interface material for wearing under brace, summer coming

[Dr John]

We're getting used to wearing a brace, my daughter is 9 and is above 40 degrees with a double curve.

The interface "t shirts" are pretty expensive and don't fit her well (they bunch up and stick out the back). It was suggested that we look at a "camisole". I'm a single Dad and have been looking around but I need a clue as to where to look and what brands etc.

I've tried to find tube top material, looked at sleeveless t shirts and pretty much everything else I can think of. Without the brace my daughter is about a kids size 6-7 (we had to switch sizes up to accommodate the brace, guess that's normal).

Any help appreciated!

john

[leahdragonfly]

Hi Dr John,

My daughter is about the same age as yours, and wore a brace when she was 6-7. She tried the various brace undershirts (which are expensive but frequently covered by insurance), and she thought they were scratchy and ugly. We got a recommendation from another parent that was great, the Under Armour Heat Gear sleeveless T-shirts. They are very smooth and slim-fitting, so they will not bunch up under the brace. They are very form-fitting, so you will be able to find a size that fits well under her brace. I found ours online. Here's a link: http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/pid1217406

As far as a camisole goes, you might try the Arizona Jeans Co. lace tank/camisole available from JC Penney (again online is very easy). They are thin and plenty long, with lots of nice colors. Try this link or search at JC Penney.com for "Arizona girls lace tank" : http://www.jcpenney.com/jcp/X6.aspx?...=searchresults

Best of luck,

[Dr John]

Thanks, just ordered a few items, we'll have to see what fits and get more. I really appreciate the help.

[Resilience]

my daughter prefers the seemless cami's over the knitrite tanks. once we get the brace fastened she likes to pull down the spaghetti straps and have me secure them into the brace's velcro straps, so the tank goes up and over the top part of the brace, then she folds the bottom part up over the outside of the bottom of the brace too. hope that makes sense and might help your daughter. we buy the seemless tanks from Tillys.com. they come in child or adult sizes and lots of colors.

[Dr John]

Thanks, I just got two different underarmor in Heat Gear YSM style and they both have seams so I have to return them. Same for Natalie dance wear, looked great in the pic's but big seams when they arrived.

[Dr John]

When you say "seemless cami's over the knitrite tanks" is she wearing both of these underneath the brace? If the cami goes over the brace what is the advantage of that?

-befuddled :-)

[leahdragonfly]

Hi John,

I wouldn't be too worried about the seams on the Under Armour. They never bothered Leah.

[Dessy's mom]

Shopjustice.com is a great place to get the cami's they are a lot of different color options. Even tie-died ones. The cami's stretch long so they fit well under the brace. They also have a lot go the seemless undergarments. This store is just for girls so if there is one in your area the sales ladies are usually really good at helping find what you need. My daughter is 11and has been in her brace a month. She hates the medical under shirt it seems to make the brace more uncomfortable.

Just a suggestion for the clothing. We have found that pants with the button stretches in them help a lot. Target, JC Penny's and justice carry them. Adjust well to the brace with out having to deal with cumbersome belts.

Hope this helps

[Resilience]

sorry for the confusion and the delay...

my daughter preferred the seamless cami's much more than the Knit Rite undershirts. She wore either one or the other.

With the Knit Write / Orthotist provided under shirt, she wore it as is, then the brace, then the top.

With the Tilly's Seamless Cami, she wore the Cami, then brace, with the spaghetti straps pulled down: up and over her TLSO and latched into the TLSO velcro, then her top over her brace. She appreciated the "freedom" of having herself free of the spaghetti straps touching her upper body...