Oh HAPPY Day!

We went to Childrens today for a three-month checkup. It went fantastic! We are to keep to the same exercises but change the brace-wearing schedule. Now Gracie is to wear her altered left shoe (remember, her left side is her affected side) and a regular right shoe for six hours a day, and her altered left shoe and her right side AFO for six hours a day. Having her wear her altered left shoe and right side AFO is called Forced Use with the idea being wearing the AFO on her right side will cause her to use her left more because its easier. Everything looked great. Even her measurements had improved (though her range with her leg straight did not.)

Grace is thrilled as this allows her to go to school without wearing her braces. She has always disliked being different because of them plus now she feels she will look nicer. Then, when she gets home from school, she'll go into Forced Use once her exercises are done.

She is still keeping her left hip back so I am going to make an appt at LaRabida with her former OT, Audrey Yasukawa, to have her kineseo taped. We are going to go there the same day Mary is there so it is done just right. I think this is going to be a great help. I have been kineseo taped just to see how it works and it really does make you more aware of your body without forcing you into position.