Our daughter Michaela is having Mod quad at TCH on Feb. 5th. She'll be going back to school after the second week postop. I'd like to hear from someone who's "been there, done that". She's worried about having the splint on at school.
How big is the splint? Do we need to have larger clothes for her to wear? I know she'll probably have to get spit baths from the sink for awhile but how do you wash long hair with the splint on? Any suggestions would be appreciated.
I hate the fact that we have to be doing this, but I also know it's for the best. I keep telling myself that it will be over soon!
School and the "Splint"
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Joann in PA
- Posts: 110
- Joined: Sat Dec 01, 2001 12:19 am
Re: School and the
Hi! Our son Joey had his 4th surgery in December. He is in first grade. He can stop wearing the brace during the day on this coming Monday. 
) He has not had one ounce of trouble going to school with the brace. The teacher asked the kids who would like to volunteer to be his buddy on a rotating basis...they all raised their hands so she rotates them through sitting next to him to help where he needs help. She told me that he doesnt really ask for any help. I know from my own experience with him that that would be the case. He is very nonchalant about the lack of use in his arm and has always been determined to get things done on his own. Not out of embarassment but because if he can do it why shouldnt he. He gets his coat on and off by himself and holds his paper still with his chin. He went back the week following his surgery. I drove him and picked him up the first week and after that he rode the bus with no problems at all. His brace for the capsulodisis is out to the side but for the mod quad it will probably be more up in the air. He's been wearing shirts a few sizes larger and all his pants that I have for him to wear while he's in the brace either have velcro or draw string closures and I bought him the new slip on sneakers that are becoming popular lately. It's all worked out just fine. God bless.
) He has not had one ounce of trouble going to school with the brace. The teacher asked the kids who would like to volunteer to be his buddy on a rotating basis...they all raised their hands so she rotates them through sitting next to him to help where he needs help. She told me that he doesnt really ask for any help. I know from my own experience with him that that would be the case. He is very nonchalant about the lack of use in his arm and has always been determined to get things done on his own. Not out of embarassment but because if he can do it why shouldnt he. He gets his coat on and off by himself and holds his paper still with his chin. He went back the week following his surgery. I drove him and picked him up the first week and after that he rode the bus with no problems at all. His brace for the capsulodisis is out to the side but for the mod quad it will probably be more up in the air. He's been wearing shirts a few sizes larger and all his pants that I have for him to wear while he's in the brace either have velcro or draw string closures and I bought him the new slip on sneakers that are becoming popular lately. It's all worked out just fine. God bless.Re: School and the
Maia is 6 weeks into her splint....
We started out by preparing the school - teachers - classmates and all the student at the school (small school - only 170 kids). Maia brought in her mod quad splint (she just had capsulodesis) - and I wrote a book about it and read it to her class. (I actually have the book online on her site if you want to read it http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/capsulodesis.html)
It sounds like your daughter is older than Maia (maia is 3 1/2) so obviously Maia's book would probably be a bit too elementary.
But I brought the splint in and explained to them why Maia's arm was going to be up and then every kid in her class tried it on. I also sent a letter home to each parent to tell them what was happening and asking them to talk to their children about it so that Maia would be welcomed when she returned following her surgery. I also asked them to pray for her and to light a candle for her. Asking them to take part in this really helped I believe. A good lesson of compassion for kids.
Maia's first day back was just for an hour to go to a school party and I stayed with her. It went well - all the kids were so pleased to see her and were excited to check out her new splint and the sparkles we put on it.
Her first full day back at school, her OT joined her for 3 hours to help her figure out how to maneuver around the school - the two stories of steps - the playground and how to things one handed. We brought shelf liner to school so that she could do paper tasks without the paper slipping or without the bowl or object slipping - that was very helpful. Basically the OT taught the teachers what kind of support Maia would need as she was now completely one-handed. Even how to put her coat on and take it off, etc. It was raining that day so they couldn't do the playground but she came back on the first sunny day to help Maia navigate the playground and found that she could do the slide and go up the stairs as normal which was great for Maia.
I have pictures of the splint on Maia's page
http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/homepage.html
- I have good information about it too.
Clothes will need to be about 2 sizes larger most probably. We just buy bigger shirts, sweaters, etc. Maia is now size 6 but she is wearing size 10 to handle the splint. If you don't want to spend a lot of money - thrift stores are good places to get a bunch of larger clothes. She'll be wearing them again in a couple of years!
Samson Preston catalog - or you can just ask your OT to order it - has a blow up shampoo bath. We didn't end up getting it but it looks very useful especially for long hair. We cut Maia's hair really short for this surgery to make it easier. (Not saying you should though).
Many people do their children's hair in the sink or over the bathtub but I am really anal over not getting Maia's incisions wet in the slightest bit because she is prone to getting infected. So I didn't want to take any chances with that...and the position of our sink doesn't work out to lay her on the counter and do her that way. For the first 5 weeks, I just laid her on my dining table on a thick blanket and piled towels under her head and washed her with a washcloth. I kept a big bucket of hot water and used the slightest amount of shampoo so I didn't have a whole bunch of suds and I did this daily. And then we had our OT make her another splint to be used for bathing in the bathtub and that works out fine. I have info about that on that same capsulodesis page.
So for long hair, if you don't have access to being able to bend over the bathtub or into a sink - I'd get that blow up shampoo bin.
These splints take a LOT of commitment. The only way to get through it is to think positive. Someone suggested that we get a calendar and mark off the days and then at the end of the week give a gift or something nice to celebrate the end of another week.
Also - get some tight fitting undershirts in case your daughter gets skin breakdown from the splint. If she's prone to rashes or eczema she will need something to protect her skin from the foam. Keep some powder around to help with sweat and/or keep some Eucerin or other kind of good moisturizer around to help her skin out. If Maia wears a short sleeve t-shirt under her splint (we have long sleeve ones too) then I either use a cotton sleeve (forgot the name - they use it when they make a splint) or I wrap it in soft gauze so that there's some kind of layer between her skin and the straps.
We decorate Maia's splint with sparkle glue. I know that Tina did iron ons and such. Stuff like this can make a difference.
hope this is helpful,
it's hard but it's not forever,
keep on asking questions ok?
I have a good page on line about What To Expect On The Day of Surgery - I think it's in the TCH section. Check that one out too.
And show your daughter pictures of the hospital too... It's all brand new!
God Bless,
-francine
We started out by preparing the school - teachers - classmates and all the student at the school (small school - only 170 kids). Maia brought in her mod quad splint (she just had capsulodesis) - and I wrote a book about it and read it to her class. (I actually have the book online on her site if you want to read it http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/capsulodesis.html)
It sounds like your daughter is older than Maia (maia is 3 1/2) so obviously Maia's book would probably be a bit too elementary.
But I brought the splint in and explained to them why Maia's arm was going to be up and then every kid in her class tried it on. I also sent a letter home to each parent to tell them what was happening and asking them to talk to their children about it so that Maia would be welcomed when she returned following her surgery. I also asked them to pray for her and to light a candle for her. Asking them to take part in this really helped I believe. A good lesson of compassion for kids.
Maia's first day back was just for an hour to go to a school party and I stayed with her. It went well - all the kids were so pleased to see her and were excited to check out her new splint and the sparkles we put on it.
Her first full day back at school, her OT joined her for 3 hours to help her figure out how to maneuver around the school - the two stories of steps - the playground and how to things one handed. We brought shelf liner to school so that she could do paper tasks without the paper slipping or without the bowl or object slipping - that was very helpful. Basically the OT taught the teachers what kind of support Maia would need as she was now completely one-handed. Even how to put her coat on and take it off, etc. It was raining that day so they couldn't do the playground but she came back on the first sunny day to help Maia navigate the playground and found that she could do the slide and go up the stairs as normal which was great for Maia.
I have pictures of the splint on Maia's page
http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/homepage.html
- I have good information about it too.
Clothes will need to be about 2 sizes larger most probably. We just buy bigger shirts, sweaters, etc. Maia is now size 6 but she is wearing size 10 to handle the splint. If you don't want to spend a lot of money - thrift stores are good places to get a bunch of larger clothes. She'll be wearing them again in a couple of years!
Samson Preston catalog - or you can just ask your OT to order it - has a blow up shampoo bath. We didn't end up getting it but it looks very useful especially for long hair. We cut Maia's hair really short for this surgery to make it easier. (Not saying you should though).
Many people do their children's hair in the sink or over the bathtub but I am really anal over not getting Maia's incisions wet in the slightest bit because she is prone to getting infected. So I didn't want to take any chances with that...and the position of our sink doesn't work out to lay her on the counter and do her that way. For the first 5 weeks, I just laid her on my dining table on a thick blanket and piled towels under her head and washed her with a washcloth. I kept a big bucket of hot water and used the slightest amount of shampoo so I didn't have a whole bunch of suds and I did this daily. And then we had our OT make her another splint to be used for bathing in the bathtub and that works out fine. I have info about that on that same capsulodesis page.
So for long hair, if you don't have access to being able to bend over the bathtub or into a sink - I'd get that blow up shampoo bin.
These splints take a LOT of commitment. The only way to get through it is to think positive. Someone suggested that we get a calendar and mark off the days and then at the end of the week give a gift or something nice to celebrate the end of another week.
Also - get some tight fitting undershirts in case your daughter gets skin breakdown from the splint. If she's prone to rashes or eczema she will need something to protect her skin from the foam. Keep some powder around to help with sweat and/or keep some Eucerin or other kind of good moisturizer around to help her skin out. If Maia wears a short sleeve t-shirt under her splint (we have long sleeve ones too) then I either use a cotton sleeve (forgot the name - they use it when they make a splint) or I wrap it in soft gauze so that there's some kind of layer between her skin and the straps.
We decorate Maia's splint with sparkle glue. I know that Tina did iron ons and such. Stuff like this can make a difference.
hope this is helpful,
it's hard but it's not forever,
keep on asking questions ok?
I have a good page on line about What To Expect On The Day of Surgery - I think it's in the TCH section. Check that one out too.
And show your daughter pictures of the hospital too... It's all brand new!
God Bless,
-francine
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browning93
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2002 9:34 pm
Re: School and the
Thanks for your reply. I guess it's funny how we worry more than the kids do when they're the ones who live with it.Just wish she didn't.
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browning93
- Posts: 230
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2002 9:34 pm
Re: School and the
Have to live with it that is. Seems like every once and awhile something takes me back to her traumatic birth and being nervous about the surgery kinda brings some of those feelings back. I'll survive, I always do! I'd like to think that's where she's learned some of her "survivor" skills.
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Kathy Reilly
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2002 1:23 am
Re: School and the
Our daughter, Caroline, is in 1st grade too (thanks Joann and Joey for your good advise to us) and she had her fourth surgery 3 weeks ago. Caroline is in the Dynamic Brace so it is a little bit tricker than the regular splint. She went back to school one week after surgery and the school provides a school aid from 10-2 and her classmates take turns helping her the other times. We haven't had one problem and Caroline pretty much does everything she did before and if she does need help - the aide or kids assist her.
One thing I am puzzeled with is the bathing thing. Dr. Shenaq and Nath use the new glue to hold the incisions together so bathing has never been an issue. She was allowed to have a shower or bath right away and it actually has worked well. She had three different incisions and was allowed right away to shower. You can double check with them but they all said it is not like before were you had to wait 10 days.
We too went in the day before we leftt to her class and explained where we were going and what Caroline would look loke when she came home (we brought the old splints) and she did most of the talking and the school had the Social Worker and Psychologist in hand to answer questions. Her class and even the other classes have been wonderful. We don't make a big deal about it and I think that helps. They understand they have to be careful and they are just happy to have her in class.
Good luck and email me if you have questions.
Kathy
One thing I am puzzeled with is the bathing thing. Dr. Shenaq and Nath use the new glue to hold the incisions together so bathing has never been an issue. She was allowed to have a shower or bath right away and it actually has worked well. She had three different incisions and was allowed right away to shower. You can double check with them but they all said it is not like before were you had to wait 10 days.
We too went in the day before we leftt to her class and explained where we were going and what Caroline would look loke when she came home (we brought the old splints) and she did most of the talking and the school had the Social Worker and Psychologist in hand to answer questions. Her class and even the other classes have been wonderful. We don't make a big deal about it and I think that helps. They understand they have to be careful and they are just happy to have her in class.
Good luck and email me if you have questions.
Kathy