Kids with CP and growth spurts

[Livi'sMom]

My 7 year old, Livi, had a MAJOR growth spurt recently. 4 inches in as many months. Her CP is relatively mild. She walks/runs and usually just has mostly fine motor skill issues. Recently however, she can't walk across the room without an issue! I swear she's tripping on air. She never complains and lately she's been complaining about her legs hurting, etc.... Not that I blame her. That's a big growth spurt for a typical kid, let alone one with CP! We've upped PT to 5 X a week, we're doing more stretches at home, and as I type, she's enjoying some time in the bathtub with the whirlpool jets. Yet, it doesn't seem emough.

How does anyone else cope with these kind of growth spurts? She's never really had a "spurt" before. She's had s-l-o-w, even progression with height and then all of a sudden... BAM!

Thanks for any advice!

 

[SueM in MN]

Just the same way you are.
I remember those growth spurts and your DD has my sympathy.

One of the things I learned in Nursing School that I never really thought of until I had my own kids was that when kids grow, the bones grow first. The muscles have attachment points on the bones, so as the bone grows, it stretches the muscles attached to it. The stretching is what stimulates the muscle to grow to keep up with the bone. The 'growing pains' occur when the too short muscles are being stretched by the bone and they end when the muscles are long enough for the new bone length.

My older DD, who does not have CP, had a lot of growing pains in her legs when she was having a growth spurt. I thought those were pretty bad, but I learned what 'bad' was when younger DD (who has CP, mixed type with spasticity and some athetoid movements) had growth spurts. When you add extra tightness onto muscles that are already tight, it can get pretty painful.

Just keep doing what you are doing and hang in there. A little Motrin or something like that might help (the same way as they help with regular muscle aches).

 

[DannysMom]

My 7 year old, Livi, had a MAJOR growth spurt recently. 4 inches in as many months. Her CP is relatively mild. She walks/runs and usually just has mostly fine motor skill issues. Recently however, she can't walk across the room without an issue! I swear she's tripping on air. She never complains and lately she's been complaining about her legs hurting, etc.... Not that I blame her. That's a big growth spurt for a typical kid, let alone one with CP! We've upped PT to 5 X a week, we're doing more stretches at home, and as I type, she's enjoying some time in the bathtub with the whirlpool jets.

My 4 1/2 y.o. also has very mild CP (hypotonic) & when he's having growth spurts he will literally wake from a sound sleep screaming that his legs hurt & they will be hard & in spasm. Just keep doing what you're doing -- lots of stretching & massage & motrin at night to help him sleep. It will pass, eventually. I too recall reading how kids grow, bones first & then the muscles & thought 'duh, no wonder it hurts, esp kids w/ CP'

 

[Livi'sMom]

It's so frustrating to me that it's not something I can "fix" for her. I just hate seeing her in pain like that. She's been up 2 times tonight because of pain. I gave her motrin, and Daddy massaged those calves and ankles until she fell back asleep. I'm feeling the "Mommy guilt" heavily tonight. My beautiful, brilliant girl also has a VP shunt. She was born at 25 weeks. Everytime I get to the point where I think I can shed some of that guilt, something pops up, usually shunt related, that just reinforces to me that she has these issues due to my lack of ability to carry her to term.

 

[SueM in MN]

I know exactly how you feel. It is a very helpless feel because mom is supposed to make things better and this is not something you can fix.
My DD was not born early, but I had all sorts of problems during pregnancy, including a heart problem that required medication. Because of the problems, my DD was born very small for her gestational age.
I have a lot of 'what ifs' that could cause guilt; my mantra for situations like that is 'you can't change the past'.

So, my personal advice is to do what you are able for now and the future, but let the past go.

 

[DannysMom]

I'm feeling the "Mommy guilt" heavily tonight. My beautiful, brilliant girl also has a VP shunt. She was born at 25 weeks. Everytime I get to the point where I think I can shed some of that guilt, something pops up, usually shunt related, that just reinforces to me that she has these issues due to my lack of ability to carry her to term.

I hear you. It's very tempting to feel guilty about everything bad that happens to our kids. But you must know that it's *not* your fault. I'm sure you did not wish your daughter born so early. The guilt is a coping mechanism, we try to feel like we have some semblance of control, when the reality is that bad things happen, for no apparent reason, even when you do everything "right." It's so not your fault. And I find that guilt is not a useful emotion for me, it just paralyzes me with fear and indescision. And to try be the best mom I can to an awesome little guy who's needs are just a bit more than typical, I try to get over, past & through the feelings of guilt.

I've found two very helpful online support groups, Yahoo Groups' Preemie-List link: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/preemie-list/
and Preemie-Child discusssion list for school age preemie parents link: http://www.prematurity.org/preemie-child/index.html

 

[Livi'sMom]

Thanks Sue and Valerie!

Most of the time, she's your typical little girl, but when I can't "fix" it, then it drives me buggy.

I do know I gave her the very best prenatal care, it was nothing I *did*, but that voice occasionally creeps in to tell me that it's my fault she's living with CP and a VP shunt. I need to give that voice the boot!