Zaden’s pressure garment will improve comfort
Zaden is growing fast but his discomfort is increasing.
A year after Zaden Green suffered severe burns when his home in Casseldale caught fire, discomfort is still an unfortunate part of his life.
Although he is an active child who loves playing outside, about three weeks ago he began to experience pain in his one leg.
This was, according to his mother Caren Green, due to the scars stretching while he plays outside.
“Being an active child, he tends to forget about his scars.
“The skin stretches while he plays and when he sleeps, it causes severe pain and discomfort,” she says.
When they see the physiotherapist at Chris Baragwanath Hospital at the end of the month, he will be fitted for a full-body elastic pressure garment which they hope will improve his discomfort.
The garment is meant to reduce the scars by simulating the skin property, apply pressure on the scars and improve comfort.
The three-year-old boy had to face many challenges since he ran into the burning house to fetch his bottle in October 2016.
He sustained almost 35 percent burns to his body.
Since he was rushed to hospital last year, Caren says he had to undergo four skin grafts.
When she took him for a check-up in March, the doctors informed her they were “quite happy” with his progress.
“They told us no further treatments are necessary, but I still continue to massage his scars three times a day to keep the skin tissue soft,” she says.
She now uses a lot of sunblock to protect his skin since the sun’s rays are not good for the burns.
Caren says his toes, as well as his thumb, are still not straight.
When he experienced the pain in his leg his mother tried muscle relaxant ointment but her efforts only helped for a few minutes.
They attributed the pain in his leg to growing pains and continued to massage his legs.
On Thursday, his physiotherapist informed his mother the pain her son experienced wasn’t necessarily growing pains but can be contributed to the fact that he is too active and the skin on his legs gets irritated when he plays outside.
“Until we see the physiotherapist in two weeks time we will continue to make him as comfortable as
possible.
Zaden has to wear a splint on his right hand to straighten his thumb.
“At the time of the fire, the muscles got injured and, with the help of the splint, the thumbs needs
to be pulled straight,” she says.
“His physiotherapist claims at the age of 10, with the help of the pressure garment, Zaden’s scars will
almost be invisible,” says Caren.
This is a day his family are really looking forward to.
