Suggestions for keeping casts dry in tub?

[MaryMorph]

My daughter has had alot of casts in her life due to her club feet. Most of those have been on both legs, up to the hips. The thought of bathing her with them on was unthinkable.

Her right foot has finally corrected enough to no longer require casting. We took her in to the orthopod this week and he decided to place a below the knee cast on her left leg only.

I hadn't planned on this, and to be honest, she was a bit grubby coming into the appointment. We're now 4 days into it and the sponge baths are not cutting it. She's filthy. Since there's only 1 cast this time and it's a below the knee type, I'm thinking about trying the tub for her.

Any suggestions for keeping the cast dry? She's a stubborn 3 year old.

Thanks!

Mary Jo
(aka Pigpen's mom)

[luv2cook]

garbage bag fastened w clips tucked into the cast top too if possible

[vbak]

How about the press and seal plastic wrap? DH used it with his first hip replacement in June and now again with his second hip replacement 2 weeks ago. Maybe wrap her leg up first with the press and seal and then the garbage bag. The press and seal can go beyond the cast to keep water out.

[LakeMartinGal]

I think they sell inflatable things to cover the cast and keep it dry... I found this, for instance.

[LaraW]

My daughter had a broken foot when she was about 4, and was in a cast for a while. What I did was this:

Put a plastic bag around her foot up to her knee, wrapped a hand-towel around the cast at the top, put the bag around the towel and folded the towel down aroudn the bag, then secured the whole thing with a rubber band.

Had a milk-crate type thing that we turned upside down and then put a towel on, and she sat on that with her foot up on the side of the bathtub. I might have laid a towel on top of her leg then too

Used a hand-held shower to do her shower. If you don't have one already, you can get one pretty inexpensively at home depot. They are handy for cleaning the tub and showering small kids as well, so you would probalby use it after she is out of the cast.

Why don't they make waterproof casts! All the advancement in medicine and we're still dealing with this!?

Good luck!

[cchhbb]

I wore casts during my childhood for club feet as well. I have also worn them as adults too.

I would recommend wrapping the cast in a towel and then putting it in a garbage bag secured by a rubber band. I used to sit on the floor of the walk in shower for my bath/shower with my legs sticking out.

I think Lara's idea is great if you only have bathtubs.


Congratulations to your daughter on having made enough progress on one leg not to be casted any more.

Cheryl

[MaryMorph]

Success with a combination of the above methods! I wrapped it in press-n-seal, then did the bag and towel method to cover it. I had forgotten about the shower bench that I bought when I broke my ankle (I had a removable cast). No handheld shower head, but lots of dumping type bath toys, and she was able to get rid of the majority of the dirty she picked up while practicing her sandbox angels today.

Cheryl---we are pleased that the one foot appears to be better, but we aren't holding our breath on it quite yet. She failed the Ponsetti technique, and reverted back after a tendon transfer and several other episodes of casting. We saw the group of specialists at the University of Iowa who came up with the Ponsetti technique, who told us that there were 10 reported cases of feet reverting back after the specific surgery she had; she makes it 11. There's a good chance that she's going to need more surgeries and castings.

Thanks for the tips. Dirty girl isn't quite as dirty anymore!

mary jo

[Robyn1007]

Okay I read the subject as "Suggestions for keeping cats dry in tub" and couldn't figure out why you would have a cat in a tub if you wanted them to stay dry.

[cchhbb]

Cheryl---we are pleased that the one foot appears to be better, but we aren't holding our breath on it quite yet. She failed the Ponsetti technique, and reverted back after a tendon transfer and several other episodes of casting. We saw the group of specialists at the University of Iowa who came up with the Ponsetti technique, who told us that there were 10 reported cases of feet reverting back after the specific surgery she had; she makes it 11. There's a good chance that she's going to need more surgeries and castings.

I had a severe case and my parents were told I wouldn't walk. I pretty much grew up a typical kid doing things in casts that everyone else was doing. I have had some trouble during my 40's with issues with my achilles tendons. I would definitely recommend keeping up on the stretching exercises as it is common for adults with club feet to have achilles tears. They are difficult to rehab and due to the scar tissue many people with club feet have it makes a difficult recovery.

I will definitely keep my fingers crossed for your daughter.

Cheryl

[sparrowgrass]

A plastic bag would work for a cat, too.

For a minute, anyhow.

[donleyk]

Okay I read the subject as "Suggestions for keeping cats dry in tub" and couldn't figure out why you would have a cat in a tub if you wanted them to stay dry.

This was me too

Best of luck Mary and aka pigpen

[LakeMartinGal]

Okay I read the subject as "Suggestions for keeping cats dry in tub" and couldn't figure out why you would have a cat in a tub if you wanted them to stay dry.

Well, seeing the time of your post, I thought that you must've had a tough day at work -- but I see it was Sunday...

[MaryMorph]

Maggie got her cast off today. Her foot looks great (for now---but it usually does when she is finished) and she's running and jumping like a champion. I thought I'd share a picture of the dirty girl getting clean (and the cat who is managing to stay dry near the tub!)

.

[Robyn1007]

Hahahaha! That's awesome!

[LakeMartinGal]

Great photo! Glad she is doing so well!