February 5, 2015 "Casting #2"

Rayden had three doctor appointments this week.

1-Pediatrician-I really like the 'rock-star' treatment Rayden receives from ABC Pediatrics. His Primary Care Physician, Dr. Mary Ann Chiodo, says he is doing well. She actually witnessed him having a reflux issue when I took him out of the car seat to lay him on the examining table. I held him up as milk shot from his nose. Poor thing. She put him on Zantac hoping this will help. I also asked what I could do about him always looking to the left. She noticed it when she was looking in his ears. He did not want her to push his head over to the right. She said he has a torticollis also known as 'stiff neck'. This could be due to his preference of neck positioning because of the location of the shunt behind his right ear. She wants me to do some 'neck therapy' (stretches). Although she prescribed Rayden three creams to treat his raw bottom, nothing seems to be working. She wants me to do some 'butt therapy', allowing his bottom to breathe about 20 minutes a couple of times a day. Doesn't that sound like fun?

2-Neurosurgeon- Rayden's head circumference is 39.3 cm. His neurosurgeon, Dr. Elton, says the left side of his head is slightly higher than the right so hopefully adjusting the shunt to 2.5 will help prevent overlapping skull plates. He also commented on Rayden's torticollis. He wants me to do the 'neck therapy' several times a day as well as purchasing a tortle for his head. A tortle looks like a beanie but it has a support roll hanging from it so we can position his head where needed. I really hope this helps because his head is getting elongated and flat on one side.

3-Orthopaedics- Rayden received his second set of casts this week. He weighed 9 lbs. 4 oz. with the casts on, 8 lbs. 7 oz. without the casts. He didn't make a sound when they were cutting off the first set. It was so loud and vibrating his body but he didn't mind it at all. Dr. Narotam was pleased with how much progress his feet have made in only one week. His right foot made the most progress. He was a perfect angel again for the placement of the second casts.