Walking / Falling / Feet and Ankle Issues
Posted by Steph in
3 Years Post-Treatment, Feet, on Saturday, April 3. 2010 at
He had also fallen twice, two days in a row, at school during recess, and scuffed his knees and elbows to bleeding, both days. One day he had jeans on, and still bled through, the next day shorts. When he got home, the first day, he said to me, "But I didn't fall on my face!" Yes! This must be a very good sign....that he can catch himself now on a fall....he has ALWAYS landed on his face/head during his falls (following treatment).
He has continued to walk on his tip toes A LOT, even while wearing shoes, not just bare foot. It used to be that I really only noticed after he was tired, after a full day of school or something, but I seem to notice it whenever now....going to try to keep a better record of it....
Oncology and PT has never addressed this, no matter how many times I have told them or asked about it.
Now I am wonder if he has Neuropathy....
Just started reading about it....esp. this link:
http://csn.cancer.org/node/149876
I may take him to a foot doctor I went to for my flat feet / pain....
4/15 - first thing in the morning, sitting at the kitchen table, Asher says, "My ankle hurts."
4/17 - doing some reading on the toe walking....have I not looked this up on the internet before? Wow there is a load of info, most of which is not very promising, in that the toe walking may be permanent....torticollis....cerebral palsy....Sensory Integration Disorder....idiopathic toe walking....
Interesting though, in my reading, from a toe walker herself, regarding her ankles, "My parents tell me that I've been walking on my toes since I was a baby, way back when I used a walker. I am now fifteen....I sometimes experience sore ankles, but those can be relieved with ankle tensor bandages. I did experience a "clicking" in my ankles when I was eleven, but the doctor said that it was just a tendon clicking against a bone. I am actually faster when I am walking on my toes, and I feel this is my natural way of walking."
In all my reading, I did not find anyone's child with a past brain tumor, chemotherapy, and toe walking....
In my opinion, and I'm not sure I'm allowed an opinion since I'm not a doctor, but I'm still thinking his toe walking is related to his control of his balance. He wore those foot braces back when he was in the hospital and not walking much, and since I wasn't there when he got them (Scott was) I really have no idea WHY he got them, or if they knew he had a tendon problem or what.... Anyway....it reminds me of playing basketball....bend my knees, stick my butt out, stand on the balls of my feet, shoulders wide, elbows out, fingers spread apart some, hands facing inward....defensive stance....balance....
Anyway, sounds like I could take him to a pediatric orthopedist....where they could diagnose him....and then most likely discuss braces, exercises, casts, surgery, or outgrow on his own....
Or I could take him to PT....
I think I'll see what his pediatrician thinks and go from there.
