Help! 5yo with leg in plaster

[acebaby]

As the thread title says, DS1 has his leg in a cast (up to his thigh). He got the full cast today after injuring himself on Thursday. The hospital have given him a little Zimmer frame, which he is already good at using. I'm really after some practical advice

1. Weeing... He can't get close enough to the loo to wee standing up, and sprays everywhere when sitting down, including on the cast [boak]. How can we deal with this? There must be a way! I am considering a bottle - particularly as we have not got a downstairs loo and he is very "last minute"

1. Stairs... Down is okay (on his bum). But I don't know how to get him upstairs. His legs are too short to allow him to go up backwards on his bum and the cast prevents him from going up forwards

1. School... Has anyone got experience of how dc's manage at school with a cast on? What sorts of things should I discuss with the teachers before he goes back?

1. Baths... I know there are products out there to keep plaster casts dry but I think it would be better to just give him a wash a couple of times a week. What experience have others had with this?

Sorry that was so long! Thanks in advance for any advice

Hope I can help with a few questions - I've been in cast for six weeks another two to go. Poor guy to have up his thigh.

1. Can you encourage him to sit down to wee. Although I expect in a few days he'll be able to manourver closer to the loo.

2. On you tube there is a clip about how to go up and down on stairs with crutches, maybe he could try that. Although I would only do it if he had supervision.

3. Not sure at all about school. I had to take time off work and it's only in the last two days I've been able to get out the house. Things to think about would be I guess he may be a bit slower moving than everyone else and maybe make sure he isn't left out too much at playtimes.

4. I got a limbo it was about £8. Best thing ever, I didn't feel comfortable enough to shower for two weeks but now do nearly daily. They are awesome and I feel much cleaner having a proper shower.

Hope he recovers ok.

Thank you! Some really helpful ideas. I am off to order a limbo (although ds1 would be more than happy not to wash for a month!)

I hope you recover quickly too. Ds1 has a straightforward injury thankfully, and should be back to normal in a few weeks

On number 3) I was in school with a full leg cast when I was 14 so slightly different but I would try to arrange for at any times of the day involving moving around school (assembly, dinner) you DS to leave 10 mins early and probably with a teaching assistant with him to make sure he gets there without being rushed/pushed by others.

You will need to discuss what he will do at playtimes.

My teachers also ensured there was a spare seat for me to put my foot up on.

Of course you will need to discuss the toilet issue with them aswell.

DS was 3.6 when he broke his leg, he's 5.2 now so hopefully I can relate to the 5 yr old bit! He was in a full cast for 4 weeks then a below-the-knee one for another 4 weeks

1. DS did manage to wee sitting down, seem to remember he had to sit well back on the toilet so he could get the balance/aim right. Cast wrecked the wooden toilet seat though!

1. DS was much littler so we ended up carrying him upstairs most of the time I think. If your DS has only had full cast on today give him a bit of time and let him work it out for himself. In a week he will terrify surprise you by what he can do :o

1. Pre-school were fantastic, took him back as soon as he wanted to go and included him in everything even if he did it by 'slivering like a snake' - he had a zimmer frame but prefered going under his own steam :)

If it happened now I would like to know how they would include him in PE, playing outside, etc. Also could he wear joggers as doubt you will get uniform trousers over a cast (we got joggers on ebay that were 2 years older then he was and had no elastic at the bottom)

1. Definitely get a Limbo - makes bathing/washing etc SO much easier and we even took DS swimming in his

1. Get a bag to attach to the zimmer frame so he can carry stuff around as he won't have any free hands. I got an old straw handbag from a charity shop and adapted it. Meant he could have his cars/tat/etc with him as usual, could move stuff from room to room at home and help clear up at pre-school just like the others.

Make sure you take care of yourself, it's tough looking after someone who is used to being independent and suddenly isn't (and that was a 3 yr old). He may also be in pain which I found really hard emotionally - make sure you keep the Calpol/Ibruprofen going every 2 hours to start with.
You will also be doing a lot more lifting and shifting so be careful. I tried to carry DS as close to me as possible, telling him to cling on like a baby monkey. I still needed an osteopath appointment after a few weeks though.

I will try to think of some other things that helped and I'm more than happy to answer any questions.

Good luck to you all.

I'm sure he'll do great. I think children are much quicker to adapt than an adult and probably have more confidence in themselves.

Today I took a bus and really could not have done it without my friend, always think I'm gonna fall. The reason I pushed myself to do it cos of the beer and Sunday lunch at the pub. Didn't matter so much on way back as beer had left me more confident.

Also with children it doesn't seem so bad if they crawl up stairs, my flatmates thinks if very funny I have to crawl up and along hall until my bedroom to pull myself up.

Right mrswishywashy - beer on ds's porridge on it is then

Thank you all so much. So many things I hadn't thought of.

Sirzy - excellent point about the busy times of day. I get the impression there is a fair amount of pushing and shoving.

Feetheart - thank you for all your fab suggestions. The stairs thing is definitely the toughest thing so far because I cannot physically lift ds with his awkward cast on. But i will let him experiment. Good idea about the bag.

Hire a wheelchair with an extending leg support for school. Google the Red Cross for your local centre. However, bear in mind that some schools won't accept him and will send work home/arrange home tutoring.

Buy a limbo or equivalent for bathing. They are about 12 quid.

Do not let a 5 yo go up and down stairs standing up with a ZF....so, so dangerous. Up/down on bum only. If it is difficult for him to manouvre the cast, get someone to carry his leg in front of him whilst he goes up/down on his bum.

Weeing...use a bottle.

Good luck x

Thank you - he is going up and down the stairs on his bum at the moment. We absolutely do not want any more accidents so no frame on the stairs!! It is difficult because our stairs are a bit steep but I'm sure he will get the hang of it soon.

I'll get him a bottle for weeing and I have put in a request to the Red Cross for a children's wheelchair. Hopefully the school will have him. As he can hop about with his frame and would only need a wheelchair for longer distances, with any luck there won't be too many problems with access.

Thank you all again so much. I really appreciate the advice xx