Hypermobility & Orthotics

[peachnpiglet]

Does anyone have any experience of a hypermobile child? I have a hospital referral with my 6yr old son (7 in April) concentrating on his feet/ankles with a view to orthotics. Is there a minimum age they are prescribed? Would appreciate any advice or help.

My daughter has a problem with her ankles. We saw a private chiropodist who does orthotics and she was very concerned and said DD had a big problem and needed custom made things (£200 +). I then got second opinion from GP who was very dismissive. Didn't know what to do so saw third orthotics person who said that there was a problem but it wasn't so bad as to need expensive custom made inserts, so we just have DD doing physio exercises. You are lucky to get a referral to a hospital. Hopefully it will be a diagnosis without a profit motive. Hope it goes well.

My daughter has hypermobility and hypotonia. She has worn orthotics since she could walk. So around 2 years old. She is nearly 3 now so has had them nearly a year.
Am happy to answer any questions you have about them.

Thank you, we've known about the hypermobility for some years now and his Dad has orthotics too. The GP was quite dismissive and even said she didn't know if it would help at all?? So far I can't complain though and the support from his school has been excellent. Had the O.T sessions and home programme going well. I'd hate my son to miss out on early treatment of correcting his ankles but have no idea what age is recomended to start? His Dad had years of back trouble as a result of his "wonky" knees and ankles (as we called it) not being picked up as a child. I'd just like to know enough so's as to not be possibly fobbed off!

Oh and we get ours free on the nhs. She wears DAFOs at the moment which are little Plastic splints that go inside shoes and go up to just above her ankle. We have another appointment tomorrow and think she is going to be fitted for ones that go higher up her leg to her knee.

Thanks truthisinthewine, the only I was told about orthotics when he was younger was they wouldn't do anything til he was at least 7? I don't know anything about hypotonia?

Oh don't know about that. I was told that they couldn't do anything unt she was walking but she was fitted for hers as soon as she could walk unaided. She is very bad though and her ankle collapses completely without her DAFOs when she stands up so her inner ankle bones touch the floor.

Hypotonia is lack if tone in the muscles ( not strength) even when your muscles are relaxed they still maintain a certain amount of tone so they are ready to move again when needed. People with hypotonia lack this tone so thier muscles are less responsive and controlled than normal peoples are. That is how I understand it anyway.

Nikocka, I definitely wouldn't take the word of anyone but a hospital or NHS doctor or other healthcare professional. If they are needed for a child, they will be custom made and provided free on the NHS. Keep pressing your GP for a referral if you are concerned.

DS has worn a splint since he started walking at 1 partly for hypermobility, but he has acomplicated non-standard foot and ankle, it isn't because of muscle tone, so our orthopaedic consultant referred us to the orthotics dept. The splints have been fine. It can be hard to get shoes which fit over them - ankle height boots (trainer style works well) with an opening at the front that goes a long way down towards the toe seems to work well, so that you can open the shoe right up to get them on.

And agree with Blu. Can be a total nightmare finding shoes to fit over them. Laces work best as the straps on Velcro tend to be too short. And must have a really wide opening. I have found Converse boots work well as they undo really far down the shoe.

Thank you for the responses, fingers crossed we get somewhere on Monday :)

Hi, we have just been told that our 2 year old daughter is hypermobile. I'd say over the last 6 months I had noticed that she seemed to be walking strangely, hard to describe but walking more on the side of her feet than flat on her soles. Her knees also seemed to be doing something strange when she walks and when shes standing still, popping back to far. We have taken her to see a physio and they are confident that the problem is with her feet. They recommended that we get her a proper fitted pair of shoes, I'm not a lover of clarkes style shoes!!! but having gone to a shop recommended by the physio today we left with a pink pair of kickers which I can see straight away straight her legs. We are also being referred to a podiatrist but have been told the waiting list is quite long and then if she needs special inersoles or shoes another 8 weeks+. Just wanted advise from other parents about hypermobile as having googled it I'm confused as all sites say different things?!? And to go the Nhs route or to go privately??

The GP told us that our DD (2) is hypermobile but that nothing will be done for her until she is 3 so just keep an eye on her til then.
She also has the pink kicker boots which we saw made a huge difference as opposed to Mary Jane type shoes where it is evident that her ankles appear to be collapsing inward.
I did wonder whether to get a second opinion or just wait as he has said.

Orthotics concern me as I had to wear them as a child due to Pes Cavus. They were painful.

Hiya. Hoping you can help. My son bottom shuffled for 14 months till he was 2.5 and then started walking. He has since been diagnosed with hypotonia - low muscle tone, and hypermobility in his ankles. He now wears boots with insoles (which are helping) as he is also really flat footed. We've been referred on to the physio who we've seen a couple of times and she is recommending exercises for him. Just wondered if there is anyone going through the same - he is nearly 3 now and although making progress with his mobility there is still a huge amount of things he needs help with - going up and down stairs, getting onto the toilet, getting onto chairs. Just after some advice really from someone who's been through this as some days it feels as if we're never going to get there with him, his progress is very slow.

Our 5 year old son was diagnosed with hyper mobility a year ago. He had suffered a few episodes of leg pain, not being able to weight bear on one or other leg. Following hip xrays, and a couple of referrals, we ended up under physio care at GOSH. He's had a fairly intensive exercise programme prescribed, it was explained that stronger muscles would help manage the condition in the longer term. He also has orthotics as is very flat footed too. The most distressing thing as his mum is watching what feels like continual fidgets to adjust his body into a comfortable position. He claims nothing at all is painful, but forever seems to be shifting his neck, wrists, shoulders to attain some kind of comfort. Some weeks it's so much better; other weeks it's just so awful to watch Anyone else with hyper mobile kids any experience of this?? Thanks.

My daughter has to have boy's school shoes because the ballet style girls shoes don't offer enough support. She has kicker boots as her out of school shoes.