Hip Dysplaysia Support Group

[minimatron]

Hi I am sorry to hear that your dd has hip problems. Its good that she is picked up so early as it is much easier and quicker to treat. My DD1 was in a Pavlik Harness from 5 weeks old til 8 months old. I know that sounds a long time, but when I look back on it the first 12 or so weeks was full time, then it came off for 20 minutes a day for 6 weeks and the rest was at night time only. She was picked up at birth, she only had about 27% coverage, an audable clunk and her leg creases were not even.

We went through the hospital she was born at (monash clayton) as they had an orthopaedic outpatient clinic there. Being in camberwell you may be referred to your nearest big hospital or even the childrens. I know at my hospital the first harness was free but she needed 2 more sizes and they were $100 each. The physio sessions also were free. I guess it depends on where its getting done. the out patients was free to where we saw the specialist...it was bulk billed.

For clothes, I stuck to bonds wondersuits as they were stretchy and being winter its perfect fo wondersuits. Anything stretchy is good. I couldnt put jeans on DD1 as it pulled the harness in. You can use cloth, we used it for a while but dh found it too hard, so we switched to sposies. Just got to be carefull not to get it wet coz if you cant take it off its hard to get dry when they are waring it. We used a hair dryer to dry it with a towel to pretect their skin.

As for the sling, I found it a bit hard, but you can give it a go.... I didnt use any carriers coz I was too scared to stuff her hips up. Make sure she gets plenty of tummy time or is propped on a pillow or bean bag as my dd got a really flat head from laying on her back all the time.

I hope that answers some of your questions. Just to let you know, as devistating as it is now, it will be fixed and my dd practically crawled soon after she got it off, and she was walking by the time she was 12 months. Shes now a healthy and very active 2 year old.

best wishes

Melissa

Ps...if you look at my photos on the link in my signature, you can see a few pics of Olivia in her harness

[wysiwyg]

Melissa - thanks so much for your responses, and pointing out the photos it helps to see a photo of a baby in it.

I don't know the degree yet, the click seems to have been audible occasionally when the doctor has checked on two occasions and the leg creases look even so hopefully coverage is not too bad, just know the left is worse than the right. It is a bit frustrating at the moment because have to wait for my doctor to review the results and give me a referral when I know we do have to do something and the ultrasound guy said would be good if can see someone next week (the sooner the better and all that). I would feel so much happier if had an appointment for next week.

[bridee]

It was through the rountine 6wk ultrasound that my DD's hips were detected. She saw the orth surg the following week and on the same day as seeing him she was in the Pavlik Harness. Went we through the Childrens but saw Oth Surg as a private patient. His offices were near the Children's so the Children's fitted the harness and adjustments were done there. Because we went Private we paid for the harness (around $130 I think) but that also included all appointments for adjustments. DD only needed 1 harness but if she needed another one we would have paid the same again.

As for clothes we went up a size and just kept to items that we not restricted ie. didn't put press on the legs - romper suits were good.

i never used a carrier/sling just because I was too concerned it would put additional pressure on her hips. But that is something you could ask Orth Surg or person that fits the harness.

My DD was in harness full time for 12wks then weaned from harness from another month.

On a seperate all today we had DD2 hips checked today (she was also breech but would have got them ultrasounded anyway given DD1 history). Anyway her right hip is definitely ok, her left is borderline so they said to come back in 6wks for it to be checked again. They said there was about 50% coverage. They said if there hadn't been family history they would have said it was fine but coz DD1 they said they need to take the caution approach so while we don't have the all clear yet we are optimistic DD2 won't need a harness.

[minimatron]

Hey Bridee we had dd2s hips checked too coz of the history and she had borderline coverage. Thankfully by 3 months she got the all clear and dint need a harness. All the best with it.