raise is uncomfortable it may be that his

body has compensated for the assymetry in some way, and this should

be properly asessed by looking not only at his spine but as his legs

and feet aswell.

An experienced paediatric physiotherapist may be the best person to

advise you, but xrays may also be required to check his spine.

Please don't ignore this. It may not be a problem now, but it could

well become one in the future.

Best wishes

Damian

>

> Hi again everyone...i have been quietly reading all your posts and

> there are a few things i am now worried about. Should i be doing

> more? Should be having GH? He is certainly not the smallest

> in his class at school, but probably the lightest. We have never

> been offered GH, although it was mentioned way back when

> first diagnosed.

> I was told would grow out of hypoglycaemias by the age of 2

> and not to worry about it. i know thats not true because it is

clear

> to me when his sugars drop and he needs food as he gets sleepy,

> weepy and grumpy. Something to eat always works wonders, but

should

> i be testing his sugars regularly? Is he going hypo at night and i

> just dont notice? Aaargh...there is so much more i should know and

> dont. I have always thought was getting on so well and now

i

> a bag of worries. You would never guess i was a trained nurse

would

> you?

> And what about scoliosis? stopped having his shoe built up

> when he was 5 because he seemed to compensate by bending his right

> knee instead of his spine. (left leg 1.5-2cm longer than right)He

> was better without the lift and he was very happy to get rid of

it.

> So i felt the same, and was happy for him.

> We have not had alot of input from professionals, and none of

these

> issues have been covered since was really young. Am i just

> being paranoid? should i go with my gut and keep believing that

> is doing fine or should i insist he sees someone else?

Maybe

> try to get a referral to Dr Stanhope? I know i sound like a total

> novice but i never realised how much input other RSS kids had. I

> feel a bit like has been forgottten about.

> Still...all that said...i love this site and love reading what is

> going on with you all. Being pregnant, alot of smells make me sick

> to my stomach too. Not many foods though. Food smells just make me

> hungry. Any sort of perfume, air freshener, or flowery smells

finish

> me off. Beer too. Yuck. My poor husband has to stay well away from

> me when he indulges.

> Did s photos show up ok? Im afraid i still cant work the

chat

> section, my computer doesnt seem to like it. But im still trying.

> Thanks for all being there. Liz.xxx

>