Re: Saw Vs. Soak Off

August 28, 2004

Excellent discussion today.

I have my own two cents..... : )

Shalom had to change casts at first every few days. We had then cut off for the

most part. She did not cry except for the one time the tech cut her just at the

bone under her big toe. He felt aweful. I was not surprised or upset by it as

casts had just been a part of our lives for so long with our oldest daughter

having broken so many bones. It was the only time Shalom cried though.

Every time we had the casts cut off the tech would give us soap and towels and

run a warm bath for Shalom in the cast room sink. It was wonderful to be able to

bathe her everytime.

I did ask once about soaking the cast off and they gave me a pair of small

sissors to help with the pocess ( I did not have access to sissors as we lived

in a hotel, Shalom and I because the hospital was so far from home and we hadto

recast so often). I soaked her in the kitchen sink. It took what felt forever

and I did not like the mess that went down the drain. I got a bit nervous the

sink would clog with all that mushy plaster.

I was convinced from then on that cutting the cast off was the better option.

and Shalom

Number23 number23@...> wrote:

Wow, a two hour soak??? I can't imagine. Twenty to thirty minutes was always

plenty; I could often be applying my make up or helping my other kid brush his

teeth or something while the baby sat in the tub beside us. It became sort of a

family affair taking turns watching on him for that weekly soak. It was also an

opportunity to really wash him with soap in all his private areas and whole body

bath he couldn't get otherwise during tha ttime. I never found soaking to be

any big deal, or ordeal, not tedious by any means, just playing in the tub

basically but we all have our preferences. I would rather give him an extra

half hour a week to soak them than freak him out with a saw.

s.

Re: today

> >

> > They used the saw on anyone and everyone it seems. Apparently it

>only

> > vibrates and she put it on her hand to prove this.

> > r.

August 30, 2004

Our doctor used " soft casts " . They wrap the leg in cotton material

then the " cast " was kind of like an ace bandage, but a different

material, that they wet, which made it sticky and they would wrap it

around her leg from the top down, one person wrapping while the

doctor manipulated the foot and put it in the right position, then

when the it got down to the foot it was wrapped and foot was in the

proper position. It was hard when it dried. When it was time to

take it off, they just peeled then end off (because it was stuck on)

and unwrapped it from her leg. Not a peep out of her.

Louisa

6-27-99

Zoe 2-22-04 RCF FAB 18/7

> > > When we started treatment with the non-Ponseti doctor, they also

> >used the saw to remove infant casts. It was terrible and on two

> >occasion my son suffered a saw-burn on his skin where the blade was

> >pushed through too deep.

> > >

> > > If these are plaster casts you probably know you could soak

them at

> >home prior to the visit so they would come off rather easily at the

> >dr.'s office. Just a suggestion if the saw frightens your baby too

> >much.

> > > s.

> > >

> > > Re: today

> > >

> > > They used the saw on anyone and everyone it seems. Apparently it

> >only

> > > vibrates and she put it on her hand to prove this.

> > > r.

>

August 30, 2004

Btw, we've always used Plaster. Dr Kelleher will only use fiberglass

on an older, more active child b/c they tend to bust out of the

plaster.

Regarding removal:

At first we soaked the casts off. When he was tiny, we used

the 'vomit basins' to soak him but when he got too big, I bought a

baby tub to take in everytime. I used the tub there once and then we

decided to try sawing the cast. Elijah mustve been about 8 wks old

then. He'd heard the noise before b/c our cast room has 4 tables in

it and there seemed to always be someone else in there getting a cast

removed so the noise didnt scare him. The vibration of the cast saw

made him laugh b/c it tickled, so we've just used that since then.

Lori and Elijah 3/26/04 RCF, atypical - plantaris. Serial casting,

pending a tenotomy and plantar release.

September 1, 2004

,

I can't believe how many different " reasons " there are for not using

the fiberglass. Having had my son use them exclusively with equal

success to he plaster results, I feel that the most valid reason for

not using them is cost. I also feel that the benefits are great in

terms of weight and removal for parents when they are going thru an

already difficult experience. Although as someone pointed out,

babies are remarkably resilient and do just fine with the plaster,

parents need to be considered too. It is a relatively short time but

to a momma (and daddy) with a brand new precious baby it seems like

an eternity at the time. I sure wish more docs would learn how to

use it. They really are applied with precision as the cast tech

applies and the doc. manipulates and holds. They would be dry and

immoveable before we left the cast room. (we did not have any

plaster underneath). I guess the end result is the important thing

but making the journey a little more bearable is a good thing too. 8)

> > > > > When we started treatment with the non-Ponseti doctor, they

> also

> > > >used the saw to remove infant casts. It was terrible and on

two

> > > >occasion my son suffered a saw-burn on his skin where the

blade

> was

> > > >pushed through too deep.

> > > > >

> > > > > If these are plaster casts you probably know you could soak

> > them at

> > > >home prior to the visit so they would come off rather easily

at

> the

> > > >dr.'s office. Just a suggestion if the saw frightens your

baby

> too

> > > >much.

> > > > > s.

> > > > >

> > > > > Re: today

> > > > >

> > > > > They used the saw on anyone and everyone it seems.

Apparently

> it

> > > >only

> > > > > vibrates and she put it on her hand to prove this.

> > > > > r.

> > >

September 1, 2004