Happy Feet orthotics.

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Hi,

Has anyone used the Happy Feet orthotics for kids?

What would you recommend for pre-fabs for kids?

Any input would be great.


Thanks!

 

6 of one, half a dozen of the other. There is no good or bad orthotic. The better orthotic is that orthotic that has the design features to deliver the prescription variables needed for an individual patient. I some cases, the Happy Feet orthotic will have those design features; in other cases they won't have the design feature.

 

I am afraid to say it but in most cases I am against pre fabs for children. Surely children are our greatest asset and as such should always be treated with the best, so custom is always goin to give a long term better result in my opinion.
Sure the cost is higher to the parent but again cost is of little importance when the well being of a child is in question after all you are setting them up for life.

 

Why does it matter? If any device can deliver the design features that are needed in a particular case, why does it matter if its premade or custom made?

 

Why ?

 

I could count on one hand the amount of customs I've done for kids in the last 5 years in a sole paed's workload. Those kids generally had a deformity or disability in which a pre-fab wouldn't fit.

I generally find I can heat or grind or add most what i needed just as quickly to a pre-fab just as quickly as I could have taken a cast/prescription. There are all sorts of pre-fabs, just finding what works for you.

 

I have read many articles and attended numbers of lectures on the subject of custom versus pre fab orthotics and indeed articles that suggest that orthotics should not be used at all. However after 40 years in this profession I have learnt that what is written is not always correct even though statistics may be used to back an argument.
I believe that orthotics do work very well in the vast majority of cases if the practitioner picks the correct cases and takes due care in prescribing the orthotic.
This is why I believe that a properly constructed casted orthotic moulded to the child's feet and with the correct controls will always be superior to pre fab insole with bits stuck on.
I have been at the coal face for 40 years and I think seen it all and I will not fit a pre fab to a child as I believe they deserve the very best form of treatment I can give them and I think I can only achieve that by casting and making the orthotic to the exact shape of their feet.

 

Children will come from varied socio-economic backgrounds, and not all parents will be able to financially stretch to investing in a pair of custom made devices (not to mention many pairs to keep up with the child's growth/development).

What form of treatment do you offer the children whose parents cannot afford custom made devices?

 

This is my current issue and reason for the thread. The patient in a 7 year old child who comes from a family of 10 children, so even paying for formthotics is a struggle for the parents.. Just wanted to see brands everyone uses and why?

 

Do they even need orthotics? At the end of the day, you make a diagnosis; do an assessment to come up with the prescription variable(s) that are needed. You then decide what design features are needed to deliver those prescription variable(s). Ask yourself:
1) Can the design features be delivered by non-"orthotic" interventions, such as padding in the shoe or footwear modifications
2) Is there another way to deal with the deficiency that lead to the need for the prescription variable(s); ie proprioceptive or gait retraining; muscle rehab; etc

 

I guess I am lucky as I can usually get Gov assistance for people who are in a poor economic position.
There are assistance packages available in most states to help genuine cases of financial hardship.
I agee that each case needs to be judged on a similar basis to that written above however I thought in this case it was a given that Orthotics were needed.

 

Who tested them?
Dont worry about feedback use your own Professional judgement on the result to make your determination as to the result gained.