Splints and school shoes

[pintsize]

Not sure if I've asked this one before? My dd wears orthotic splints on both legs. She currently has trainers - cheap supermarket ones as they seem to be the only footwear we can get to fit over them. DD starts school in Sept and really wants shoes "like her friends". I have told her she will have, but am starting to worry I'm going to let her down as I don't know where I am going to get them from. Also her shoes need adapting once we find ones that fit so we have around 3 pairs on the go as there is always a pair being repaired. Anyone any ideas?

(Also posted this in other subjects as couldn't figure out how to post in SN subject area - doh!!)

dd also wear's a splint and i was told to buy normal size shoes in half a size bigger i got dd someone with a strap that goes thruogh a D ring and is then velcroed and there just like all her friends from school there from clarks by the way.

the one's dd has are on the clarks website under the kids 4 -5 yrs there called star pupil - sorry site doesh't let me link

My ss has splint and gets shoes a size larger than he is.

my dd has affos and we but trainers a size bigger

Can I ask what width fitting you children are? DD very wide, made wider still with splints so previously unable to get clarks to fit. So far avoided taking dd as she would get excited about new shoes and upset if we left without any.

mieows kids were proper school shoes over their splints. just look for the widest pair you can find.

mieow buys cheaper ones, no point buting properly fitted shoes in clarks as the splints support the foot really.

must say I just take the affo with me:o

I find that velco shoes fit over splints. DS and DD1 both wear them, brought some school shoes for dd1 from shoezone last week. I just go into the shop ask them to measure the splints and then we just try on pair after pair.

I got my DS school shoes from Clarks, they measured his foot with splint on, think I remember them saying they give a discount for multi pairs of the same shoe, but What about Tesco's school shoes they are cheap and reasonably flexible.

i really struggled this year to get dd school shoes and after struggling for 3 days in every shoe shop in a 3 hour radius of where we live...i finally gave up....(dd was so distressed as well)and phoned the orthotics dept at the hospital and they arranged for dd to go in and get her feet measured and have specially provided footwear and they are brill, she has now had two pair of black ankle boots and for the summer she will be having a pair of shoes....and they just look like the ones that all her friends have been wearing
dd has adaptions to whatever footwear she needs as well as wearing AFO's due to a leg length discrepancy as well........just waiting for the next appt for new splints as she needs new trainers to wear as spares at school otherwise she won't be allowed to play on the grass(and i'm not buying new trainers until she has her new splints as you can bet your bottom dollar that they will not be the same size..
good luck with finding some xx

Chatee - Did they offer any special shoes first of all? my DS has a leg discrepancy, but the orthotist just cut a couple of bits of rubber to put in his shoes - unfortunately these are now lost? Is your DD Hemiplegic? my DS is. We are fobbed off quite a bit by our hospital and really have to be forceful to get anywhere. Sorry changed to subject a bit!

no they didn't offer shoes first but when i phoned and refused to spend any more of our precious holiday time looking for shoes they were really quick to suggest special footwear and she was given an emergency appt two days later....the shoes arrived about 2.5 weeks later.
dd is spastic diplegia with a leg length discrepancy of 1.5 cm but it appears more due to her poor gait.doesn't help that she also had a dislocated hip as well
we've also had the crappy rubber bits to put in the shoes and they are so eay to lose(been there, done that).dd now has a heel raise and slightly thicker sole on the boot and it has worked so much better-so much so that even the local shoe repair shop can re sole them
where abouts are you mumball? we are in c u m b r i a ...

We are in Essex, near to Southend on Sea. took DS to orthotics today and he threw a wobbly about having his leg cast, so we really didn't have chance to talk about anything else, but now I know these things exist I shall definately ask about them.

hi, i work at clarks and have fitted quite a few kids with splints/inserts

tbh I find it's trial and error really... I measure the foot with the splint on and we go from there.
They'll undoubtedly need to go for the widest shoe, something that opens up quite far down the foot

some of the shoes also have inners that can be taken out, which helps!

Just found this on Cerebra website
Footwear For Special Needs: British Footwear Association, 5 Portland Place, London, W1B 1PW, T/F: 0207 580 8687, E-MAIL: [email protected]

Directory of 120 suppliers of footwear for special needs, £ 3.00 from address above.

Gilbert & Mellish Ltd: 3 Lightning Way, West Heath, Birmingham, B31 3PH, T: 0121 475 1101, F: 0121 478 0163

Splints and other orthotics. UK distributors for Piedro boots.

Prescription Footwear Associates Ltd: PFA House, Lake Lane, Barnham, Bogner Regis, West Sussex, PO22 0JB, T: 01243 554407, F: 01243 554407, E-MAIL: [email protected]

Bespoke orthotics and footwear.

Not sure if its any help though. :)

email address is not working though!

I agree with starlover - generally a trainer style with the sides being sort of separate panels that open up a long way to the front, so that you can really open up the shoe to get the splinted foot in, are best.