Orthotics – Pediatric Orthotics
What Are Pediatric Orthotics?
Children’s orthotics are designed specifically with a child’s functional needs in mind. Custom orthotics for children may be designed initially to provide more stability. As a child grows and progresses through orthotic treatment, their pediatric orthotics and prosthetics may be redesigned to encourage more independent and voluntary control over movement.
Pediatric orthotics differ from adult orthotics in a few ways. One of the most significant is that they must account for growth. Children often grow in spurts, and their orthotics will need to be adjusted in order to account for that. While growth theoretically has a plus side in that there is a possibility of significant correction of the issue being treated, even continual orthotic adjustments don’t have the ability to directly influence bone growth or a fixed deformity.
That makes working with an experienced team of orthotists who fully understand pediatric and toddler orthotics essential.
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Common Conditions that Require Pediatric Orthotics
There are countless conditions that may require you to seek out pediatric prosthetics and orthotics services for your child. Conditions can range from foot issues to genetic disorders that impact the body’s ability to grow without orthotic support. Some common conditions that require orthotic treatment include:
- Foot pronation
- Foot supination
- Leg and foot spasticity
- Hip dysplasia
- Foot or ankle mal-alignment
- Severe metatarsus adductus
- Tibial torsion
- Clubfoot
Orthotic Solutions for Children
Just as no two orthotic conditions are exactly the same, no two treatment options are exactly the same. Not only do pediatric orthotics need to be custom made for your child’s body, but they also need to be custom made for the condition they’re treating.
For example, foot pronation and supination require orthotic correction. In children, this may mean children’s shoe orthotics. However, a simple pair of pediatric shoes for orthotics won’t correct a more severe condition.
A more severe issue like hip dysplasia or leg and foot spasticity requires a more comprehensive orthotic treatment. Such orthotic treatments include the Wheaton harness for hip dysplasia, a Denis Browne bar hip dysplasia orthotic, or pediatric AFO braces to reduce spasticity in the leg and foot.
Below are different types of pediatric orthotic solutions we specialize in.
Types of Pediatric Orthotics
Pediatric WalkAide System
This system is an advanced Functional Electrical Stimulation device specifically designed for children. Uniquely programmed for each child, it stimulates the nerve to lift the foot. Users have a more natural, balanced and safe gait so they can be more active and confident on any surface.
Pediatric KAFO
Our KAFO treats knee instability including Blount’s Disease. The KAFO is a custom-fabricated and reduces flexible, angular knee deformities by producing a 3-point biomechanical corrective force.
Pediatric AFO
Our custom-fabricated AFO encompasses the foot, ankle, and calf to treat muscle weakness, contractures or skeletal alignment abnormalities.
Tuning AFOs
Tuning is a technique for adapting Ankle Foot Orthosis (AFOs) to accommodate leg and foot spasticity. Orthotists trained in AFO Tuning work as a team with physicians and physical therapists to help children with neurological conditions. Tuned AFOs are more helpful for the child’s daily activities and more effective in treatment.
UCB Foot Orthosis
The UBC is a foot orthosis that provides stability of hind- and fore-foot with high medial-lateral flanges and deep heel cup. This device is custom-fabricated and used to treat pronation and mal-alignment.
Pediatric SMO
For flexible, flat or pronated foot, this orthosis holds the heel in a vertical position while supporting the three arches. Our SMO is custom-fabricated.
Pediatric TLSO Brace
Thoraco Lumbar Sacral Orthosis
Our TLSO is used to correct spinal curves or to give spinal support, often used as a post-op treatment for spinal surgeries. The TLSO also provides biomechanical forces to treat scoliosis, kyphosis or neuromuscular spinal deformities. This devices is custom-fabricated and made from either rigid plastic or a softer flexible material.
Foam and Plastic Hip Abduction Orthosis
In cases of hip dysplasia in infants, we use the Hip Abduction Orthosis, which maintains hips in flexion and abduction to allow for proper development of hip joints. This pre-fabricated device is generally used with the Pavlik Harness.
Adjustable Hip Abduction Orthosis
Maple Leaf or Newport Hip Orthosis
For post-op abduction positioning in pediatric hip surgery patients, the Adjustable Hip Abduction Orthosis maintains length in involved muscles and controls unwanted motion. This device comes in both custom-fabricated and pre-fabricated.
Wheaton Brace
Used to treat flexible metatarsus adductus, the Wheaton Brace includes a static AFO with forefoot abduction correction. Our Wheaton Brace is prefabricated and sometimes includes interconnecting thigh section to hold the knee flexed at 90 degrees.
Cranial Molding Helmet
The Cranial Molding Helmet treats plagiocephaly, brachycephaly or scaphocephaly in children ages 4 to 12 months. All of our Cranial Molding Helmets are custom-fabricated.
Pavlov Harness
For hip dislocation/ subluxation in newborns, our Pavlov Harness is used to hold a position of femoral flexion and abduction to properly maintain the femoral head within the acetabulum. This a pre-fabricated device often used with the Hip Abduction Orthosis.
Denis Browne Bar
For pathologic foot alignment conditions including severe metatarsus adductus, tibial torsion or clubfoot, we provide pre-fabricated Denis Browne Bar (also known as an Abduction Bar), a metal footplate attached to corrective shoes.
SWASH
Sitting/Walking/Sitting Hip Orthosis
The SWASH is used to treat pediatric spastic displagia and spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy. This device controls strong, unopposed hip adduction or scissoring and reduces hip adduction and internal femoral rotation.
Why Choose Scheck & Siress?
Experience Counts
We understand that your child’s well-being is your first concern. You can feel confident knowing our certified orthotists have the knowledge and skills to manage your child’s individual orthotic needs.
Easier for You
We have 15 locations and a large team of clinicians, many of whom have decades of experience in caring for children. With a variety of office locations and convenient day and evening office hours, we make getting an appointment to see your orthotist easy. From there, we strive to make your evaluation, fitting and other appointments as stress-free as possible.
Care with Communication
It takes a well-coordinated team to provide optimum orthotic care. As a parent or caregiver, you are a key player on that team. Your child’s doctor, therapist and school aid may work with your orthotist to help them reach their highest potential. Scheck & Siress clinicians work with doctors and therapists at area hospitals and school clinics to offer the most comprehensive care available.