Jo-O - my daughter Scarlett has been in a DB brace for almost a year now after spending 3 months in a pavlik harness. She is now 18 months. She started off wearing the DB brace for 23 hours a day and then only at night as there was a quick improvement. Since then however there has not been enough of an improvement to be brace free entirely and our orth say there is a 90% chance she will need an op before she is of school age to completely correct her right hip. We go back for our next appt next Tuesday after 6 months, and we expect her to come out of the brace as we were told it will not make any difference after 18 moths of age. Worst case is that since starting walking 4 months ago her hip has deteriorate in which case she may need surgery now. Best case is it has improved and won't need surgery at all. That is obviously what I am secretly hoping for.

As for her development in the brace she can roll, crawl and stand up in her brace now but becasue she is only in it in bed she doesn't really get to test it out much. She has become so accustomed to wearing in that after her bath when we are getting her ready for bed she says "brace". I am actually a little worried how she will go at night without it.

Kell - I hope you are doing OK becasue I am sure Chloe will be fine. It's always us parents who beat ourselves up over it. It is so sad to see your baby with limited movement and the frustration on their face, but it does get better. In the beginning I used to cry every time I looked at Scarlett in her harness and then I felt guilty for crying all over her! I hope you got some answers at your appt.

Take care all