Hip Diplaysia Support Group #3

[Georgina128]

Hi everyone

I'm new here. My DD Clara is 7 weeks old and was put in a pavlik harness on Monday due to clicky hip problems arising from being a breach bubba. It has been great to find this post because as many of you already have said it seems hard to find people that understand what you are going through.

Reading everyone's post have however raised a couple of questions for me and the way that Clara is being treated.

1. Firstly she has only been seen by a paedatrician and a physio not an orthapedic surgeon. Has any else been seen just by these two people - I'm hoping it because of her age and the high success rate that youung babies have.
2. Based on her ultrasound we were told that her right hip was normal at 58% coverage but her left was the clicky one with 27% coverage and it was this one that needed the treatment. However on here people have said that 75% is normal so I'm worried that Clara's case is much worse than I have been lead to believe. Can anyone shed any light on the differences?

Finally I hope all our your little one's are having fun days and that there hips are all mending nicely

Thanks
Georgina

[nicoli]

Hi Georgina
Our daughter Scarlett was seen by a paediatrician first who sent us to the physio to have her pavlik harness fitted. We then went to see the orthopaedic surgeon to manage her case. Scarlett was already 3 months old when she was diagnosed so there was some urgency in getting her into the harness and then to the specialist. Depending on where you live the process may be different. Maybe your paediatrician is confident that they can manage her progress - maybe ask them next time you see them?
About the percentages - Scarlett had only 17% coverage in her right hip and 59% in her left hip. We were told 59% was normal but like you sad I have read that it should be at least 70%. Since Clara is in the pavlik harness both hips will improve. After 5 weeks in her harness Scarlett went to 50% in her right hip and 69% in her left. I go back for another ultrasound in a week and a half (it will be 9 weeks since her last ultrasound) and am hoping for good results.
Best of luck with everything
Nicole

[minimatron]

Hey Georgina,
Olivias hip was detected at 3 days when we were about to leave the hospital. They got us an appointment in the orthopead clinic, so we never saw a peadiatrician, but we did see physio...so sorry I cant answer that.
I cant remember exactly but Olivias right hip was around 23% and her left was around 60%. Normal is 75%, but because they treat both hips at the same time, I think they dont concern themselves too much with a hip above 50% if the other is below that..do you know what I mean??? Sounds confusing but I hope you get what I am saying. Its basically coz they dont treat one hip on its own. I think you should get it!!!!
If you have any further questions dont hesitate to ask. Oh and where are you from???
Well, my little taker is in bed with bronchitis, so better make tracks...
Take care
Love Melissa

[LauraK]

Hi Georgina,

Harrison was also put into his harness before seeing the orthapedic surgeon, we had seen the peadiatrician only - I did question this at the time but they just said that it wouldn't harm to put him into the harness as they could feel the clicking in the hip so it was likely that the orthapedic surgeon would probably confirm that there was a problem, which he did.

Hope Clara is starting to adjust to the harness, Harrison has been in his for about 6 weeks now and he is such a happy contented little baby although at first it was really hard so we all know how you are feeling.

Take care

Love Laura x

[Georgina128]

Hey everyone thanks for you messages. Clara has now been in the harness for 5 days and is at last back to her normal smiley self which is good - it definitely took her a good three days to get used to it.

I am seeing the physio on wednesday and so think I'll ask her all the questions about coverage and about why I'm not seeing an orthopedic surgeon - like you say its probably because the paed is very confident in solving the issue on her own.

I am actually quite surprised with how well we're all coping - when I found out she needed the harness I was so upset and so tearful but now that she's in it, its no way near as bad as I was expecting - its amazing how resilient the little ones are isn't it. However I think I am still pinning my hopes on a speedy recovery - if we don't get good news from the ultrasound in two weeks time, I think I'll go back to being a bit of a mess!

Melissa - I'm Sydney based on the northern beaches, which is a very nice place to have a baby!

Thanks again for all the info!
Cheers
Georgina x

[bridee]

Georgina - so pleased that Clara is adjusting well. Just want to say don't expect things to get better rapidly. My DD was put in a pavlik harness at 7 weeks. She was in it for 15 weeks in total. The orthitist we saw who monitored her regularly said at the start to expect at least 12 weeks if she is out of it earlier it is a bonus but generally young ones take at least 12 weeks. This does not necessarily mean 12 weeks full time in the harness, DD was in full time for 6 weeks then for the next 6 weeks could be out of it for a few hours a day and then 3 weeks of only night time use.

Just wanted to make sure you weren't expecting it to be fixed in a couple of weeks.

[Georgina128]

Hi thanks for the reality check - its just so hard not to wish the weeks away!

I know that it is likely to be more of a 12 week run (if not longer) than a 6 week one - I think in terms of "good news" I was referring more to seeing some progress at the scan, rather than her having a huge improvement. We have a wedding on Anzac Day and it would be great if she could be out of the harness for then - huge fingers crossed!

[Haileys Mum]

Hi All,

Hailey, her Dad and I saw the Ortho in Melb on friday and are just home. She was fitted into a Dennis Brown bar for a couple of reasons worth mentioning. A pavlick harness is really only designed for "young" babies, which Hailey is apparently not at 8 1/2 months old. Young is birth to less than 6 months. The orthotist who fitted the DBB actually was one of the guys from the RCH who designed the Pavlick harness and was surprised that the harness was fitted to such a big/old baby and also that it was fitted by a paed and not a physio or an orthotist. The pavlick harnes has also caused femoral nerve palsy in Haileys L hip. This will hopefully resolve in the DBB. We have 2 weeks to see good progress with the DBB or its surgery. So we are back to Melb next Friday to see the Ortho again and hope for some progress. Hailey has definatly slept better in the DBB than the harness and the Ortho felt the nerve palsy was probably what was causing her to scream at night. The orthotist said Haileys L hip is the tightest hip he's ever felt. Time wise we are looking at a "long" time in the DBB around 6 months if it works, if not 6 weeks in plaster then 4-6 months in the DBB after plaster
I also asked about % and the Ortho said her hips are too dislocated to give a % at this stage.I'm finding it very hard to be optomistic at the moment...
Jo

[Haileys Mum]

Hi Nicole,

I was wondering if you have a photo of Scarlett in her DBB with out clothes over it, From the back. Our DBB was fitted friday and i just need reassurance of where the bar bit goes!!

Thanks,
Jo

[Suezt]

Hi Jo.

I'm sending hugs your way. Where abouts in Victoria do you live? I'm also in Melbourne - Sth East suburbs.

Sophie was also 8 months old when she went into a brace (rhino). She was in the brace for a total of 7 months. She's been brace free now for 2 months and you wouldn't even know she's worn a brace - she's adapted so well and is in the process of trying to learn how to walk. I just wanted to give you some hope and light at the end of the tunnel. It's extremely hard at the start - but your little girl is such a trooper and you guys will get through it.

It's great that you found a doctor that could give you some answers - and you certainly sound like you're in good hands. I'm praying for you guys that Hailey won't need surgery.

Take it easy. Hugs again.
Susan
xxxx

[nicoli]

Hi Jo,
It sounds like ours is different. They call it a Dennis Brown Brace and they custom make them for each patient at the Westmead Childrens Hospital (West of Sydney). The meta bits are at the front on ours. This is what it looks like anyway:
http://users.tpg.com.au/nicoli/scarl...ages/brace.jpg. I couldn't find any images on the web of other DB contraptions except for the boots! I wish you luck for your next visit. We have ours in a week and I'm excited but nervous to find out how it's going.
Nicole

[Suezt]

Jo,

These 2 sites are really good and show the various braces including the Dennis Brown. The sites also include tips, advice etc.

Hip-Baby.org Home Page

Hip Kids Australia Home Page

Susan
xxxx

[Haileys Mum]

Hi Susan,
Thanks very much for your hugs. Much needed and appreciated. I live in Portland, around 5 hours away from Melbourne, so a long drive for poor Hailey! I am also praying that Hailey doesn't need surgery, the exercises we are doing to "stretch out her hips" don't seem to be stretching much except Hailey's patience! Thanks for the web sites, I was told by ortho and orthotist that it's a DDB but looking at Scarlett and other pic's it's obviously a modified DBB.

Hi Nicole,
Thanks for the pic. I can't work out how to add a pic but Hailey's brace doesn't look anything like yours at all?? Hailey's was custom made for her at an arthotic place in North Melbourne and called a DBB but???

[nicoli]

Hi guys

Tomorrow we go back to the Children's Hosptial to have an ultrasound and see the orthopaedic surgeon. I am really hoping for some good news but I am no getting my hopes up (too much). Ideally I would like to be told that Scarletts's hips are improving and that she can spend 4 hours a day out of her brace. The hour each day she is currently out of the brace is so much fun for her. She chews her feet, rolls from side to side and I just know that the more time she spends out of it the more she will learn to do. Ayway - keep your fingers crossed...

Nicole

[bridee]

Good luck Nicole. Fingerscrossed for you.

[Georgina128]

Nicole

Wishing you lots of luck for tomorrow

[nicoli]

Hi all

I can't believe it - we went to the hospital and the doctor said that Scarlett's hips are going so well that she only needs to wear her brace at nght time. I was so not expecting it so I am so excited. I am a bit worried that she will not sleep at all during the day now without her brace on - I just out her in bed and all she wants to do is put her feet in her mouth! Anyway thanks fr all your wishes and I'll update you soon on how she s getting on during the day.

Hope everyone else and their bubs are going well...

Nicole

[Georgina128]

congratulations that is fantastic news - did they give you % or anything or just say she was doing great?

We're going in for our ultrasound on Thursday to make sure Clara's hips are in the right place - she'll have been in the harness for 2 and a half weeks by then. Hopefully we'll be able to see some improvement regardless of how small!