Now, on to the nitty-gritty....It may sound strange, but the Foot Issues session was amazing! Abigail wore sure-steps when she was little, which was great. Recently (within the past year), her right foot has begun to pronate, she is developing a bunion, and she occasionally complains of foot pain. This session was perfect timing for us. When I have asked about foot issues, I have heard too many responses along the lines of "she has Down syndrome, and they just walk like that". Rrrg. Ugh. Aarrgg! You fellow parents out there get it, right?
Dr. Lorri Riley, DPM provided lots of info and background on many issues our kids may encounter. Flat feet, pronation, nail issues (thick nails, thin nails, brittle nails, fungus, ingrown, etc.), toe issues (hammer toe, claw toe, fused toes, calluses, bunions, club toes, etc.). It may not be a glamorous subject, but it sure is useful information to have for the next time we visit the doctor. Sometimes just knowing the right questions to ask makes all the difference in finding help for our kids.
Not all presenters do, but this particular one has developed a product for sale here at the convention, and also offers services via mail to take impressions of your child's foot for creating custom orthotics. Her presentation was not aimed at promoting her product, though. It was not an infomercial :)
She answered lots of questions and explained the mechanics of the foot and how it can affect the knees, hips, back, and even the neck in some cases. She also explained how flat feet develop, the importance of supporting the whole foot, the difference and use of afo's and braces, and when surgery becomes necessary as opposed to simpler correction methods. You can find out more about support of our kids' feet here https://www.j1insoles.com/content/about-us/down-syndrome-and-j1-insoles
If you would like to view a session recording, go to www.playbackndsc.com to view prices and available options. When we registered, we got a flash drive of the compendium (including all slides from all presentations).
While I was learning about those cute little toes, David went to the session on ABLE (tax-advantage savings accounts for people with disabilities and their families) and learned lots of good info. For instance, you can have an ABLE account AND a Special Needs Trust, and they will complement one another. Also, you can get the ABLE account that is offered in your home state, OR, get one from a different state that has set their accounts to be nationally available (for example, VA has a nationally available program at www.able-now.com). Pick the one that suits your needs best. Go to www.ablenrc.org to find out more about this important subject.
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