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Persuading a two year old to walk after cast removal

7 replies

BornToFolk · 29/06/2010 19:23

My 2.8 year old fell down the stairs a few weeks ago and fractured his leg. He had it in plaster until yesterday. It was in plaster to above the knee and although the doctor said he could walk on it if he wanted to, he never would.

The cast came off yesterday afternoon and apparently it was very traumatic. My DP took him and said there were lots of tears. The doctor wanted to see DS stand on his leg but he was in such a state he refused.

Anyway, since then he's not wanted to stand on it. I persuaded him to this morning and made a massive fuss of him when he did. He was pleased with himself and I'm sure it didn't hurt him.

He's been at nursery today and they've tried to get him to stand too, but he's been very reluctant.

We had a chat before bed and were talking about going to the park with Daddy tomorrow and DS was getting very excited about playing football but then he said "I play football when my leg is better".

He just won't be told that his leg is better. He insists its still poorly. I'm 99% sure it doesn't hurt him as he's been moving it around lots, he just won't bear weight on it. He's a very cautious boy generally, preferring to do what he knows to be safe so I was expecting him to be like this really.

I wouldn't normally be so worried but we're due to go on holiday a week tomorrow and he really needs to be walking by then. The hospital gave us an appointment for 2 weeks time but said to cancel if he was walking soon, so I don't want to take him out of the country if he's not walking.

What can we do to get him walking again?

OP posts:
MarvelousNonPerfection · 29/06/2010 19:45

invite some little friends around? play a few party games to control the situation? foot printing?

scurryfunge · 29/06/2010 19:50

It may be different for children but it took me weeks when the plaster came off to put my foot down properly. Take him swimming...that is good for moving around and gaining confidence.

NorbertDentressangle · 29/06/2010 19:53

Its understandable that he's going to be reluctant to use it as it will feel very strange, not to mention weak.

My DS had his arm in plater earlier this year. When the plaster came off he was really quite nervous of moving his arm to begin with and even continued to use his sling for a while.

However, slowly he started to use his arm again bit by bit. He tended to use it more when not thinking about it IYSWIM eg. if I held something out for him when he was partly distracted he reached out with the 'bad' arm without thinking.

It will probably be slow to begin with but gradually he should start using it more and more

BornToFolk · 29/06/2010 19:55

Weeks?! Yikes! I know the sensation must be weird for him and 3.5 weeks a lifetime to a 2 year old.

We're back to swimming lessons on Fri anyway, and I thought that would do him good. His favourite bit of the lesson is standing on the side and jumping in...

Great idea about foot painting Marvelous! That would take his mind off it nicely...

OP posts:
MarvelousNonPerfection · 01/07/2010 16:18

Any news BornToFolk?

BornToFolk · 01/07/2010 16:31

Thanks for asking!

It's going to be very slow progress I think. He will now stand on his good leg (holding the "bad" one up) without whinging. If encouraged/bribed, he will put weight on the bad one for a few seconds but only if he's being held.

He hasn't said that it's poorly since Tues which is progress too.

I'm off work tomorrow and we're going swimming, then his 3 year old cousin is coming for a visit. I'm hoping that she'll be able to get him moving!

OP posts:
MarvelousNonPerfection · 01/07/2010 16:46

All good, am glad.

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