The Diagnosis: Your Son Needs a Spica Cast After our two-year-old Jaxson's freak trip and fall that resulted in a fractured femur, we are finally nearing the end of his seven weeks in a spica cast. To say this journey has been one of the hardest seasons of our lives is an understatement. I survived week one with the help of Nana and my husband who stayed home from work to help. The first two or three weeks were the worst. Week four and five we got in a new groove. And weeks six and seven have been more like daily, "How long is this going to take?" countdowns. I felt so much encouragement and got good ideas from blogs I found by googling :) that I thought I am now in the place I can share from our spica cast journey to help others as well. So if you're reading this because you googled it, too... You're not the only one. I promise it will get easier. And thank God bones can heal and the cast won't stay on forever. Diapering with a Spica Cast: The 3 Steps to Success 1. Big Diaper 2. Little Diaper 3. Bladder Leak Pads Diapering was by far one of our biggest challenges. We would place a smaller size diaper inside the cast "hole" by tucking it inside. Then place/seal a larger diaper on the outside of the cast. This didn't always protect from leaks, so we pretty much kept him on a towel wherever he was... the stroller, the couch, on someone's lap... to make clean up after leaks easier. We also found a few weeks in, that applying a Poise pad for bladder leaks inside the smaller diaper was helpful for more absorption. Blow outs were another story. Thankfully we only lived through a few of them, but when #1, or worse, #2, gets into the cast it's not only yuck but difficult to fix. Wipes can only do so much. At the beginning, diaper changes were a nightmare for J. This faded over time, but after one of the worst blowouts we literally had to (because he had a waterproof liner inside his cast) use a spray bottle of water to try to spray out the poo explosion. Normal Diaper Changes We used phrases like "Tucking Time" and "Tummy Time" for the diaper changing process. He would lay on his back and we'd talk or distract him with a toy (or sometimes even baby brother). Then we'd do "tucking time" for the front, and say "Let's roll over for tummy time" when tucking in the diaper from the back, etc. There was one time that he tooted on me during a change, so I made "Don't you toot on me!" my go-to line if he needed cheering up during a change. :) He also dealt with severe constipation in those first couple of weeks. So we increased fluids, did half coconut water (for the magnesium) and half apple juice, and I even had to put in a suppository a couple of times. Then There's Entertaining a Child with a Spica Cast... This is where we got creative! (Thanks for a gift-a-day for a week box from Mimi and Papa in New Mexico, J had small new toys that we spread out for a while.) A few of his favorites were a magnetic fishing set, educational DVDs - including a train documentary from Half Price Books (thank you, Nana), and alphabet magnets. He also got a personalized lap desk from our friend Sarah (Anchored by Grace Designs). We also found a cool bean bag chair - the Big Joe - from Walmart for easy, comfortable sitting. And we can't forget the yard sale win of the century - the $7 basketball hoop. Or as J calls it, the "baska-ball player." I almost forgot; we also had to get him a booster seat because there's no way the angle of the spica cast would allow him to continue in his normal car seat. And they only had a girly, pink flower one - but I'm not telling him. Let the Kid Wear Shoes It's been hard getting him to change t-shirts (he goes from one Cars shirt to the other), but he has often requested socks, which always leads to a request for shoes. So J often got to don his Crocs and tennis shoes. Although he was very disappointed when his right rain boot wouldn't go on over the cast. (He loves his boots. We found ours at the Just Between Friends sale.) "Normal Life" Cabin fever can kick in quick! So we tried to get back to normal life activities as soon as we were comfortable. J loves going to Walmart and H-E-B (raising him right!) so we'd bring daddy along to push him in his stroller while I would handle the grocery cart, the baby, and the actual shopping! We also returned to church, where we both traded off who would stay with J in the nursery (should the need to diaper change arise). This gave J the chance to boss other people around for a bit. :) Baths with a Spica Cast You can't bathe with a cast. Sorry. We just used those throw-away bath wipes and did our best. I also made it a habit to put essential oils on his feet every evening before bed time. Spica Cast Removal We can't wait for Thursday. We'll be sure to update you on how that goes. We've watched a couple cast-removal videos on YouTube with him to talk about the loud saw that cuts the cast off and the way it tickles. He's been saying "Jaxson walk" and "four days" all day. Tomorrow it's only three to go. Hooray! UPDATE - The Spica Cast is Gone!The day Jaxson had his cast removed was a little traumatic. He had to have an X-Ray both before and after the removal. The saw they used to cut it off was a little loud for him. Both his legs had atrophied, and everything was stinky from not being bathed in weeks. But J was so glad to have it off! We took him to Chick-fil-A drive-through for a celebratory chocolate milk. The next several days he still mostly crawled around the house. It took time for him to build his strength and to trust his legs again. We are thankful he did not end up needing physical therapy. We used an outdoor scooter (that you sit on and push) in the house –– so soon he was pushing along wherever he wanted to go! I took a short video on my Instagram just 5 weeks after the cast was removed while he was running at the park. There's nothing quite like the pitter patter of little feet is there? UPDATE - Three Years After a Broken Leg
19 Comments
Pat
10/2/2017 10:46:11 pm
Kennan this was a very honest and helpful article that will be a blessing to others going through this! I am proud of you and Marcus handling it all with grace, love and determination. Luv you.
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Michelle
10/3/2017 04:56:08 am
Marcus and Kennan, You were troopers through this trial! I know Father used it in all of your lives for HIS purposes and glory! You are very creative and we all will rejoice when that cast comes off and J can be an active little boy again!
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Sandra
10/4/2017 10:43:48 pm
Thanks for sharing. God bless you!
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Thank you for this article, my son 2 years 2months had a fractured femur and a Spica cast was put on him yesterday. Been wondering if his legs would function normally after it has been removed and your experience has given me hope. I hope your son is doing better.
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Marcus Buckner
4/20/2020 05:17:16 am
Yes, he has made a full recovery! He loves to run with his little brother. After he got out of the cast it took a little bit for him to regain leg strength. A little tikes scooter was great for this.
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Heather
7/31/2020 08:36:39 pm
Reading your post from the hospital
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Kennan
8/1/2020 06:03:07 am
Heather! I am so sorry to hear about your kiddo. It will probably be a rough couple of months. We just used the stroller A LOT to move him around the house, to the car, etc. We did a lot of things from the stroller - even taking him outside and to the library. Please feel free to email me if you need to share or talk along your journey [email protected].
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Daisey Ronquillo
1/23/2021 12:05:47 pm
Thank you for sharing your story with us. I came across your page looking for information for my 3 year old daughter. She went and did the hip case surgery and is recovering at her fathers home at the moment. But I’m getting ready to bring home my daughter. Your story gives me hope. Thank you for sharing. Appreciate it so much.
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Kennan
1/23/2021 12:11:13 pm
Daisey, I’m so sorry to hear about your daughter. I am glad you will be able to bring her home soon. We will pray for you both as you navigate the weeks of waiting as she heals.
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Diane Jackson
4/30/2021 04:00:11 pm
I'm so pleased that J had recovered so well😃. Your story has helped me see that everything we are going through, both emotionally and physically, is normal!! My 2 1/2 grandson has broken his femur and has just got out of hospital with his Spica Cast on. He is coping so well and is a brave little boy! I wish I was as brave as he is. Thank you for sharing your story. It's such a help xx
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Jamie Culp
6/18/2021 05:12:23 pm
Thank you so much for this post! We just got home from the hospital yesterday with our 2.5 year old who is in a spica cast after slipping in a baby pool at my parents! We are definitely in the beginning stages but will hopefully get more comfortable with everything! We have a bean bag coming tomorrow and I’m hoping to get him propped up more this weekend - he’s been mainly laying down with a little sitting up. He’s such a trooper and I’m sure he’s love to hear from your little guy (this post is kinda older so it sure if that’s still and option!) but thank you again for your post it definitely helps us so much!!!
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Kennan
6/18/2021 05:58:09 pm
Jamie, I’m so sorry y’all are going through this. I’m glad your son is taking it in stride. I hope the tips we shared from our journey help you in yours. Our J is 6 now and he says he hopes your son feels better soon.
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Jamie
6/18/2021 07:54:32 pm
Thank you!!!
Kelly Raines
7/24/2021 05:36:56 am
My 2 1/2 yr old grand daughter will soon be in spika cast for 6-8 weeks following hip surgery. The big Joe bean bag chair you show in your post looks very useful. What size chair did you purchase?It appears on the big Joe web site there is a child size and a larger size.
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Jordan Selbee
9/17/2021 07:14:32 am
Thank you so much for posting this! My almost 2 year old goes in for "surgery" in about an hour/hour and a half to get his spica cast put on. I feel a little bit of relief after being able to read this
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Kennan
9/18/2021 08:36:21 am
I’m so glad to hear you came across my blog and found comfort. Praying you find creative ideas for keeping him comfortable and that everything heals quickly and smoothly.
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Anne Norris
6/3/2022 07:32:55 am
My grandson 21 months old is getting a spica cast this a.m. I will forward this blog to my son and daughter in law so they can read the suggestions and be encouraged! Thank you ! Anne Norris
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Kennan
6/3/2022 04:03:07 pm
I’m so sorry to hear your grandson is having to go through this. I hope the blog gives your son and daughter-in-law some ideas on how to keep him entertained and comfortable during the coming weeks.
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Petar
8/20/2022 02:36:11 pm
Thank you for your post. My son is in spica cast, he has 2y10months. He broke femura (stable, he just got spica and we back to home). Im terrified, especially for periods after spica. He is very, very energetic, dynamic... I am terrified that he could make some stupid things again :( Amd im terrified about complication, like leg length discrepancy. What is yours experience?
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Marken Media Co.Marcus & Kennan own Marken Media Co. serving the multimedia needs of small businesses. Known by the #devinecolorwall, we strive to foster a space for the community to CREATE • COLLABORATE • CELEBRATE.
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KennanI'm a lover of words. Sometimes I edit, cook, craft, or sing. I'm also a wife and mom. Categories
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