Channel 12 news

Monday, October 5, 2009

Serial Casting

We made it through with flying colors! Brendan spent 4 weeks with both legs serial casted. He had a new set of casts put on each week. He picked blue every single time. The last set he was convinced to have one be red...I heard it took lots of convincing!! :) He did fantastic. He is such a trooper as always. He never complained. He slept through the night and walked everywhere in his walker.
The last set was taken off today and I have never seen his ankles so loose. He stood up in his walker and his right foot was flat on the ground!!! It was a great sight to see. Off he went down the hallway and I could see his heels coming down towards the ground much farther! I am so happy we decided to do this.
We are also going to bring him for extra therapy for the next month. Just once a week but it is with the PT who did the serial casting. (and I am sure it will be better than the therapy he gets at public school!). I am really hoping he will benefit from this long term.
His right hand is also doing much better after some Botox injections. I am very happy I was adamant about using botox in that area. They always want to focus on his legs but he needs to be able to use his right hand as well! His is learning how to grip with it and he seems much more comfortable. Shirts are much easier to get on and off. I am very happy with the results. It is always nerve wracking at first because mobility is lost in a way. He uses his tone to do things and when the tone was gone so was the use of his hand. He couldn't hold a cup or even close his fingers BUT he is working on it and improving!
He is doing very well lately and I am so proud of him (as always). He is communicating more and more everyday. He is really thinking about what he is asking and what he wants to know. For instance; while riding Toby at hippotherapy he kept asking to go outside but it was pouring so he couldn't. The PT brought him over to the barn door to show him the rain and Brendan said to me "mommy after Toby can we go out there?". This is huge for Brendan. Those brain waves are working and continue to create new pathways. He may be globally delayed but he is getting there and I love it!