Hamstring and Heel Cord Lenghtening

[rangermom]

DS (6) is having his hamstrings and heel cords lengthened in both legs in two weeks. His ortho said that he will be in walking casts for about a month. I'm a little nervous since I really don't know what to expect. He has mild CP and is completely mobile now, but with severe two walking. How mobile will he be with casts on? My understanding is that he will be casted up to his mid thighs. When he went through serial casting it was just up to his mid-calves an he walked fine.

I'm guessing he will not be able to bend his knees. His school has been great. They have already assigned him an aide that will be there for him while he is in casts. Should we get him a wheelchair?

Are these surgeries pretty successful? I have been looking online and have read stories of kids not being able to walk for months afterwards.

Does anyone have experience with this kind of surgery on young kids? Thanks!

[bookwormde]

The only experiance I have with it is with kids who tow walked for sensory reasons, and in most of those cases the surgury did not give a long term solution since they went back to tow walking as soon as they rebult the muscles to allow it. Recovery can be quite variable

[rangermom]

Thanks! I spoke with the doctors office and they recommended a wheelchair just in case. The have a little girl that had the surgery a couple of weeks ago and now her mom is scrabbling to get her a chair. I'm working with my insurance company right now to have one ready for him after the surgery. We live 4 hrs away from his doctor and hospital so better safe than sorry.

She also told me that the recovery time is variable and some walk sooner than others. I'm pretty nervous about it all and hope we are making the right decision. He has had botox and serial casting but they are no longer as effective as they once were. As he goes I'm figuring that he will probably have to have another surgery.