SALT LAKE CITY — For babies celebrating their first Christmas at Shriners Children's Hospital, the staff decided that COVID was not going to cancel their holiday spirit, and so they brought the holiday to their tiny patients who were placed in casts.
“We not only cast clubfeet, we cast clubfeet with some flair. Today we are making candy cane casts, or we put hearts on casts. We want the kids to have enjoyable treatment,” said Jaime Estrada, Physician Assistant at Shriners.
A staff member dressed up at Buddy the Elf to hand out teddy bears, and the babies wore "My First Christmas" onesies, something to lift the spirits of their families as they undergo treatment.
Clubfoot most commonly happens when the foot is twisted toward the ankle, but is treatable with patients generally regaining the full use of their foot.
Babies are cast weekly for about 5 to 7 weeks, followed by bracing for short period.
Estrata says that because her own child is the same age of some of the babies being treated, she feels an important connection to the families, as they are going through a lot of the same things together.
Shriners has been treating children in its Salt Lake City hospital for nearly 100 years, with care provided regardless of ability to pay.
Learn more by visiting their website.
