Orthopaedic Shoes For Children

[El Taco Loco]

This is turning into a nightmare for me. My son is now 18 months old. He walks fine, albeit stumbles here and there like I did when I was drinking as a teenager.

One foot is slightly crooked when he walks. The right foot leans too much to the left so he has a tendency to walk a bit on the left edge of that foot.

The final straw was today. The 4th. doctor said not to worry, come back in 4 years.

I disagree completely.

Anyone know where in BKK one can buy these shoes? They are higher on the ankle, made of leather or hard canvas and helps the kids stabilize their foot. I think some have arches on the inside to force the foot to be straight.

Or am I just being paranoid?

Tks.

[think_too_mut]

This is turning into a nightmare for me. My son is now 18 months old. He walks fine, albeit stumbles here and there like I did when I was drinking as a teenager.

One foot is slightly crooked when he walks. The right foot leans too much to the left so he has a tendency to walk a bit on the left edge of that foot.

The final straw was today. The 4th. doctor said not to worry, come back in 4 years.

I disagree completely.

Anyone know where in BKK one can buy these shoes? They are higher on the ankle, made of leather or hard canvas and helps the kids stabilize their foot. I think some have arches on the inside to force the foot to be straight.

Or am I just being paranoid?

Tks.

Looks like my daughter's heels are bent a bit outwards (at ankles) and we took her to Samitivej to see the orthopedist.

He said, does not look like something wrong but if we get her to wear special shoes and come back in 3 months, he will see where the soles are worn and make his diagnosis then.

Wearing the shoes is not easy - at school they have to take them off and other days it's pool or waterpark. If we can get her to war them and walk once a week when going to Lotus, it's a big success.

The shoes were 170B (I think), dozens of colors and combinations to choose from. It took 3 days to have them done (they took measures right there). I don't think the shoes are retail available without doctor's order.

[sonicdragon]

Suggest you post this in the Health, Body & Mind forum....

[Somtamnication]

T.T.M, what is the name of the orthopaedist at that hospital? My son has the same problem.

Cheers.

[think_too_mut]

T.T.M, what is the name of the orthopaedist at that hospital? My son has the same problem.

Cheers.

I don't really know - he comes from somewhere and works there 2 days a week, notably weekends.

An appointment is not necessary - dozens of people with kids just turn up and he looks after all the kids.

An oldish guy, good English.

The shoes have to be worn (by the kid) so 3 months later he can see the wear and tear on the soles and what is inappropriate. My kid dislikes them, the shoes are not comfortable (although the shoes do not look ugly).

After one "go back and make her wear the shoes more" ) now, after looking at the the soles there may be no action needed.

On 12th of Jan he has to see her and the shoes again, let's see what he says. I am not a doctor.

[think_too_mut]

Here is what the shoes are like. There are probably 30 different models and color combinations.

If we wanted her to wear them to school (no effect anyway, most of the time shoes are off) we would have picked something black and closer to what school shoes are.

[think_too_mut]

Today the doctor saw her.

The shoes above were "temporary" with gentle soles to show the wear and tear and point if there is something wrong.

That's why they were 170 baht or so.

Now, new shoes have to be made that will actually correct the problem. 1300 baht, ready on Tuesday next week.

[Somtamnication]

TTM. Thanks for the update. We wondered about the price difference and who to see. Wife and son will fly there from Phuket and see him Friday the 18th. They told us that the shoe people come around noonish Saturdays. So she will be there for the dr, then the shoe people and fly back Sunday.

We wondered about the price quotation of 900+ for the shoes. But your last message clarified it, that being, the cheap shoes are the testing shoes and the expensive ones are the fix the foot shoes.

Let me know how your child is doing. Appreciate your time to update me.

[think_too_mut]

TTM. Thanks for the update. We wondered about the price difference and who to see. Wife and son will fly there from Phuket and see him Friday the 18th. They told us that the shoe people come around noonish Saturdays. So she will be there for the dr, then the shoe people and fly back Sunday.

We wondered about the price quotation of 900+ for the shoes. But your last message clarified it, that being, the cheap shoes are the testing shoes and the expensive ones are the fix the foot shoes.

Let me know how your child is doing. Appreciate your time to update me.

Glad to be of assistance.

It was grandma that noticed our daughter is stepping incorrectly. We had no idea. Her observation has prompted us to seek professional advice.

What you (or your wife) will see there is - a waiting room (a world class facility) full of kids and their parents. The Doc works in a room with open doors on several kids at a time. The shoes ppl are behind a partition and, quite professionally, offer cataloguess and colors and take foot measures.

900B that you were quoted is about right. 1300B that we paid is Samitivej + shoes people. The hospital (Samitivej) does accept credit cards, but the shoes ppl don't. Have some cash on hand.

Even if insurance was not covering it all, I would not question their rates.

One thing you may want to consider could be - get the temp shoes in BKK and then your doctor in Phuket to arrange the real, corrective, ones. The BKK Doc is quite a friendly man, he can tell you how to go after that without flying again into BKK.

Wish your kid wears the shoes comfortably and the results are there soon.

[Somtamnication]

Roger that. But they do not have proper orthopedic doctors here, so we may have to resort to going back to BKK for the 3 month check up. I am hoping that the doctor will be able to diagnose it to where he wants my son to wear the fixit shoes. But whatever it takes.......

Tks again.

[Somtamnication]

Here is the update.

Wife and son flew to Phuket to visit Samitivej Sukhumvit horsepital.

Now, after 5 so called doctors in Phuket (2 at Mission, my hospital), mai pen rai. 2 at Phuket Intl.... may ben rai. 1 at Bangkok Phuket, an orthopaedic surgeon who flies in from BKK once a month.... mai pen rai..

If we had listened to those yahoos, my son would have been worse.

In two minutes, watching my son walk, and examining him, the ortho paediatrician stated son had knocked knees, which causes his feet to turn slightly inwards when walking. Must be taken care of IMMEDIATELY and not wait 3 months to 6 years, the spectrum given to us by 5 useless monkeys in Phuket.

He will wear the special shoes for 3 months and fly back for another examination. Doctor 600 baht, shoes 1200, custom made and will be mailed to us.

Thanks to TTM and others for your input.

PS. Doctor saw son friday, as he was idle in his office, he glanced at our son (Sorry, Air Asia delayed flight by 4 hours friday so we were late for the apt.) and told wife what is up. Then today, Saturday, he saw him again and met with the shoe people.

[bakguru]

Here is the update.

Wife and son flew to Phuket to visit Samitivej Sukhumvit horsepital.

Now, after 5 so called doctors in Phuket (2 at Mission, my hospital), mai pen rai. 2 at Phuket Intl.... may ben rai. 1 at Bangkok Phuket, an orthopaedic surgeon who flies in from BKK once a month.... mai pen rai..

If we had listened to those yahoos, my son would have been worse.

In two minutes, watching my son walk, and examining him, the ortho paediatrician stated son had knocked knees, which causes his feet to turn slightly inwards when walking. Must be taken care of IMMEDIATELY and not wait 3 months to 6 years, the spectrum given to us by 5 useless monkeys in Phuket.

He will wear the special shoes for 3 months and fly back for another examination. Doctor 600 baht, shoes 1200, custom made and will be mailed to us.

Thanks to TTM and others for your input.

PS. Doctor saw son friday, as he was idle in his office, he glanced at our son (Sorry, Air Asia delayed flight by 4 hours friday so we were late for the apt.) and told wife what is up. Then today, Saturday, he saw him again and met with the shoe people.

I read with dismay the offhand approach to this widespread problem. I my practice the first step is to correct pelvic obliquity - a competent Chiro should do this in two sessions. Massage to the adductors and the TFL should be part of the treatment. If not treated correctly there may be other musculoskeletal symptoms later on. I have been wondering how to earn a quid in Thailand - I think there may be an avenue here! Orthotics and corrective shoes are fine for some lesions, but in my 15 yrs experience in dealing with these problems the feet are reacting to imbalances further north. A paper on the subject will be published in July this year, detailing the "hypothetical" thoracolumbar basis.

[think_too_mut]

I read with dismay the offhand approach to this widespread problem. I my practice the first step is to correct pelvic obliquity - a competent Chiro should do this in two sessions. Massage to the adductors and the TFL should be part of the treatment.

What did we do to make you read with "dismay"?

The fact that we went to one of best BKK hospitals to see a professional ortphaedician rather than turning to charlatans?

Edited February 2, 2008 by think_too_mut

[Somtamnication]

I can see what backguru is trying to say..

But, it took a couple of months and constant reminder from my often called hypochondriac wife (ha ha) to make this happen. That is, go to BKK as Phuket has no real doctors (waiting to be flamed for that statement).

The issue of the pelvis. That was brought up by the ortho in Samitivej. He checked it and said no problems there.

Son is kicking his new football, not falling down, so all is well, for now.

The discussion on what chiros and orthos do and do not do, please start a new topic on that one. It will be a busy one!

[Somtamnication]

Son still having problems and no help from the doctors. Anyone know a child ortho in BKK that we can go to? The ones in Phuket are still horrible and have no idea what to do, as they do not treat children.