Let me write about the challenges of my daughter(up to 7 years old) in daily life, based on our family experience.
The following is the difficulties we have up to today.
- More prone to falling
- Toileting
- Dental issue(Anterior cross-bite)
- Lordosis (Swayback)
【More prone to falling】
Because of the larger head and a weak core muscle, they tend to tumble. We arranged the soft safety helmet for her. She was always wearing it at nursery school. Once she loses balance, she could not maintain posture due to the heavy head, and she hit her head on the floor so hard quite a few times. Therefore, I was especially paying attention to her when she was going up the stairs. She is 7 years old right now and is having stronger abdominal muscle than before. Plus, she knows how to do breakfall when she falls, therefore she rarely hit her head on the floor now. Yet, she can easily lose balance and is likely to fall, when someone bumps into her.
By the way, as for muscle strongness, there should be individual difference. My daughter seemed like she has weaker abdominal muscle than others. This is not either Achondroplasia symptom or genetic, and it is coming from how she moved (or used) her body in daily life. I think she was not using her abdominal muscle often when she was moving or playing (also we can say that physical constraint did not allow her to do regular movement and play outdoor fitness equipment at the park). That was why her abdominal muscle was weak for her age. Because of that, whenever she had to use her abdominal muscle, she was easily tired. It made her not to use the part of muscle even more, so abdominal muscle was not built so much.
I believe this kind of vulnerability can be overcame by the adequate physical training (a little fun activities using a muscle). Once a week, a physical therapist come visit our house and gives my daughter such a training. We had started this when she was 5 years old. I think it is working for her a little by little.
【Toileting】
Sitting on its seat can be done using step stool. She has her own step stool at elementary school. Whenever she goes to the bathroom, she brings it with her. However, wiping the buttocks is the big difficulties. She practices reaching out a hand to the buttocks, holding a toilet paper. Her hands almost reaches there, but not long enough to do wiping. At this moment, I am just hoping her arms grow longer.
【Dental issue (anterior cross-bite)】
Dental issue is one of issue Achondroplasia could have. My daughter has anterior cross-bite, affecting her pronunciation. Although we can understand what she is saying, sometimes her words are hard to be understood. As countermeasure, she started to wear braces in her mouth from 7 years old. We are hoping that this brings her good result.
【Lordosis (Swayback)】
She really does have swayback, and it is giving her tension in her back muscle. Recently, for some reason, her back is becoming straight-back (not keeping spinal curvature as S-shaped). And a doctor decided to put her spinal brace. Straight-back is not very good for people as it put more pressure on body. I am hoping the brace would works for her.
【Others】
Not to mention, besides the above challenges, physical constraint is always problem, such as turning on lighting switch, washing hands in the washroom and putting on cloth. Physical constraint affects every single aspect of daily life. Yet, they can be done by herself by using a suitable tool. Putting on her cloth takes a bit of time, but it can be done by herself anyway.
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