Questions Re: Caps Surgery

[Julie]

(I apologize in advance because I know that people have probably asked all these questions in the past but right now my head is spinning and I don't have the time to search through prior posts to look for the info.) As far as the splint, is the arm placed palm up, sideways, or facing down? I know that larger sized tops are needed but are there any recommendations on how to put the shirt on (i.e. on splinted arm first, head, then other arm). My daughter turned 2 in Jan. and she still sleeps in a crib. Can she fit in the crib with the caps splint on or should we get her a twin sized matress to put on the floor? Can someone remind me again of the name and where to buy the shampoo in a bag. Is it hard to pick the child up with the splint on? Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Sally]

I asked about the palm this past weekend at the NY gathering and was told that it is palm up (caps was recommended for my son, too). As far as how to put on the shirt, I can only say that I will probably put it on/take it off the same way as I did for the Mod Quad (on: splinted arm first, head, other arm; off: non-splinted arm, head, splinted arm). Actually, this is how I dress/undress him still.

I'm afraid that I can't help you with more than that.

Good luck!

[francine]

Hi Julie!

I have all the information and pictures of the capsulodesis splint online

http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/homepage.html
capsulodesis section

http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/splints.html
look at the TCH surgical splints - more toward the end

The shirt should be even one size larger than the mod quad required....because there is that piece of splinting that goes from the arm to the waist that causes a problem. So I would say 2-3 sizes larger.

Sally has the clothing thing right - this is the way we are all taught to dress and undress. You'll get used to it in a very short time.

About the bedding... we moved maia into a matress on the floor two months before her surgery - didn't want her to be double traumatized by giving up her crib and be post surgical at the same time. So if surgery is coming up soon - just wait and see - if she's only two she will probably fit fine in her crib and if she doesn't you can just put her crib mattress on the floor and then put pillows around her for the time being. We bought Maia a queen size futon mattress for the floor and that's now her regular bed. (We also sleep on a futon on the floor too so she's used to being in our bed.)

About the shampoo cap - here's the link
http://www.comfortbath.com/aboutrf.cfm

Keep on asking questions! We are here for you!
-francine


ps - travel info is found here: http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/travel.html

[Julie-work]

More questions....After the surgery does the child have the hard plaster cast wrapped to their arm like they do for the mod quad? If so, are they able to walk around with it on. (My daughter wasn't walking when she had the mod quad surgery so it was a little easier.) How long does the splinting process take? I'm not looking forward to it because when my daughter had the mod quad splint done she was only 13 1/2 months. It was hard to get her to sit still then. Now she is at that "NO" stage and not wanting to do what someone tells her too.

[francine]

Hi Julie..me again...

look in the caps section on my site and you will see pictures of Maia post surgery- (http://www.injurednewborn.com/maia/homepage.html capsulodesis section) yes it's the same plaster splint thing that's wrapped to them - but they do the splinting the next day. They have splinting areas with a small tv at each station so definitely bring a favorite tape to play at splinting time. You can also request that a child life specialist be there to help with toys and games and stuff - sometimes that can backfire because it's just one more stranger and sometimes it works great. So give it a try and if it doesn't work, tell them to leave.

About walking - we didn't walk around with it because I felt that it is too unstable and actually Dr. Nath pushed her splinting to very early in the morning because her arm was coming out of hte plaster stuff and if it moved down another tiniest bit she would have popped her stitches... so we took her in the wagon and she didn't walk. She was also on a morphine pump so that was another reason she couldn't walk. If you look at the picture with her still in her plaster thing - at the splinting table - she is watching tv - you will see how bad the angle got.

Maybe you can buy a special toy that she will have never seen before that you can bring out just for splinting - to really get her attention on something really great and exciting... maybe a leap frog toy or a pixter - something with a lot of excitement? Just an idea...I'm sure you'll know what will work best for her.

keep on asking questions....

-francine

[Josh'smom]

We were at the NY Gathering and the caps was recommended for my 5 year old son. We had the mod quad about 3 years ago. Are you scheduled for the surgery already? I didnt have the nerve to schedule it--I need to soak it all in.

[Julie-work]

Okay I looked at the different splints for the caps surgery. Does anyone know if the arm is straight out to the side now instead of 90 degrees. I thought that Nancy Conte told us at the Long Island gathering that it is out to the side but my head was kind of spinning then. Has anyone's child had the surgery done recently at TCH?

[NancyP]

Julie,

Kelsey had it last April. Her splint was straight out to the side.

Nancy

[JaimeC]

My son had caps in December at TCH. His arm was straight out to the side, with no bend in the elbow. I talked to someone at the hospital whose daughter had it a bit before then with the elbow bent. I believe, and I'm just guessing here, that it may have to do with the size of the child???? My son was 7, and this other little girl was 3 at the time of surgery. I've heard it done both ways at TCH.

[Rachel]

My daughter was two when she had the caps - her splint was straight out to the side. She had a slight elbow contracture so that is the reason she was splinted straight instead of the ninety degree bend.