Just got back from the Orthotic Clinic and...

[Dingle]

dd has to have AFOs!
She was an absolute little angel and sat there so nicely singing along to Old MacDonald with me as they plastered her little legs. I was soo proud of how well she behaved.
Thought I had coped quite well but now I'm not really so sure-it seems just another step further away from "normality" and what with her starting mainstream nursery in a couple of weeks.
Just another hurdle to jump over-I know I am just being stupid.
Has anyone got any helpful stories or advice regarding the AFOs- I am totally clueless.
Also I really need to get my act together & complete the mobility aspect of the DLA forms. Do you feel it is worth me even trying now dd is almost 3?(She is walking but obviously there are lots of difficulties )
Feel really weird-can't seem to get motivated now!

Will email you Cadbury, but checking my diary and things don't really calm down again until week beginning 8th Nov!! OMG!!
Have more Nursery visits, DSA coffe mornings, SALT,another crafty course(that one's for ME),dd's birthday and then I'll be settling her into nursery. Not to mention the 2 staff training days at ds's school!
I think I will finally fall to pieces before I meet you for cofee again!

I like the idea of mobility "kicking in"

DD is starting mainsteam nursey in November, only for 1 morning session and stepping up to 3 in January.
My first thought was not to use the AFOs when she attends, firstly I will have to ease her into using them and secondly I supposed to do with the "one more step away from 'normality' thing"and the worry that the other children won't accept her.
Should I stick to my original thoughts or do you think I would be better off trying to harden up and put her in them where ever she is. I hope that children AND parents will accept her for who she is but I am sure you all know that not all others in this world are so accepting.
Does that make any sense at all!!

DD's pyhsio was at her nursery when I went to collect her today. It was nice that both her & dd's keyworker took the time to actually explain the reasoning behind the decision for the AFO's. They are hoping that by restricting the backward tilt in her ankles my little lady will break the habit of hyper extending her knees. They haven't changed her physio program , so we still need to do the squatting, bending knees..they have said that she will probably find it quite difficult though!!Oh I'm not looking forward to that!

Arrrr babes, just seen this,are you feeling better about the idea of the AFO's now? I know what you mean about a step further from normality and it must feel a bit shit initially but it's going to make her life easier long term and that's what us mums have to think about. How's you head now? Let me know how you are.

Thanks TC! I'm fine about it all really- I just hope that it works out worthwhile for her.I know there are never any guarantees but it was discussed this time last year and it seems to me as if they really don't know how to deal with it so there are just having a go! Fingers crossed.
To be honest there is just so much going on at the moment I haven't really had much time to dwell on it. We are trying to get together a group for more regular SALT via Symbol, and I still have lots at home to do with her targets.
Had yet another meeting with SENCO at mainstream nursery today,she starts first week in November!! I got her little uniform last week and TC,,,my heart just melted, she looked so proud of herself. One of those "pick it up and bottle it" moments I said about.

Can you send me a pic of her in her uniform, I'd love to see that, bless her.
Email me tomorrow anyway I'd like to chat to you about Symbol. Lottie has had her 1st half term at a symbol group.
Just remind me you you live... oh bugger, it's Chocol8 that's in luton right and you are, .... well just remind me and we'll talk tomorrow.
Can you not make the 12 Nov meet up in London?

Emailed you TC. I'm in Kent by the way.

cadbury i am not ignoring you btw, would love to meet up next week.

Dingle me and HITC are meeting tommorrow for luch in rochester if you want to come, are able?

When i woke up at 6 this morning I woke up thinking, oh yeah she's near the airfield!!!!!!!!

Will check my email now,
TC x

Been an absolutely hectic day. ds is off of school for staff training days. dd has been at SN nursery, just rushed back home to feed them both before rushing back out to the hospital!!
dd is having her AFOs fitted today.
Tried to explain to ds about what was going to happen this afternoon, didn't really know what to say. Just explained that because of her DS she needs a little bit of extra help with her walking and that todays she was getting some little "plastic boots!"

Ahh sweetheart, thinking of you. let us know how you get on and how you feel later.
TC x

Dingle, bless! Good luck for your DD with her plastic boots. Thinking of you, JKX

Oh well-that's my 10 minute quota for the day. Let's round up the kiddies and face the music!!
Thanks for your support!
It's an effort enough getting her in/out the car and into the CDC!

Dingle, Hi - missed all this before.
DS wore AFO's for a year. I'm sorry it hit you a bit, and hope you are feeling a bit more confident about them now. It might help to think that the AFO'sa themselves are not one more step from normality, but ultimately helping to take your dd one step closer to her full potential.
Nowadays ds quite enjoys the plaster casting, as he is used to it. And you may find that after the AFO's have done their work, she can graduate to piedro boots instead - very cool / cute little boots which give stability and support.
On whether to wear them at nursery etc, my reaction would be a very strong 'yes'. DS never had any adverse reaction from other children, or anyone else. They must be worn regularly to work, and you may find that unless you put them on all the time, and establish it as a habit, she will resist. And in the end, if other people do not regard her as 'normal' who's problem is that? THEIRS! and there is no reason why your lovely dd should be denied something that will be of benefit just because of other people's ignorance!!

Good luck
XXXX Blu

The boots I've seen a couple of girls with CP wearing at our horse riding session are really nice, I wonder if they're the same ones? LOL at little plastic boots, its not always easy to find suitable words!

She behaved like a little angel again, apart from swinging on my arm constantly in the car park with me trying desperately to encourage her to walk,and that's before she even starts using them!-it's seems like miles to the car sometimes!
The orthotist recommended to start by trying her with them for about 2 hours a day.
All I need to do now is to try to get some little trainers for her that fit over them. He recommended Woolworths-any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I've choose white AFOs with little pink and lilac butterflies on.
Thanks for the support. Blu, an extra special thanks for the comment about being closer to her full potential-how true!

Hi Dingle - glad you got on ok.
I found that DS sweated quite a lot to begin with - get some pure cotton socks (harder than it sounds, anyone got a good affordable source?) - but that seems to be a short phase until they adjust.
The important thing about shoe styles is that they are wide, and open very low down, so any lace-ups or velcro fastening where the opening goes right down towards the toe and you can open them up wide to get them on are good.
DS still wears AFOs at night. Don't let your daughter walk in them without shoes unless they have non-slip soles fitted - the hard plastic is v skiddy.

Good luck - and I hope you will see the benfits v soon. XXX

I read about the socks somewhere Blu, they recommended the pure cotton & ones that were long enough in case the AFOs rubbed her little legs! Her AFOs although I haven't really seen properly(she was wearing trousers today) seem to come to her knee almost.
I have enough trouble getting ordinary socks to fit as her little fit are quite wide, but only a size 6.5.
The sock question was going to be next on my list!

Dingle my Dd1 has that pattern too!!! re; socks try Primark!!

Thanks-I can feel a shopping trip looming!!
I might treat myself too, cheer me up! Feeling pretty low today. Not because of the AFOs (at least not consciously)in general. Have been run off my feet recently.Then, what with ds off of school today & all the running around,dh stuck in traffic on the other side of the M25...but yeeeaaahh...there's light at the end of the tunnel,all I have booked into my diary for next week is...(wait for it) 2 very laid back, relaxed cofee mornings with my friends..Unbelievable!

Only visited a local shop, disasterous!
How many shoe sizes do you need to go up??
She is only a 6.5 and I was trying on size 10's with no luck in any of their styles.
Got back home really depressed, didn't help the fact that my nan died yesterday morning!
In the end she was wearing a pair of ds's old trainers, size 10.Cleaned them up a bit today as he had been wearing them in the garden,at least she will have something to wear until we get her own ones.

So sorry to hear about your nan

what I do is get the shope to measure the splits, and try trainers, surprisely the cheaper trainers are better. atm DD1 has a pair of cica trainer, they are good, and a pair of Barbie boots, but they are tight.

Thanks TC,,that's not all ...DH's nan in hospital and been given a week or so!!Really awful time for our families ATM.

Thanks for your advice mieow,I'll try another few shops.