Spica Cast Maintenance

Understanding Hip Dysplasia


Infant & Child - Spica Cast Maintenance

  • Change diapers often and try to keep the cast clean and dry. If the cast gets wet, dry it with a blow dryer on cool setting. See Diapering a Baby in a Spica Cast.
  • Rough edges can be padded to protect the skin from scratches.
  • Do not put things in the cast and watch smaller children to keep small objects out of the cast.
  • Do not put powders or oils on the skin because they will cake and build up.

Petaling the Cast

Petaling refers to applying waterproof tape around the edges of the cast. This protects the child’s skin from the rough edges of the cast around the diaper opening and also adds an extra layer of protection in case urine or feces gets through or around the diapers. If the tape does get soiled it can be removed and replaced with clean tape. This is especially important at the diaper cut-out area of the cast.

To protect the edges of the cast from getting soiled:

  1. Start with a piece of waterproof tape about 4 inches long and wrap it, short side, over the edge of the cast.
  2. Add another piece remembering to overlap the pieces as you go all around the opening of the cast.

As more pieces of tape are added, they resemble the petals of a flower; this is why this technique is called petaling.

Keeping the Spica Cast Dry

Another option for parents is to use a product, such as the CastCooler, which may help to keep the cast dry and odor free.

Also, a Spica Cast Liner may be a viable options: click here for more information