Question:
Hello all,
This has been a burning question for me the last couple of days. My 4 yo daughter has just received her first AFO for her right foot... she has spastic right side hemiparesis.
Four weeks ago when we visited Shriners, the dr put a cast on her right leg and said it was preparing her for the AFO when it comes in. Since they took the cast off Monday her walking has really changed... it appears more like she is dragging her right foot.
I didnt ask the Shriner dr about her strange walking that day because I assumed it was due to just having the cast removed. Before the cast her walking was more of a slight wobble and you really couldnt tell that she had any disability. Now it is definitly noticable that she has a leg problem.
She has been complaining about the brace being uncomfortable but she likes to wear it (she likes the attention). There arent any pressure marks on her foot/ankle other than the ankle strap since it has to be snug. And we havent found a good shoe for it either.
So I wonder is it really useful for her condition since she has mild cp. Will she always have to wear one the rest of her life or does this help her walk as she grows?
I plan on asking her ot and pt about this but I figured I'd try to get some input from folks who've been there and done that.
Thanks,
Melissa
Answer:
How long did she have a cast? It's possible her muscles could just be weak form disuse
As far as the AFOs, I had them constantly when I was young but don't wear them anymore. I don't really remember why I stopped, and I think it'll just depend on your daughter's case if she contiues to wear it.
They are uncomfortable, but if you don't see marks I wouldn't worry about it. She may just not be used to it, or maybe her leg gets hot
Answer:
I had the hardest time getting used to AFOs when i was younger and still have a tough time getting used to new ones. They do help me greatly and they make me much more stable when walking. My advice would be to give her time to get used to them and if it doesn't improve talk to her doctor.
Answer:
I am 24, and I wear bilateral AFO's. I got my first pair a year ago, so it was very hard to get used to wearing them after so many years of walking unaided. I am right hemiplegic too. I don't know why the cast would have changed her walking, but I guess everyone is different. You might want to ask the doc at Shriners if it keeps up. I know when I put my first pair of AFO's on, I fell over, but that was because they were solid ankle ones. They made another pair with hinges, and that helped, because I have functional movement (for walking) at the ankle. It takes awhile to get used to AFOs, because it holds the feet(foot in this case) in a position that she is probably not used to having her foot in. They are comfortable after awhile, don't even know I have them on most the time now. As for shoes, there are websites for shoes designed specially for AFOs. Do a search on "shoes for AFO's" and you should be able to find a decent shoe. If you don't want to spend that kind of money (they're expensive) you can just get a normal shoe in wide width, or with a removable insole to add width to the shoe. Hope I have helped.
Answer:
My daughter , now 21 months old, is actually going today to get her 2nd pair fitted again, she outgrew the first pair in like 4 months. She never had a cast beforehand though. She does complain with them when she wears them, and they do leave red marks, but her PT says thats bc they are too small now, and that they shouldnt leave any marks, red marks can be a sign of unproper fit.....They help hannah alot, they have straightened her little feet in a matter of months, when before they always pointed in a downward position. But no matter how much they help, she still hates them and tries her hardest to remove them. Hope all goes well for you, but i feel that do work.