Divorce Affects the Injured Child

I have been seeing a little boy with heel pain for the last several weeks. When his progression was slower than what I anticipated with this sort of injury, I started to review the treatment protocol with his mother. I noticed her nodding while she confirmed she was indeed reinforcing these treatment steps. When we finished, she said under breath “I just wish his dad was doing the same”. I have seen many children of divorced parents and sympathize all too well with the negative impact this can have on a child’s ability to heal from injuries. Injuries can become chronic when parents are not communicating effectively about their child's needs. It is the child who ultimately suffers the most because of it. This has affected my ability to help heal your child so much so, that I am hoping some simple tips can help in communication between parents who are not communicating.

1. Keep the lines of communication focused only on your child’s needs. Remember that just because one parent may not want to talk to you, you are speaking only to pass on the information your doctor has given you. Your ex may have no interest in your opinion about what is best. Simply state that you are calling because you took your son/daughter to the doctor and, knowing that you both “want what is best” for him or her, you want to pass on the information “while it is still fresh” in your head. This puts focus on the information, rather than the person dispensing it.

2. Make copies of whatever information was given to you in our office. Even the notes you took during your visit can be very beneficial in enforcing treatment. Send them with your child when you drop your child off.

3. Speak to you child about what is condition is, in the simplest form a child their age can understand. Draw pictures if this helps. Try to impart to them what having this condition means to their ability to play sports, PE, go barefoot etc. and why doing certain activities can make it hurt worse. We all know children do not like to be told what to do. But they do want to get better. Let them tell you what makes their foot feel better by asking questions that are “yes” driven. For instance, rather than say “the doctor says you can’t …”, you can ask “Doesn’t your foot feel better now that you are doing…?” Ask them what else they think will help their foot feel better. It helps them focus on what helps. Make them the expert in their condition. This will give them the power to say what is best when they visit their mom/dad.

4. Give your doctor knowledge of your child’s situation. May times I have written instructions in the form of a prescription in these instances. This helps to impart a stronger sense of the importance of the treatment rather than a generic information sheet, even if the information written is identical to the information sheet!

5. When all else fails, ask the other parent to take his/her child to the next appointment. Nothing could be better from our stand point! Hearing about their child from the source is sometimes what snaps things in place.

We all want what is best for your child. I hope these tips make communication and healing a little smoother for all!

Does Your Child Have a Flat foot?

Parents are constantly asking me whether their child’s flat foot should be treated or if they will “grow out of it”.

This is one of the most controversial current topics in pediatric foot care and the debate is really over how to decide when treatment is warranted for pediatric flatfoot. The controversy rages most loudly when the flat foot in question is without pain. Many pediatricians tell parents that their child will indeed “grow out of it.” If this was true, why are we treating so many symptomatic flat feet in adults in our Grapevine, Texas office?

   It is easier to get agreement that a child with a symptomatic flatfoot should receive treatment. No one thinks a child in pain should be left untreated, especially given the myriad of options we have to relieve that pain. In that subgroup, the controversy is often over what type of treatment — off-the-shelf devices or custom orthotics — the child should receive.

The greater challenge for today’s podiatrist is having the ability to discern when treatment is necessary for children with painless flatfoot. Bear in mind that a painless flat foot does not imply an asymptomatic flat foot. Children often express their symptoms without reporting any pain. They may be lazy, frequently ask to be carried, prefer sedentary activities or have trouble keeping up with their peers. This can lead to childhood obesity issues and life long disability.

Only doctors who discuss these issues with the parents will uncover subtle manifestations of the flat, poorly supportive foot that are already contributing to changes in activity level and functional ability. The first step in identifying flat feet that require treatment is to uncover the subtle changes in activity level and performance that may well be caused or aggravated by foot misalignment and dysfunction. After one has started treatment, parents often report a significant change in children’s activity levels, which is often to the great satisfaction of the parent. The children themselves are happier, healthier and more active as well.

Powersteps had come out with a great pre-fabricated device that can get a symptomatic flat foot under control quickly. They are inexpensive and a great first line therapy for these children. They are also readily available at Healthy Steps! Some kids still need a custom functional orthotic, but at least we can get them on the road to recovery much quicker with these devices.

If your child has low arches or flat feet, bring them in for a biomechanical exam and ou doctors can talk to you more about the long reaching problems that can be avoided by treating their flat feet.