21st Nov 2024 10:41:11 AM The Charities | The Children | Dorah Mokoena | Health | Schools / Training | Community | Regional Reports | UMashesha Home Ado Balombo Bambula Agnes Wabiwa Amanda Simanga Amina Mahamat Amukelani Dube Andani Mphaphuli Anele Nyongwana Babalwa Debele Babalwa Mfengu Baby Babongile Bafana Nzima Basheeba Worlotoe Benoni Boipelo Mosegedi Bongani Madlala Bongani Phakati Bonginkosi Brendan Busisiwe C Caroline Gichuki Chris M Clara Deon Slabbert Emmanuel Lawal Esihle Evelyn Minto Essono's Feleng Franklin Fursy Mugobe Gabriel Gabriel C Gamuchirai Vanessa Gohodza Gloria Gontise Mogotsi Habiba Hatendi Simbe Helen Matondo Hlumelo Dondashe Irene Peta Jabulani Malungane Jacques Abrahams Janine Barends Jose Mvula Kagiso Maphoso Kagiso Mathebula Kagiso Mphuti Karabo Thebedi Kedibone Kenyan Kezia Fern Samuel Kjetil Sandivk Havnen Koketso Sekuru Lathlehele Lee Branco Liane Grond Lida Basson Loide Londeka Ngidi Maje Mbali Michelle Ecape Michelle Mthenjwa Mimi Mlungisi Mohau Qumpula Mpho Maja Munashe Mungo Nete Musa Zwane Musiwa Neliswe Radebe Nelson Tsabalala Nkosi Ncube Nkululeko Nkululeko Jnr Nomthandazo Shongwe NonMireille Nosihle Nthabiseng Nyakallo Oscar Mlondolozi Hadebe Perlucia Phillip Lesingaran Phindile Piet Moloja Rachid Reagan Rien ne Dit Rolivhuwa Matodzi Rose Wambua Rumbi Saloma Aphanye Sameh Chiboub Samkelo Somi Samukelo Radebe Seetsa Mosoma Seif Seiso Selamawit Shaun Shaun Hart Shirley Seqobane Sicelo Simamkele Sithembiso Hlatshwayo SiyaAndile Siyabonga Morwasetla Siyabonga Nokumbi Siyamthanda Sizwe Steven Marakeng Mpyana Sthabile Sunday Mukaza Tapera Jani Tavonga Tembakazi Tendani Yaka Thando Thapelo Thingo Thomas Thulani Nhleko Tshepiso Maimela Tshepiso Sekuru Vhahangwele Matodz Violet Chibvura Vivian Vusi Mathibela William B Xavier Yassine Ben Ali Zanele Jeza Zianda Ndlovu Zipho Zwane Shaun Hands are useful to work with and they are also social communication tools. If their appearance looks or feels unpleasant, it affects everything that the burns survivor does in life. Burned feet however are much-neglected because people think that they can be concealed in shoes. The splinting of burned feet upon admission to hospital is just as vital as the splinting of hands. There should always be a skilled occupational therapist available. And surgery within a year of injury, to graft on the top of the foot and to k-wire the digits, so that toes can remain in their natural position (or regain their natural position) is essential. Keep children away from orthopaedic surgeons because they are far to happy to excise toes without consultation or thoroughly-informed consent. Those toes are needed for balance just as much as for aesthetics. And burn-shortened toes in infancy can grow into more useful, more normal-length toes as the child grows... but not if they are cut off! Girls particularly, want pretty feet so that they can wear pretty shoes... including flip-flops where the gap between the big toe and the adjacent toe cannot be too large. All children that we have helped, would rather keep an unusually short toe than have it removed for the surgeon's visual comfort. The children want the right number of toes - the same number that they were born with. The baby whose feet were burned when his Mum put him into a too-hot bath; or the toddler caught in the viciousness of a veldt (prairie / moorland) fire; cannot speak out and say: "One day I'll be a girl going to my end-of-school dance and I'll want to wear lovely shoes," so the surgeon must think ten to 15 years ahead for his patient and make the wisest kindest decision possible. Twisted, contorted feet cause life-long problems with gait and extend the physical damage from feet up to other previously-undamaged areas of the body, as knee joints and hip joints become affected by the patient's inability to walk properly. Many of our children with injured feet need special shoes made. Help please. And many need very tough toe nail clippers. Help please. Most of all, they need good surgery, quickly. And follow up operations as they grow older. The photos here are the feet of a boy set alight by his stepfather when he was about five years old, in South Africa. His mother died in the same fire. This material is Copyright © The Dorah Mokoena Charitable Trust and/or Children of Fire , 1998-2024. Distribution or re-transmission of this material, excluding the Schools' Guide, is expressly forbidden without prior permission of the Trust. For further information, email firechildren@icon.co.za About Children of Fire | Contact us | Advertise with us COPYRIGHT © 2024 Children of Fire. All rights reserved. Designed Developed and Maintained by Fyre Interactive