Child in Hip Spica, lots of questions

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borntraci

New member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #1

My son broke his femur this week. he is currently in traction and in about 2 weeks will be placed in a hip spica before he can come home. One of my concerns was how to transport him home. The surgeon told me he will be giving him a special harness such as this one http://www.ezonpro.com/products/medicalTransport/modifiedVest/m203.shtml to bring him home in. I am unsure just how safe this might be, especially given his history.

He is 4 yrs old, 40.8 lbs, 103 cm tall. Its his left leg that will be completely casted, with his right leg only being casted to his thigh. The cast will go just above his hips, and he will be in a very reclined position. He broke his femur due to his bones being weakened by prolonged high dose steroid usage due to his medical conditions (chemo and bone marrow transplant, for a total of 3-1/2 yrs on prednisone, many times in high doses). So we also know his other bones are weakened as well.

There is also the option of transporting him in his wheelchair (my mom has a vehicle equipped with the proper equipment and his chair will be coming with a safety harness) but I am certain this is NOT the safest option, but I could be wrong.

Is the harness the doctor is providing safe? Is there a safer option? Am I correct that the wheelchair in the wheelchair van is not the safest option for him? Any help will be greatly appreciated. I have 2 weeks to prepare, but we want to be ready when the time comes and we are still hoping it will be sooner than 2 weeks.

 

MaKoski

New member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #2

My daughter uses an e-z-on vest on her school bus and I have looked into getting one for our vehical. They are a safe option, its just like a 5 pt harnessed car seat....without the plastic seat. They have 2 mounting options so you might want to call the company or look at the web site to see which harness system your vehical will need. There are also different vests some zip in the back if excape is an issue. I would say an e-z-on vest is your safest option.

 

TyAndCheyMommy

New member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #3

After surgery my daughter was in spica casts with traction for 6 weeks. I purchased a Britax Hippo seat.
I did find that she actually fit really well in a radian With them as well.

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jul 22, 2012

• #4

What seat does he usually ride in? Sometimes it's possible to make conventional seats work, but that depends on the seat and on the way the child is casted.

The vest you linked to is certainly an option and is used quite often in your situation.

Does your hospital have a car seat technician (preferably with special needs training) who can assist you?

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #5

The modified vest is to be used if you cannot make a standard car seat work. What seat is he usually in? The safest option is to restrain him safely in a standard car seat, with towels for back support as needed, and something to support his leg as necessary. Of course you need to account for the extra weight of the cast, but there are many conventional restraints that will work for that weight even if he is in a very heavy cast, it sounds like.

 

CPST_Augie

CPS Technician

• Jul 22, 2012

• #6

Talking to Traci on the phone. She has a '95 Dodge Caravan SG with no precrash locking mechanism which concerns her with the EZ Vest. Joey rides in a Nauti normally. He will be very reclined in the spica.

 

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borntraci

New member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #7

LISmama810 said:

What seat does he usually ride in? Sometimes it's possible to make conventional seats work, but that depends on the seat and on the way the child is casted.

The vest you linked to is certainly an option and is used quite often in your situation.

Does your hospital have a car seat technician (preferably with special needs training) who can assist you?

Click to expand...

As Augie said, he will be in a supine position, with very little ability to sit and typically rides in a Nauti or a EFTA. I asked if Kaiser has a tech but they said they don't think so. And not even sure where to start finding a special needs tech (in Anaheim, CA area if anyone has suggestions). One concern I have is my vehicle does not have self locking belts, so we use locking clips with their usual seats. So I am concerned about how this will work with the harness they are planning to give him.

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #8

Kaiser SoCal doesn't have SN techs that I know of (my mom works for them.) Is it possible for him to be casted in a semi-upright position instead? We were taught that if casting can be done to accommodate the car seat that's preferable in my SN class, but even if he's got a significant bend, there may be ways to accommodate that. This all assumes the cast goes up further than you initially described, though...


If casting supine is necessary for medical reasons, the vest will work with locking clips. You'll want to minimize travel, of course, if he's got to use that. I would check other hospitals to see if they have a SN tech to help you (you can search at http://www.tinyurl.com/cpstsearch and select that at the bottom.) If no one does, Jennie (who's been posting in this thread) is a great tech, I'm sn trained, and willing to videoconference in to help her help you.

 

TyAndCheyMommy

New member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #9

If he will fit- I have the Britax hippo still and would sell to you for $30 plus shipping.

 

ketchupqueen

CPST and ketchup snob

Staff member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #10

A previous thread with some ideas about conventional seats, and pictures: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=170600&highlight=spica

 

LISmama810

Admin - CPS Technician

• Jul 22, 2012

• #11

CHOC has special needs techs. They typically work with CHOC patients, but you might be able to make an appointment with one anyway. I'll send you the number via Private Message.

 

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jubgulia

Active member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #12

Hi, I'm not a tech, but we live in Anaheim, have Kaiser, and a child with OI (brittle bones). We have not experienced a spica yet, but I know several other parents who have requested (or demanded) that their child be casted in a comfortable sitting position. You can sometimes even bring in the seat used to cast at the right angle. I would think that the EFTA would work well being wide and flat in the seat area. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you!

 

AustinMusic

Active member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #13

Am I correct in thinking that the vest model being referenced in this thread would be the M203 Vest?

If so, regrettably I cannot be of much help (and certainly don’t have the knowledge of experienced CPSTs who have posted already). However, if the vest model concerned is either the 102 PB (or 103Z) then I would be glad to help answer any questions about installation or usage in family vehicles if it would be of any help…

 

TyAndCheyMommy

New member

• Jul 22, 2012

• #14

AustinMusic said:

Am I correct in thinking that the vest model being referenced in this thread would be the M203 Vest?

If so, regrettably I cannot be of much help (and certainly don’t have the knowledge of experienced CPSTs who have posted already). However, if the vest model concerned is either the 102 PB (or 103Z) then I would be glad to help answer any questions about installation or usage in family vehicles if it would be of any help…

Click to expand...

The first vest is what is being recommended. My daughter had one of those as well. Unfortunately she was to long to fit on the bench seat of our van- therefore we couldn't use it (and she was only 4).

 

spokaneCPST

CPST Instructor

• Jul 22, 2012

• #15

http://www.ezonpro.com/instructions/EZONinstructions_medicalTransport_M203.pdf

Instruction #9 discusses using locking clips to install. I would recommend finding a CPST with special needs training if possible.

 

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borntraci

New member

• Jul 24, 2012

• #16

thank you for all the replies. I talked with his doctor and based on the location of his break, he needs to be casted in a supine position. also we discussed a hippo but they said its not feasible in this case. I had them bring me the vest, and saw the one they brought me expires in August of this year, so have requested a new one and got it. they also said that because of his histiocytosis treatment, future breaks are a high possibility.

Augie contacted a SN tech on my behalf and got alot of good information for me. So I am learning how to use this, and will make sure I have a solid knowledge before we go home. Thanks everyone!