Sounds to me  like he needs AFO"S.....The foot/knee/ankl need to be in
line....with turn over of help at alot of UCP centers..I would go forward &
not wait to prove need to another therapist...Zachary can't feed their egos!
  Joy
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>From: Deborah <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: HELP !!!!
>Date: Wed, Apr 12, 2000, 6:25 PM
>

>I need help, I am at wits end here.
>I have been trying to convince UCP's PT that Zachary needs an ankle high =
>AFO.  I had his PT finally convinced about a month ago to investigate.  =
>But guess what?  That PT went and got married and moved, now there is a =
>new PT who has only seen Zachary a total of 3 hours (1 hr a week).  His =
>OT, respitory therapist and neurologist all have said he needs =
>something, his OT said he definantly needs an ankle high AFO.  Zachary =
>has documented flat feet and low muscle tone.  He also has moderate =
>developmental delay and is toe walking.  His OT said the reason she =
>thought AFO's would do him good would be to give him extra support =
>around the ankles where the muscle tone is low.  His neurologist said =
>they need to do something to try and prevent him from toe walking or it =
>could damage his heel cords and calf muscles, not to mention cause =
>damage to his knees,hips and back over time.
>She(the PT) took him back today and said she did several range of motion =
>things and he did well with them, said she also had him walk about four =
>or five times up and down the hall, said with his right foot he placed =
>the heel correctly almost all of the time, but with his left foot missed =
>it most of the time.
>So what did she say ? "Let's wait and see, plus maybe you should go get =
>him some shoes that go up passed the ankle for support and that has good =
>arch support."  I just about screamed.  Three weeks ago they told me to =
>go out and buy these special shoes that has no arch cut out of them and =
>that are flat on the bottom, they cost me $41.
>Frankly I told her that this is the same thing the other PT said to me 8 =
>months ago, I said I was tired of waiting.  With that she said she would =
>go ahead and refer him over to the ortho clinic and see what they might =
>say.  She said they may say the total opposite of her and want to put =
>him into AFO's.
>What is anyone opinions on this ?  Any help will be appreciated.
>Deborah mom of 4
>