Monday, October 5, 2009

Physical Therapy ?



Liva care bear has to go to physical therapy. She has been walking on her toes since she could walk. They told us it was because she was deaf and her equilibrium was off. And to come back if it hadnt changed after her third birthday. We had one doctor recommend surgery which would put her in casts and not allow her to walk for 6 weeks. Good thing our insurance allows us to see a specialist without a reference so I was able to see a Pediatric Orthopedic doctor. He seems to think that physical therapy will do the trick without surgery. Its pretty hard core cause she does allot of work while she is there plus they send me home with a ton of home work. And if I want results then I have to do the homework. Which isnt always easy or fast. When she walks she has to walk on her heels toes off the ground. Which means a simple trip to Target can take forever cause she walks real slow this way. They want her to wear weights around her ankles to help force her foot flat and she complains up a storm about this part. You will notice in the picture she thinks if she puts her hands flat like her feet are suppose to be it helps. She will hold her hands that way the whole time she is walking. It cracks me up.
I am sure I will look back and it will seem like no big deal but right now its a full time job. At least she got some nice calves out of the whole drama. How many people could say that?

3 comments:

Rachel said...

She's funny. You know there is no mistaking that all your kids come from the same place. Liv is starting to look more like Addie and they all have sparkling blue eyes. Cute.

Heidi said...

Tommy does the same thing. I took him to physical therapy and it was such a joke. They just told me to remind him to walk flat and give him stickers. I am so jealous that your physical therapist is actually doing a good job. I just this week was thinking about doing weights on the ankles, so I am glad to know that it is a reccommended thing, not just something crazy that I came up with. Where do you get the weights? I was just going to get arm weights. I totally feel you pain. Having a toe walker is a full time job and it is so annoying to constantly remind a kid to walk flat. Email me if you need moral support!

Camille Bassett said...

Yeah Heidie I just bought arm weights from Target. It does help. They have her walk at a level 12 incline for 20 min. The incline forces her to push her feet down. I don't know if you have a tredmill but you could try that.