New Kicks

There is this little ankle brace (orthoses or pl: orthosis) called a SureStep that is all the rage in Jacob's crowd. They help support little feet that suffer a bit of pronation of the foot.

Oh yes, in case you are wondering, there are many approaches to this situation. Do you let the little one learn to walk without the braces first, then add the braces? OR use the braces when they start weight bearing before walking so they have more confidence while learning how to walk? Lot's of well intentioned (albiet maybe slightly too emotionally charged) arguments for both approaches. Insert any other parent dilemma (diaper choice, sleep method, public/private school, etc) and you get the idea.

Jacob's parents sifted through several sources of information and in the end leaned on the experience of his PT and the advice and observation of a well recommended orthotist and decided to go for the SureSteps now as opposed to later.

Did you catch that? Yes, Jacob added another specialist to the rolls. Enter the orthotist!

He was lovely, this orthotist, and he said that Jacob's visits were unprecedented. No crying, not one peep, both visits. Never happens. Frankly Jacob was too curious about what all the measuring was about on the first visit.

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(iPhone distraction also helps)

 

Then on the second visit there were these cool blue plastic things that were suddenly on his feet. Whoa. Check those out.

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Of course, we weren't done yet. They are plastic and slippery so you have to wear shoes with them. Shoes that fit over the plastic and over the Velcro which his existing shoes did not.

So off to the mall we went. And home from the mall we came having experienced the valuable life lesson that.... with all the pretty colors and choices and mirrors and nice ladies putting things on your feet... buying new shoes is the *best*.

And that's the story of how Jacob now has jazzy new kicks.

(Yes, the story of how Jacob's mom finds herself in a Nordstrom for the first time in months-maybe-over-a-year and only buys kids shoes could be a blog post by itself. But that's probably a different blog. A tired and cliche working mom blog that no one would want to read. Trust me. Having come home with new shoes regardless of who they are for is still a win.)

 

 

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