A series of helpful videos developed by STEPS in the UK covering common situations with children in hip spica casts. Information on how you can modify the Spica Cast to help your child be more happy and comfortable. Parents have had success using a variety of baby slings to carry babies in spica casts. Remember that the cast adds weight and bulk, so make sure you feel comfortable when carrying your baby and that you are not straining your muscles. If your baby’s cast has a bar between the legs, a sling might not work. Cast appropriate clothing is available from select retailers. These specifically designed outfits are designed to fit over a Spica Cast or Palvik Harness. There are numerous options available for covering the harness: For additional information on clothing please see the Healthy Hips Australia’s brochure by clicking here. Breastfeeding has health benefits for both the mother and the child. Nursing can be a special time when you and your child are close.
This brochure is intended to offer support for mothers who want to continue to breastfeed. The IHDI supports all families regardless of how they choose to feed their children You might need to adjust the positions that you use when you breastfeed. Here are some positions that may work for you when your child is in a cast. Most mothers who breastfeed are familiar with this position. With a child in a cast, you might feel more comfortable with a pillow on your lap to protect you from pressure from cast. Some mothers also use a pillow to support the child’s leg, especially if the child turns so that one leg is up in the air.* This position might work for you if your child does not like to turn her head to nurse or spits up after eating. The cast adds weight, so some babies might be too heavy for this position. You may want to put a pillow on your leg underneath the baby.* Tips for diapering when your baby is in a Spica Cast. A full size infant bath sponge can be used:
Managing an older child in a spica cast presents different problems than managing an infant or baby. Although the child’s size may make it more difficult for parents, the children often tolerate the cast better because they are able to participate in their own care. Two adults can usually lift the child, but a Hoyer lift (or other types of lifts) can be rented if lifting is a problem. A hospital bed with an overhead trapeze bar may also be helpful. The trapeze bar is a triangular handle that hangs down from a frame over the bed so the child can grab the handle and pull up in bed or help shift position. Most children age 2-7 years learn to turn themselves over by using the unenclosed leg. Any position in the cast is generally acceptable because the cast protects the child from too much movement. Older children can also ask for pillows and positioning when they are uncomfortable. In other words, the child will help with his/her own care. Older children can generally use a bed pan without getting the cast soiled.
You might ask the doctor to place the cross-bar where it will least interfere with toileting. Transportation in an automobile requires safety restraints. This is also more difficult in the larger child. The most practical method of transportation is probably to place the child in the rear seat using an E-Z-On vest with a seat belt over one or both legs. No restraint system will protect completely from a high-speed crash so it’s best to limit transportation as much as possible while the child is in a body cast. Removing casts is performed with a cast saw that vibrates instead of making a circular motion like saws that cut wood. The vibration will cut through hard cast materials, but not through the cast padding underneath the cast. The cast saw is loud when operating so it sometimes helps to bring headphones or ear muffs if your doctor doesn’t have any. What happens after the cast removal is completely dependent upon your particular child’s needs and your doctor’s treatment plan for your child.
Sometimes a child is weaned off the Spica Cast by having a period of time where the child is fitted with a hip abduction brace. *Acknowledgements The International Hip Dysplasia Institute wishes to thank Betsy Miller, author of The Parents’ Guide to Hip Dysplasia, Pip Mercer, Breastfeeding Counselor with the Australian Breastfeeding Association, and the parents who participated in the creation of this site. Back to Treatment Tips for ParentsIdeas SpicaSpica TipsSon'S HipHip KidSpica Cast ToddlerHip Spica Cast ChildrenBb SonSon SSpica Cast SurvivalForwardHave a toddler in a hip spica cast? But you CAN do this! Some activities, suggestions and ideas to help...Dysplasia DdhDysplasia InfoHip DysplasiaHip SpicaSpica CastHip HealthHealth WeekD S HipsTempe S HipForwardIn honor of Baby Hip Health Week 2012, here is a list of supplies that came in very handy for me while my daughter was in her spica cast: 1. Bean Bag Chair – my #1 MUST HAVE! You need a place for your baby to hang out and she won’t fit in many places anymore.
A bean bag chair works great! Sara often fell asleep in hers and her surgeon said to keep her in a half reclined state {Read More}Skip to Main Content Area Handle the cast as little as possible during the first 24 hour drying time. It will dry more quickly if kept uncovered. Pink waterproof tape has been used to bind the edges of the cast. Avoid getting the cast wet as it will soften and become odorous. If the cast does become damp, dry it by exposing it to air or by using a hair dryer on the COOL setting. Make sure it thoroughly dry before applying weight to it. The cast may be autographed with markers, but do not paint it with anything. Avoid putting any objects, powders, or creams onto the cast or the skin. Keep the skin around the cast clean and dry. Change diapers frequently (about every 2 hours) to help prevent the skin irritation. DO NOT POKE ANY objects to scratch and itchy area of skin. This may cause skin injury and infection. Reach under the cast frequently to pull out plaster, food crumbs or other objects.
These items can cause pressure areas and irritation. Turn your child about every two hours during the day. Aids for positioning: bean bag chair, pillows, wagon, or SPICA chair. You may have to reposition your child at night time to ensure comfort. Check your child’s toes several times a day and look for the following signs: Is he/she able to wiggle toes? Are they warm and pink? Is there any swelling or discoloration (blueness)? Does he/she complain of numbness or pain? For a child who is not able to communicate…Is he/she fussy for no apparent reason? If you notice a loss of sensation (feeling) or movement, coolness, swelling, discoloration, or excessive pain, notify the office. The numbers are listed below. The pink tape around the edge of the cast helps prevent urine from soaking into cast from the diaper. Apply new tape as needed. Apply small (approximately 2 to 3 inches long), pieces of pink tape on the edges of cast. Each petal should overlap the previous petal to form a smooth neat edge.