Orthotics referral

[HugAndRoll]

I origianally posted this on the eds thread but don't think it's been looked at for a while:

^Hi! We had Physio today and she's very happy ds2 is crawling. She is referring us to orthotics now even though he's "many many many months away from walking". What should I expect?^

Background is ds2 is very hypermobile with low muscle tone. He's 15.5 months and is currently under a paediatrician and physio. Paediatrician suspects eds hyper mobility.

Hi our ds is just 2 he was very late crawling as has global hyper mobility so affected hips. He had orthotics - afo dafos I think they are called ?!?! They look like little ski boots - he wears them inside his shoes (which have to be 2 sizes bigger than his real feet size!!!) . He had there at 17 months and we were told to not expect him to be walking until he was 5. Well he started walking 2 weeks ago with and without them!!!!! So Proud! Sure your lo will be same they really have helped strengthen muscles on right way. A long way to go but very positive - lots of positive thoughts your way x

Thank you for the reply. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much that he will walk soon but I'm hoping the orthotics will really help him get there. His ankles are just so bad there is no way he can support himself on them at the moment.

Hi Hug
Ds2 had orthotics before he was walking. First he had piedro boots with some adaptions, these gave him enough support to be able to weight bare with us holding him, then he moved on to dafo's.
He did find it difficult to move around (he rolled rather than crawled) when he first got his boots but he soon got used to them.

Thank you mymatemax how old was your ds when he had them if you don't mind me asking? I've been told it will take about 6 weeks for the appointment to come through but I'm just curious as to what will happen.

Hi. My ds has afos. How long it takes depends on the area.

What happens with DS is we got to the appointment and they make plaster casts of his legs in the position they want them to be, then send them off to be made into orthotics. Then we go back to get them picked up 2 weeks later.

About 50% of orthotics aren't quite right first time in my area. Most changes can be made there and then. Some can't.

With DS current splints it took from a March appointment until last week to get some that worked. He is at the extreme end of they weren't right though and several pairs have been sent back as useless. I could write a book on that but the long and the short of it is becuase the NHS chanegd company to save cost the new company is rubbish at doing what they are asked to.

It is great that southmummy had a good experience but I should also say my ds got orthotics at about 18 months. The physios thought he would be walking by now (3 years 5 months) but he isn't and i currently think we will be another year. He does have other issues but please don't expect orthotics to be a magic wand. They can be, or they can be difficult.

Thanks it's good to have a balanced view. It would be nice if he was walking by next summer. I know it could be before and it could be after but without support I think it would be never.

My ds got boots with inner side support & heel strap at about 16 months, he had dafos from about 2.5 I think

Thanks. I'm being impatient, I just want to know what's going to happen.

Don't we all. Do just remember all children are different and no-one really knows. I posted on here about 18 months ago looking for an older identikit child so I would know what would happen. I didn't find one.

Afos can be fantastic. My ds really needs them, but they are so frustrating and they take ages and ages to get right. That is largely ds though.