Monday, March 16, 2009

Lissa is still not walking

OK so Lissa is still not walking. Our Dr was back from vacation and we called his office first thing. K brought her over to an appointment with the nurse practictioner early this afternoon. I suppose I should be gratified that the NP and our MD are as puzzled by the situation as I am. The things that she can do or allows you to do to the leg indicate a fair degree of mobility without discomfort. Now one could argue that perhaps this is from the healing hands that we do nightly and the water therapy that i have been doing. Maybe. But the things she doesn't do concern me greatly. She doesn't truly crawl. She is hitching both her legs along in the crawl position but they are not moving independently. She can stand but she can not walk. It is clear that the left leg doesn't support her somehow. This causes her to sort of drag her right leg along because she doesn't lift it totally off the floor, likely for fear of losing what little balance she has.

They checked to see if there was a back injury which might lead to this. Nada. Again no obvious sprains strains or breaks. The NP and Dr conferred (truly if you knew the usual warp speed of appts at my doctors office you would get how they must have been truly baffled.) Finally they came up with the theory that Lissa is either a) afraid to walk or b) liking being carried and that the logical cure would be to have us carry her less so that she walks more.

OK, glad K was there and I wasn't. She spends HOURS folks in the living room with her brothers. Hours to play when she is in no way carried anywhere. And does she walk during those hours? Nope. Does she stand? Yup if she can hold something for support. I think that the Dr was not glomming onto the fact that this little girl has walked since she was 9 months. So although she is only a bit over 2 she is a very experienced walker. She doesn't or I should say DIDN'T have mobility issues. She was sure and fast on her feet. Very very fast. Which leads to the second reason why I think the theory is wrong. Lissa is fiercely independent. Sure she likes to cuddle. But way less than say, KC at that age. Had this happened to him and he wasn't walking 8 days later, I would buy the loving to be carried thing. Being honest here he STILL likes being carried! :-) But Lissa likes to walk up the stairs herself at night. Except she tried the other night and couldn't.

So I am still worried. I know in my gut that something is wrong here and I feel it is in the hip area. They have told us to call Friday if there is not significant improvement. I hope they are right and there is and that i am wrong. But I have little faith in western medicine on a good day and this isn't doing anything to change my views. If she hasn't improved I am going to suggest to K that we ask for a pedi ortho specialist referral. This doesn't seem like something that we should mess with indefinately.

On the plus side, K got an antibiotic for her sinus infection and the zinc I have been eating diligently seems to be working at keeping me healthy. (shhhh don't tell the germs they are losing!!)

2 comments:

Torina said...

The pedi ortho specialist was the only one that truly helped us with Tara's knee issue. Hopefully, you can get into one and they will help pinpoint what is going on.

Todd said...

So sorry to hear that she's still not walking. Hope an ortho can help. *huge hugs*