Piedro Boots

When I first learnt that Scott would have to wear special footwear, I was quite upset, as I envisaged clumpy, strange shaped shoes - the type that possibly the older generations of club foot sufferers had to wear. In addition I had heard of Denis Brown boots, with a bar between the boots, and while these are used in some forms of treatment of clubfoot (I think in the Ponseti method, and at night time only) I was pleased when I learnt that these were not to be part of Scott's treatment. On a trip to the hospital to discuss probable treatment, while still pregnant with Scott, the nurse was quick to show us the Piedro boots and put our mind at rest, as she said this was a concern to most parents who visited her. We were delighted when we saw these trendy little leather "kicker boots".

Piedro boots are not actually medical boots, although I tend to think of them as orthopaedic boots. Piedro is the brand name, and the company makes mens, ladies, and childrens footwear. The boots are, in fact, ordinary childrens' boots, but they are the highest quality, strongest, sturdiest little boots that the hospital can get it's hands on! I'm told that they are between £50 - £100 to buy, and I know that all childrens' shoes are pretty expensive in any case, so feel quite lucky that when they wear out, we just pop along to the hospital for a new pair!

Scott got his first pair of boots when he came out of his plaster casts in January 2002. He was 13 months old, and still not walking, although he was just starting to pull himself up on furniture, so was definitely ready to start standing. (In fact he didn't walk until 18 months old, by which time the shoes were pretty scuffed from all the crawling around in them). The boots were the smallest size available (size 2, or 18), and these were too big, so I managed to find some really thick, soft socks in Debenhams. As his feet grew a bit, and the skin got used to being in sturdy boots, we put him in thinner socks.

It wasn't until August that Scott got his second pair of boots, and this was only because the stitchwork was coming apart, which it took me some time to realise was contributing to Scott falling over so much through poor support from the side panels. So we went to see the Orthotist at the hospital, and he gave us another pair - in the same size! Scott was still only a size 18! I guess his little feet will grow a bit soon, probably several sizes overnight! However, it is a fact that feet affected by Talipes will tend to be smaller and have stunted growth. Anyway, the new boots provide a lot more support, but like most new shoes, have been rubbing his feet and making him a bit grumpy for a couple of days.

We still have the old pair which we can now use as a spare pair for wet and dirty play, or in the wet sand on the beach. We have been caught out before, as the boots are the only daytime footwear Scott can wear, and it is recommended that he only spend a maximum of an hour without either daytime boots or night-time splints on. I took the old pair to a cobbler to stitch the side panels up, so that if we do use them, they will have better support.