Helpful Hints - Cast Comfort and Discomfort

1. When a cast itches, use a hair dryer on cool and blow it into the cast.

2. Another way to deal with cast itching is to put an ice pack or frozen vegetable bag (with veggies in it of course) on the part where its itching. Casts conduct the cold very well.

3. Be aware that things do fall into the casts. My daughter has been having particular trouble with the woodchips in the playground at school. One way I remove them is to have her lie on her back. I help her support the casts and have her hold her legs in the air. Then I tap the casts together lightly. MOst of the time the chips fall out at this point. I have also used my fingers to remove them - but be very careful to circumvent the item when you put your fingers in otherwise you risk shoving it farther down.

(I will be updating this as we learn more.)

Helpful Hints - Casting Session

1. Bring homework (our teacher set up a packet for us to take with us) or something quiet to do for those times when you are just waiting.

2. Use the bathroom before signing in.

3. Bring snacks or a sandwich and a water bottle just in case a session runs long or your child gets restless.

4. Bring nail clippers with you. Toenails get very long in the casts and this is your only chance to clip them.

(I'll be updating this as we go along.)

Helpful Hints - Cast Shoes

1. Puffy paint, iron-ons (make sure not to melt the cast shoe!), and jewels make the cast shoes much more presentable and more palatable to a kid.



2. Make sure to label each pad put in the shoe with the side it goes in (left, right).

3. THIS IS A BIG ONE!!!! Not all pants can fit over the casts. And those pants that fit dont always fit over the casts EVERY week because the cast shape can change. Especially on the affected side. Your BEST bet is to buy stretch pants and sweat pants. For girls (I'm not sure about the availability for boys), I found The Childrens Place to have an especially nice selection of stretch clothes for girls of all ages. I bought some cords and jeans for G there as well but its an iffy thing as to whether or not they will slip over the cast on her left side. Example is today - a pair that fit last week simply could not be drawn over that cast.

4. A BIG PLUS in my house -> never forget to look at the bright side! I never have to find matching sox for G. Which in my house is a search akin to looking for the Holy Grail! LOL.

(I'll be updating this list as we progress.)

Helpful Hints - Foot Pain

The principle RULE OF THUMB here is the casts should not cause ANY pain. Any pain at all. Zero. Nada. Zilch. So if your kid is complaining a cast hurts, immediately call Mary. IMMEDIATELY.

That said...

1. Gracie complained that her feet hurt her - not that it felt like something was in there or that it was rubbing or specifically something like her heel hurt her. It was a blanket complaint that her feet hurt her - when I asked her to point it out she said the entire foot and both feet. And her comment was she wished someone could rub them for her. This is different than any other pains she has had with casting. So I used the hair dryer set on cool and blew air into her casts for something like five minutes. It helped a lot.

Helpful Hints: Places Close To Childrens

The area around Childrens is fantastic. I love it! I would love to live there but alas and alack I am in the 'burbs for now. That said there are some great ways to spend your time in the area if you need to hang around or are looking for food.


FOR FOOD

1. Head north on Clark street just one store away from the Childrens parking lot and you will find yourself at the most delicious Austrian bakery. The guy who owns and runs it is an Austrian baker who came here a few years back. There are sandwiches, bakery, cakes, cookies, coffees and fresh orange juice. I had the luck to get a still-warm croissant. It was so good I didnt need anything to go with it. I also had the warm chocolate - delicious. Cookies were excellent as was some piece of bakery that I didnt know the name of. So check it out if you need a sweet, want a bakery breakfast or are looking for a quick lunch.

2. Next door to the bakery is a Starbucks with the usual.

3. Kitty corner from the Starbucks on the West side of the street is an Einstein Bros Bagels.

4. Heading south on Clark within walking distance (unless you are carrying a heavily casted heavy kid - lol) you'll find My Pi pizza which is really good, an Indian restaurant that I've never tried, and lots of little places.

5. We found Aloha Grill just across the street and a block down from Childrens. The food was nice - you could eat healthy if you wished, the place clean and the staff really very nice.

FOR GOODS

1. Across the street from Childrens is a grocery store. It opens at 8 a.m.

2. Roughly 3 blocks south is a Walgreens.

FOR SOMETHING TO DO

1. Lincoln Park Zoo is not even 5 minutes away by car. You can also just hop on the Clark Street bus and head South. This zoo is free so its a great choice if you have to kill some time but dont want to spend a gazillion dollars to do it.

2. Downtown Chicago is around 15 minutes south of Childrens by car.