Any tips for distraction whilst my son wears gaitors?

[bobbyblueeyes]

Hi my little man is 2 at the weekend has cerebral palsy spastic diplegia. We have just been measured for boots and gaitors. Wondering if anyone has any tips on distarction whilst he wears these daily as he wont be able to move once they are on! Thanks

what type of gaitor? Is it to immobilise his leg? Ds2 (also spastic dip) has ahd various splints over the years but only ever below knee.

They are full leg so starting at hip to ankle with a harder shell over knee. They are to give a full stretch so legs will be completely flat and immobile as we are struggling to get full extention of the hamstrings with normal stretches. I am hoping they will make him feel a bit better. I just know he will hate them.

btw he has to wear them for 30 mins per day,i think we will soon end up with splints also that they wear all the time right?

The only thing that works for us is TV. We have developed a fairly strict tv routine so he really only watches it when his gaitors are on. The important thing then is the positioning, making sure the hips are at 90 degrees and he can't slide forward (which eases the stretch.)

We have also developed a way of doing it in the car which is not quite as good but is better than nothing.

Good luck, persevere, building up the time slowly if necessary, and they soon get used to it. DS is 7 now and while we've only had them for a couple of years they do make a difference.

Meant to say tht DS wears them for an hour at a time now with no, or mimimal, complaint.

Thanks. I think he will get used to them and tolerate well, just restricting and he is a little small to understand its not forever (as in all day) and that it is helping him. What do you put your child on whilst in them? Sofa,bean bag,stool? Ive heard good reports on both supportive footwear and gaitors we will absolutely give them a go and build up slowly.

my friends little boy has these, when he was small he would wear them for the length of a DVD, gradually built it up to full length films.
They have made a big difference to him too, goodluck

ds2's (age 10) hamstrings are really tight & painful at the moment so fingers crossed for you that a few tears when younger may help in the long term

We sit on a sofa, legs out in front, bottom right at the back. However we are getting a Jenx floor sitter from SSOT which will really keep him in the correct position and hopefully allow him to do homework / play etc at same time as he will be more supported.

Thanks everyone i wont lie im nervous, but although his language is not got i know he has pain especially when having stretches done. Worth giving everything a go anything to help. DVDs it is then. I may just have to get a jenx floor sitter looks amazing! Santa may bring it,will get family to chip in! He may also need surgery and be in a hip cast i wonder if he would fit in the sitter? I will research more!

Ask your physio about a sitter. Ds had a corner sitter and table supplied at the same time as his gaiters

We find that ipad aps for toddlers distract from pretty much everything. If not available then DVDs or TV