Orthotic boot/Piedro problems - waiting for over 6 weeks!

[MarmadukeScarlet]

Well the title says it all really...

DS (3.5) had serial plastering (where they change casts weekly to stretch muscles and realigh foot position) in Jan/Feb for 4+ weeks to correct metatarsus adductus - it worked fabulously and was well worth all the extra stress and effort (and patience on his behalf).

In April I noticed his shoes getting a little snug so phoned for an appt with orthotic dept, got one for 2.5 weeks later which I couldn't make due to hosp appt in London. So I actually went in to have feet measured on 25th April.

They have still not arrived and his posture has returned to the way it was before his plastering - due to unbalance/instability/tip toe walking/ severe intoe in his feet he bends forward from the waist.

He has had 4 falls this am at his SN nursery, a few weeks ago he was in A&E having his eyebrow glued and stripped back together all due to balance problems caused by lack of othotic footwear.

This has happened before, last summer after waiting 8 weeks I just made another appt and got his feet remeasured.

Is this normal? Or are my PCT just crap?

I am so upset for my LO as physio confirmed today he will have to be replastered dut to posture change, he doesn't understand (learning and communication delays) and it just seems so bloody unfair.

what size do you need - got a few pairs kicking round here that might tide you over, think around 26?
have you tried kickers in the interim? we gave up one weekend when dd2 spent most of the day on her face and carried her off to the shoe shop. one pair of kickers later and she could at least stay upright for a percentage of the time..
but keep ringing them - there's no excuse really. ours are back within 2 weeks, with insoles. aghast that he will need replastering becasue of delay

Thank you Romy, I think he is a 24 - he has the reverse last ones with metal plates in the bottom to stop him from tiptoe walking.

It just gets better and better. Orthotics have just called to say, "I've been trying to get you all afternoon." Not true as I didn't go out until 3 pm.

His order has been lost, I have to go back in to have them measured on Monday and then will wait a further 3-4 weeks for them.

I'm f*cking furious.

omg
write a furious letter to the consultant that did the op explaining that the sheer incompetence of the orthotics department has negated all his (and your) hard work. copy it to everyone including head of orthotics/ paed consultant and parent liaison group.

has your physio got any old ones hidden in the back cupboard? we can sometimes get an old pair if we have a disaster (sole repair etc)

our only old 'boyish' ones are skinny 26, sorry!

assume it was orthopaedic consultant who plastered? don't know who does it here...

It is the Superintendent Paediatric Physiotherapist (to give her full title) who did the casting. The Ortho clinic is a joint with Paed Physio.

I have spoken with her today and told her how upset I am.

DS is going back in to start plastering on Weds am, as the sooner they start the less time he will have to be cast for (hopefully).

So on the bright side, his new boots should be ready in time for the plasters to come off!

Not many things make me cry, but the sheer frustration at this being caused by their incompetence has reduced me to tears today. It has been the final straw in a catalogue of cr*p (last week an upstairs soil pipe burst and took out a downstairs ceiling, flooding 1 room upstairs and 2 downstairs with a pooey torrent. It took pipe insurance folk 3 days to send an adequetly useful plumber to mend it. This week I'm dealing with the aftermath/paperwork and assessors)

A similar thing happened to my dd when we were waiting for her 1st pair of Piedro's. I think it took around 4 months. They said her size was in stock if we opted for a black pair, and that we'd have them within 2 weeks

Like your ds, my dd had a series of bad falls during the wait. One fall was so bad, I'm surprised that she didn't break bones.

It is so frustrating, I just wanted to say that your area isn't the only one that's falling short for orthotics.

how do you know what size the boots are?, I have some from when Ds1 had the boots (he is in splints now) he was about 3 when he had them, and they have a strap which stopped him toe walking.

Oh, shgit Marmaduke - sorry. But yes - we had things like this happen.

What PCT is this? If it's lambeth / Southwark I can suggest which orthotics services are better than others!!!!!!

they are so rubbish, aren't they. both my dds have had to have boots (for different reasons) and I never cease to be amazed by the incompetence of our local dept. It took 4 attempts and about 4 months to get the right size for dd2 when she had her first pair.
dd1 had reverse last boots and there may be a pair of 24s up in the roof - will get up there on Sunday if you think they might be any use??

ask your phiso. dd's phisio when she was small, had a big box of them that people had given. I always used to send them in to her when dd(doesn't walk) had outgrown them.

Thank you all for your messages.

To nuru and others who have offered boots, that is so kind, but I got a call yesterday saying they had found the measurements taken and they were going to have a pair ready by Friday. Now seeing as they always tell me that DS' take longer because he has custom jobs on a basic reverse last (metal plates, toe stitching and a flared heel on one side) it is amazing that they can sort them in one week when pushed!

When they fit them frid they are going to measure him with the potential for oredering another pair if his feet have grown at all.

That is if they don't start plastering again after Weds appt.

Blu it is Tunbridge Wells and Maidstone. Bizarre system as I got to Pembury for joint orthotics/paeds physio clinic (measuring and fitting with the physio present) and to Kent and Sussex for measuring and checking, but all orders - wherever placed - have to go through K&S.

Thanks Fio, carrier pigeons all round I think.

2Shoes, ours do not take back outgrown shoes. DS had hardly any wear on his first 3 pairs (standard reverse last) and apparently they used to save them and a charity collected them to take to Romania, but no more - they suggest you throw them away! I know for a fact one of the outskirts of London (Bromley, Croydon??) hosps re-fit theirs for other patients. I do think it is a waste to not do anything with them.

DS back in casts now, very also they didn't have the right sized reverse walker for him so he has a really big heavy one with a smally ones 'legs' on to make it short enough.

Thank Fio, they may have one when we go back friday, I'm going to ask at his sn nursery as they always have loads of equipment hanging around.

But I'm sure he will only be in casts a few weeks this time, so he won't need it for long