Orthotics
If at any time, you have a question about your child's orthotics or whether or not your child needs orthotics, please speak to your doctor or contact the school physical therapist.
Why does my child need orthotics?
There are many reasons why a child may benefit from orthotic intervention at all different ages, with and without a medical diagnosis. The use of orthotics can vary from child to child, however, the main goal is to provide stability while promoting functional ability.
Orthotics can range from shoe inserts to knee high braces and more. They can be used to assist with flat feet, toe walking, weakness, poor balance, frequent tripping, leg length discrepancies, and etc. Orthotics are made to improve a child’s walking pattern to as normal for THEM as possible to facilitate age appropriate child development.
Let's talk about ankle foot orthotics, or AFO's
AFOs are used to help correct poor alignment of a child’s feet and ankles caused by muscle weakness or overactive muscles (spasticity).
AFOs should comfortably apply force to the feet and ankles to correct the feet to the best possible position of function to provide appropriate stability for sitting, standing or walking.
Some AFOs go on quickly and easily while others take several minutes, patience, and firm pressure applied to the appropriate parts of the foot, ankle and/or leg.
Your child must wear socks under their AFOs and it is crucial to remove all wrinkles from the socks before putting on the AFOS.
It is usually easiest to put on the AFOs while your child is sitting with their knees bent. This helps to relax the muscles in their lower leg and ankle. Kneel or sit in front of them to prevent back strain.
Begin by undoing all the straps and opening the AFO as wide as possible, then scoop the foot in with your thumbs while pushing on the instep to get the heel all the way back into the AFO.
If your child's muscle tone causes them to point their toes down and lift their heel out of the AFO, try gently bending their knee further and slowly applying firm pressure through their lower leg and foot down into the AFO. This relaxes the muscles and should slowly allow their foot to fit properly into the AFO. If their heel and foot bends to the side, slowly apply firm pressure to the side of the heel to straighten it as much as possible before placing it in the AFO.
Once your child's foot is completely in the AFO, check again for wrinkles in the sock, and then place the instep pad (shaped like a potato chip) across the instep and under both sides of the AFO.
Push the foot back into place if it has slipped forward and secure the instep strap so it keeps the heel all the way back in the AFO.
Secure the forefoot strap and then the ankle strap (if present).
Open the laces or straps of your child's shoes as wide as possible and carefully place the foot into the shoe, then tighten the shoes. (For info on how to find the correct shoes size for your child click HERE .)
When you remove your child's AFOs, also remove their socks and check for red marks. If there are red marks and they do not go away within 20 minutes, please call your child's doctor or contact the school physical therapist. Do not put the AFO's back on your child's feet until after you speak to the doctor or physical therapist.
AFO’s are very beneficial to your child if they are put on correctly, but are very uncomfortable if not correctly applied. With patience, care and practice, you will be able to insure your child receives the intended benefit from their AFOS with minimum discomfort.
Please contact the school PT with any questions.
Another resource you may want to utilize is a local pediatric orthotics company:
Call or text: 385-215-9985
Email: valerie@goalpediatrics.com