FW: summary: pediatric bk hose

FW: summary: pediatric bk hose

Laura Miller

5/3/2006

Please forgive the long delay. I wanted to wait until I delivered the limb
so that I could let everyone know the final solution. The most common
suggestions were to use a skin or dye socks. I didn't think a skin would
work because it would need to be split at the ankle. The mom is unhappy
with the color options for the feet (all the browns are too dark) and I knew
that a skin on the foot would not last and I couldn't make the rest of the
cover match the foot or it would be too dark. And the foot and calf had to
match

 

A few also suggested the smallest knitrite socks. These were ok in length,
but too baggy in the ankle (so was the O.Bock off the shelf skin). I
ended up going with the Ottobock pediatric AK stockings. They fit the leg
well and came up just above the knee, which is actually nice for hiding
trimlines and the posterior seam of the removable cover. I tried dying with
RIT dye in Cocoa Brown and Tan. The Cocoa Brown was a nice medium/dark
brown, but too dark for the child. The tan turned out a bit darker than the
regular Caucasian but kind of yellow. If you really needed a lightbrown,
I would probably try the tan with just a sprinkle of the cocoa brown in it
or some other combination to reduce the yellow. I brought some suntan
kneehighs from home (the women's that come 10pr to a box, not durable but
cheap) and over the Tan dyed sock this looked pretty good for her.

 

 Thanks again to all!

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Laura Miller, PhD, CP

Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

 

Full replies (edited to make the oandp-l limits)

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You can make your own hose using light or medium brown shade stockinet. It
is available from stockinet suppliers (PEL, SPS, KNIT RITE, etc.0 --Bob
Brown, Sr., CPO, FAAOP

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We've played around with covers a bit and one option is to create a merge
file (which we can do fairly easily as we wrote a little program to do it)
and from this file carve a blank that's used as a mould. A PeLite cone (or
tube) can be easily moulded onto this and it makes for a nice easy, slip
on/off cover that can be reproduced easily (by either keeping mould or file)
and is quite durable. The same technique can be used and you could laminate
a shell on the merge file.

<URL Redacted>

Bill Contoyannis, REHAB Tech Centre for Biomedical Engineering - Monash
University

Website: www.monash.edu.au/rehabtech

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Laura, Go to Fredslegs.com. I think you can find what you need, or Otto
Bock's smaller size 99B116=2-08 or 99B116=2-.10. Great tough, light-weight,
skin texture removable, washable cosmetic skins.---Harry Layton CPO,LPO

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Laura, it is time for custom fabrication. I would go to your local store and
obtain Rit dye # 25 dark brown liquid not powder. Follow their
directions.---Joe Perry CP CFO

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Long ago, before people of color had amputations, and all cosmetic hose were
bandaid color we actually dyed the hose ourselves. It was always great
fun!---Don McGovern

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I have been using compression hose with a good deal of success. When no
longer provide the hose and they are a little more durable than the cosmetic
hose, Juzo offers a variety colors, light brown is one of them. Hope this
helps.---Respectfully;Douglas Barlay, Adaptive Orthopedic Design

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I've used Ottobock hose for kids before, but not so sure about colors, maybe
worth checking. I think Fillaurer or Hosmer do a purple tube - marketed in
the uk through Gilbert and Mellish, if not good quality spray paint can do
wonders! ---V Jarvis CPO

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I would suggest you have a skin made by Ronnie Graves, he owns Prosthetic
Research Specialists. He can probably make a removeable skin with a zipper
at the heel to the ankle either placed on the posterior or medial wall to
help don the removable skin. As for the cover the company Ortho-Remedy has
a foam which can be removable in a simple fashion. It is also possible for
Mr. Graves to do the whole job. His phone number is : 1 352-793-4477. --Rick
Feldman,CPO

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WE HAVE QUITE A FEW HOSE ON PAGES 119 AND 118 IN OUR CATALOGUE. TRY
THERE.---AL AT PEL SUPPLY

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Try contacting Comfort Products in PA They make a tube style stocking that
if necessary can be shortened by sewing the toe with a good zigzag stitch.In
the past that has worked well for the pediatric patients that I've
treated.---Carey Glass CPO FAAOP

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I always understood standard women's nylons work well and are available in
multiple shades/colors.

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As far as the cosmesis, would it be reasonable to put on the Caucasian as a
base to cover the foam, then use store-bought knee highs to match the color?
Not sure if they make child size knee highs, though. ---Julie Kean, CPO,
CMF, Orthotic & Prosthetic Designs

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Cosmetic hose for people of color are available from Comfort Products and
Knit rite, both can be found at SPS. And I think that you can find pylons in
purple at Ossur. Hope this helps. Brian Pinkston C.P. Shriners hospital St.
Louis, Mo. Ps. Comfort's ph# 800-822-7500

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Have you tried children's leotards? You would need to cut them off but
before you cut then attach an elastic band to were you want to cut them off.
You would want to use glue to hold it to the leotard. After you cut the
leotard you could sew it but you would restrict the elasticity of the band.
You could even do this with a small knee high stocking. Ether one of these
could be purchased easily from K-mart or walmart. --Scot Sepe CPO

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Compression hose comes in a variety of colors and is can give you the
durability of prosthetic hose. For a cheaper solution heavy duty nylon socks
from a department store can be used.--Gerry Stark

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I'm not sure how important cosmesis is to your patient, but I might suggest
creating some sort of posterior split endo cover that fastens either using a
velcro swatch running vertically or possibly buttons of some sort. A company
called Swanson makes an adult size...it may be worth looking in to for a
ped's size. In either case it would be a cinch to remove a skin or hose
prior to removing a split cover or if you prefer I would suggest spraying a
skin/glueing a skin to the split cover directly and treating the split
itself with a little extra blending cosmesis for a great result. In my
opinion skins are always an improvment over hose and if you have the
capabilities to spray them yourself, I would do so over a cover that is
attached to a thin removable laminate shell. I hope this helps.

Joe Brenner,of The Michigan Institute For Electronic Limb Development

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Ran across this:
<URL Redacted>

Also, do you know I-CAN? <URL Redacted> It is a listserv for
parents of congenitals started years ago by Bill Baughn. There was a lady
on it who made cosmetic clothing. Joyce Baughn runs the list since Bill is
RIP. Wayne Renardson, mod

AMP-L @ Univ Washington.edu

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Don't use hose apply a protective synthetic skin! Especially a young
child! ---jan stokosa, c.p.

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I would suggest looking at maybe GapKids/similar store for some children's
knee highs. I know that the Peapod line from OWW has a blue pylon. Mighty
Mite from Fillauer has purple tube clamps. ---Jacqueline Schmit, MS, CP

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you can get several different styles of nylon/perlon stockinette and stitch
one together or go to the local store and pickup heavyduty pany hose

with regard to color: 1) try an old school remedy- soak in warm water and
coffee grounds over night wring then cold water wash (temporary and actually
works well with cotton hose 2) local hobby shop/craft section should have
dyes 3)ink shop ---s Anderson, cp

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Try the knit rite small bk. They are really small. Get both the caucasian
and the dark negroid and use one cauc with the dark underneath and see how
that works. The other option that we do a lot is purchase some spandex of a
bright and cheerie color, or have the kid pick it out, and sew a cover sock.
Be sure to put just a bit of stretch on the spandex when sewing. Glue or
tuck the top into the socket. Write me back if you need more detailed
instructions.

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Why can't you just buy her a couple of pairs of girl's trouser socks like
you would wear under dress slacks with dress shoes? They make opaque styles
and I'm sure you could get them in places like Walmart or Target. You might
also ask the mother for ideas where she shops for stockings and socks for
her daughter. ---Ingrid Frank, C.P.

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I use Rit Liquid Dye which comes in a variety of tan and brown shades. If
you wash an Otto Bock hose first then add the dye in a washing machine the
color comes out even. It might take a little experimenting to get the shade
just right. ---Jim Dryden CPO

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One thing that might be helpful is Otto Bock's skin that pulls on like a
hose. It has silicone at the proximal border to prevent it from rolling
down. Not sure if it comes in a size small enough. The skin comes as a
pair so she can have an extra! Childs Play by Seattle has purple pylons,
maybe Hosmer has different color tube clamps. Hope this info is helpful.
---Shane Coltrain, CPO

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Try different color BK nylon sheaths. They might be more expensive but they
will also be closer in size.--- Bill Neu, CPO

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I suggest that you get some Vinyl & Carpet Color Spray paint, and touch up
the color of your caucasian hose to suit. You can obtain this type of paint
at most automotive specialty/paint stores.

Or contact: BAF Industries (800) 437-9893 www.prowax.com

Kindest Regards, Geoff Hall, C.P.(c), Victoria, BC