Frequently asked questions:
Where does Jewel go to school?
She, along with her two older sisters, have been homeschooled their entire life.
What are AFOs?"Ankle-foot orthoses, or AFOs, are very common in children with cerebral palsy. An AFO is worn for the purpose of stretching the Achilles tendon. An AFO can be quite helpful to children with hemiplegic involvement who are walking on tiptoe. The brace is applied if the foot can be brought to a neutral position. Children who wear AFOs should wear them during the day as they would their shoes. While walking barefoot after a bath or in the evening can do no harm, you might consider having the child wear them at night, even while sleeping, for stretching particularly tight muscles. There is always an adjustment period, usually several months after they receive their brace, that a child feels very uncomfortable wearing the brace, even though their posture and walking may have improved. During this period, encourage your child to wear it as much as possible to try to let him or her become acquainted with it. After this period, the brace will stop feeling unnatural and will begin to feel quite comfortable. If the child continues to complain about it, however, the AFO should be carefully checked, and adjustments may have to be made." Jewelians's AFOs are a cast from her foot and are made with a light weight plastic fiber glass. She gets her AFOs from Shriners Children's Hospital.
