nothing's working... help!!!!!!!

Victoria - posted on 02/10/2010

not tryin to shoot down the Docs cause they know better then Me but ask about AFO's without the bar. My son broke his "shoes and bar" any chance he got so it wasnt affective for him

Heather - posted on 10/30/2009

jenn, I dont want you to think I am just trying to shut you down,but believe me, I have tried absolutely EVERYTHING possible to keep that bar on. We even got something called the Dobbs bar which is more flexible where baby can move one foot at a time while still being held out at the angle and at shoulder width apart... (which, by the way, the doctors measured and custom made for him, so i know that wasnt the issue!!!!)

We have the best foot doctor in our city who corrected his feet and continously looks his feet over to see that the correction is still there... the range is still there even tho the toes on his left foot are turned a bit further in than they were when we first finished the casts, because the damn bars DONT WORK FOR HIM!!!!



Anyays, I do have some good news!!! (after all that!) After many phone calls and arguments with doctors, and plenty of reasearch, I found something called AFO braces, and I was able to convince one of the doctors that this would probably be worth it for my son. Our family doctor wrote a prescription for them, and the doctor who i had success in convincing wrote me a referral to a childrens orthotics clinic!! What the AFOs are is, plastic braces that go from the foot up to the knee, they are NOT attached between them they are 2 individual braces and they keep baby's feet pointed straight, and not out at some weird angle!!! They do up with velcro they are wonderful!!!! I just got them yesterday!!!!! finally !! Something made for babies who cant stand the damn bar!!!! My son has to wear them 2 hoursr a day to start, then up in intervals of 2 hours until he gets to where hes wearing them for between 6 and 8 hours a day!!!!!!! Thank god! What a relielf!! Seonead, figth the doctors for AFOs!!!! Be persistant!! DEMAND IT!!! They are awesome!! Good luck!!

Seonead - posted on 10/28/2009

my son has been following the ponsetti method since birth and he was just fit about 3 months ago with the shoes and bar with his dr. and he said everything looks good with his feet and the bars, just to keep wearing the bar. i have the bar that you cannot adjust the width, and he has actualy figured out how to unscrew the shoes! i have noticed now that when he walks his feet are pointed in (like duck walking) but it is getting better. i am able to move his feet into the correct positions so he does have the range but not the strength to hold them there. i do try and facilitate his muscles by tickling his leg and it pulls them up and out to the right position. i will join that group and see what everyone thinks. thanks jenn

Jenn - posted on 10/27/2009

i know of a wonderful support group you both should join. the parents on there are amazing and they have helped me and my son so very much. the goup is on yahoo and is called nosurgery4clubfoot. they support the ponseti method. i urge you to join! all your questions will be answered there.

now about the shoes...have you checked the bar width? maybe it is too short. what you need to do is put the shoes on the bar and lay them on the floor then lay your baby between the shoes...his/her shoulders should fit between the shoes. if they don't then adjust the bar so that the shoulders fit between the shoes. you can also with the shoes and bar on...show your baby how to move his/her legs and bend the knees with them on.

my other question is...are the feet really corrected? and there is nothing else that can maintain a correction. unfortunetely most kids have a hard time adjusting to the shoes and bar but they do adjust...as long as they are really corrected and the bar length is correct...you just have to be diligent in the hours they are in them or else you are risking a relapse. so check the bar width, join the group and post pics of you childs feet on the group and get input from the people on the group to see if they think the feet look corrected. there are many experienced parents on that group. and parents at all stages of the correction. good luck girls!

Seonead - posted on 10/25/2009

i am having the very same problem with my son. as soon as he found the freedom of his feet from the shoes and bar i cant get him to wear them either. if i find anything that helps i will let you know. i feel your pain! wish i could help, but i am in the very same boat.